Job Description

Principal Advocate (Supervising)

Legal Officer Grade VI

Location – Parramatta

Employment type – $165,865 p.a. to $169,359 p.a. plus superannuation and annual leave loading

Salary – Temporary full-time opportunities for up to 2 years

Lead complex parole advocacy and legal strategy within Corrective Services NSW

An exciting opportunity exists for an experienced legal professional to join Corrective Services NSW as a Principal Advocate (Supervising) within the High Risk & Countering Violent Extremism directorate.

This senior advocacy role offers the opportunity to lead complex and high-profile parole matters, provide strategic legal advice to senior executives and supervise a specialised legal team operating in a fast-paced and highly sensitive environment.

Working at the intersection of criminal justice, parole and community safety, you will represent the Commissioner of Corrective Services NSW and the State of NSW before the State Parole Authority (and, if required, other jurisdictions) while contributing to legal strategy, operational reform and complex decision-making across the organisation.

About the role

This role offers hands-on advocacy experience as well as the opportunity to provide strategic legal advice and shape a dynamic and high profile workstream.

You will lead and supervise legal work within the team while contributing to operational and strategic initiatives that support parole processes, rehabilitation outcomes and community safety objectives.

This role combines high-level advocacy, legal leadership and stakeholder engagement in one of NSW Government’s most specialised legal practice environments.

What you’ll do

In this role, you will:

• Regularly appear as solicitor advocate before the State Parole Authority in parole hearings, and other courts, tribunals and commissions where required
• Lead and manage complex, sensitive and high-risk legal matters involving parole and correctional operations
• Prepare and review written submissions to be filed with the State Parole Authority, as well as advice, briefing notes and evidence
• Provide strategic legal advice to senior executives and operational stakeholders
• Supervise, mentor and develop legal staff within the team
• Contribute to legislative, policy and procedural reform initiatives
• Manage competing legal priorities in a high-volume and time-critical environment
• Work collaboratively with the Crown Solicitor’s Office, other relevant government agencies and key justice stakeholders
• Support continuous improvement, governance and professional standards within the legal function

What we’re looking for

We’re seeking a highly capable and confident legal leader with strong advocacy capability and experience managing complex legal matters in demanding environments.

To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate:

• Extensive experience in advocacy
• Strong knowledge of criminal law, administrative law or related jurisdictions
• Experience leading or supervising legal professionals
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Strong strategic thinking and legal problem-solving capability
• The ability to manage sensitive matters with professionalism, sound judgement and resilience
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills across operational and executive environments

Essential requirements

• Legal qualifications and eligibility to hold a current unrestricted NSW practising certificate
• Demonstrated experience as a solicitor advocate or in a comparable advocacy-focused legal role
• Current Working with Children Check clearance
• Willingness to obtain and maintain relevant security clearances if required

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Why join us?

This is a rare opportunity to work on complex and meaningful legal matters that directly contribute to community safety and offender rehabilitation outcomes across NSW.

You’ll join a collaborative and experienced team and gain exposure to:

• High-profile parole advocacy and strategic legal work
• Complex operational and policy matters
• Leadership and mentoring opportunities
• A specialised area of government legal practice
• Flexible and supportive working arrangements

Ready to join us?

Click apply, attach an up-to-date résumé (maximum 5 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 3 pages) addressing the 2 targeted questions below with a brief outline on how you meet the requirements of the role:

1. Describe a time where you advanced your client’s position in a complex, contested and demanding advocacy environment. What approach did you take to prepare and present persuasive submissions, and what was the outcome?
2. Describe your experience supervising and developing legal staff in a high-pressure legal environment. How have you supported capability building, maintained quality legal outcomes and fostered professional growth within your team?

Applications close Monday 08 June 2026 at 11:59pm AEST.

Got a question?

For more information about the role or what it’s like to work for DCJ, please contact the hiring manager Anna Johnson on 0418 862 483 or at anna.johnson@correctiveservices.nsw.gov.au.

If you’ve got a question about applying or would benefit from an adjustment in the recruitment process to help you perform at your best (including an alternate method submission of the application), please call Nastassja Le Claire on 0460 961 902 or via Nastassja.LeClaire@dcj.nsw.gov.au

Visit Recruitment adjustments on the DCJ website to learn more.

Inclusion and Diversity lies at the heart of how we recruit

We continue to hire great people with a wide variety of skills, experience and backgrounds. This includes people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people identifying as LGBTIQ+, culturally and linguistically diverse people, carers and other diversity groups, visitInclusion and diversity on the DCJ website

Other Information

A talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months.

For more information visit Applying for DCJ jobs on the DCJ website.

Thank you for your interest in this role. We look forward to receiving your application.

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