Job Description

• Permanent, full time (35 hours per week)
• Bankstown (hybrid work available)
• Community Legal Centre incorporating domestic and family violence services
• Salary: SCHADS Level 7 + super (depending on experience)
• Flexible work conditions, salary packaging to increase take-home pay, 5 weeks annual leave plus leave loading, additional Gratis leave at Christmas.

You’re an experienced civil lawyer who combines strong technical ability with sound judgment, compassion and a commitment to social justice. You bring substantial experience in civil law practice, including litigation and advocacy, and you are confident working with clients experiencing disadvantage, trauma and complex intersecting issues. You communicate clearly, build trust quickly, and are motivated by the opportunity to lead, mentor and strengthen a practice that delivers accessible, culturally safe and high-quality legal services to the community.

About Justice Support Centre

Justice Support Centre is a Not-for-Profit organisation committed to providing timely, effective, and high-quality legal services to the community. We focus on delivering legal support through telephone advice, face-to-face consultations, legal representation, community legal education, and participation in law reform activities. We primarily assist clients who are financially-disadvantaged, as well as victim-survivors of domestic violence & family violence, in addition to other priority criteria.

About the role

The Senior Civil Lawyer provides accessible and trauma-informed advice and assistance to people living in South West Sydney across civil law matters including victim services, social security, debts, fines and consumer law and motor vehicle property damage. The role supports clients navigating intersecting legal issues, using a holistic and culturally responsive approach.

As a senior practitioner, the role brings significant technical expertise to JSC's civil practice.

The Senior Civil Lawyer supervises the civil lawyers, provides mentoring and technical guidance to paralegals, interns and volunteers, and contributes to community outreach, legal education, stakeholder engagement and law reform. The role will also contribute to the strategic development of the civil law practice, including developing a targeted domestic financial abuse advice and casework stream that is integrated with JSC’s broader response to domestic and family violence.

Nature and Scope of Position

Justice Support Centre is a generalist community legal centre providing legal advice, casework and community education across civil and criminal law as well as family law and domestic violence legal support. JSC works closely with internal casework teams and external partners to deliver integrated and wrap-around responses for people experiencing disadvantage, particularly women experiencing domestic and family violence.

The Senior Civil Lawyer maintains an active civil legal practice including providing telephone advice, undertaking casework, delivering community legal education, participating in law reform initiatives, supervising pro bono lawyers, and coordinating key stakeholder relationships and outreach activities.

In addition to their own practice, the Senior Civil Lawyer provides supervision, leadership and oversight to lawyers within the civil team and has primary responsibility for professional development, workload management and staff wellbeing within the civil practice.

FOCUS AREAS

This role covers civil law including:

• victim Services applications, internal reviews and appeals
• motor vehicle accident property damage
• social security
• consumer law especially as it relates to DV
• credit/debt enforcement
• you may also contribute to other practice areas depending on community needs and Centre priorities.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Legal practice & casework management

• maintains own legal practice and deliver legal advice and targeted casework to clients in accordance with JSC’s eligibility criteria
• supervises the civil solicitors, including advice checking and file review to ensure high professional standards
• supports the Assistant Principal Solicitor (APS) with management and supervision of pro bono relationships and clinics
• explore opportunities for targeted or strategic litigation to advance systemic outcomes for civil law clients
• work collaboratively with the PS, APS and other Senior lawyers to support the operations and intake of the team as well as compliance with practice standards
• contribute to the development and improvement of practice management tools, precedents and the legal case management system (Actionstep)
• monitor legal, procedural and sector developments and ensure relevant updates are shared and embedded within team practice
• support team participation in reflective supervision processes.

People leadership & supervision

• lead and manage the development, performance and wellbeing of the civil lawyers

• works collaboratively with the PS, APS and other Senior lawyers to foster a professional, supportive and high-performing team culture aligned with JSC values.

Community Education, Outreach and Stakeholder Relationships

• play a key role in developing and delivering community legal education, plain-language resources and information sessions
• lead and manage outreach services within the civil practice focus areas
• build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders and community partners
• collaborate with internal casework teams to provide holistic support for clients
• represent JSC in interagency and network meetings relevant to civil law focus areas
• support the PS and APS in developing and monitoring projects and initiatives within the focus areas
• contribute to organisational communications, including internal monthly news, Quarterly external newsletters and the Annual report.

Contribute to law reform, advocacy and strategic initiatives

• support law reform, advocacy and policy initiatives aligned with JSC’s focus areas
• contribute to submissions, consultations and research activities
• provide strategic input into team and organisational planning, service design and program evaluation.

General

• develop and work to annual plans aligned with service and strategic objectives
• maintain up-to-date knowledge of law, policy and professional obligations, and comply with continuing legal education requirements
• stay informed and contribute to discussions on policy and social issues affecting communities in Liverpool, Fairfield and Bankstown
• ensure availability for client services, including telephone advice and outreach, and manage court commitments accordingly
• comply with Centre policies, professional standards and funding requirements.

Reporting

The Senior Civil Lawyer will report to the Principal Solicitor.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE

Essential

• a current Law Society of NSW unrestricted Practising Certificate and is eligible and able to practice law in NSW as a principal of a legal practice
• substantial post-admission experience (minimum 4 years), including litigation and court advocacy in one or more of the Focus Areas
• demonstrated experience delivering high-quality, trauma-informed legal advice
• substantial experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse clients and a commitment to culturally safe practice
• experience mentoring, supervising or providing technical guidance to other legal or support staff
• strong written and verbal communication skills, including drafting court documents and contributing to reports, law reform submissions and funding applications
• demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective stakeholder relationships and represent an organisation in external forums
• strong ICT and case management capability
• current driver’s licence and access to an insured vehicle.

Desirable

• experience working in a community legal centre
• strong understanding of domestic and family violence and trauma-informed practice
• experience contributing to law reform or sector advocacy initiatives
• experience using Actionstep or similar legal case management systems
• familiarity with integrated or multidisciplinary service models.

How to apply for this position

• apply online with your cover letter, detailing how your skills and experience meet the essential and prefered criteria along with your resume
• please address the essential and prefered criteria in full. Applications that do not address the essential criteria will not be considered.

Closing Date: Tuesday 30th June 2026, 5pm

Contact Person: Enquiries about the roles should be emailed to Liz Simpson, Principal Solicitor, liz.simpson@jsc.org.au

The preferred applicants will be required to undergo a Working with Children Check and a National Police Records Check.