Community Lawyer| Family Violence

Introduction:
Position Objective

The Community Lawyer, Family Violence will work within the Centre’s Family Violence team to provide high quality and timely legal services to clients affected by family violence.

The Community Lawyer, Family Violence will provide family violence legal services including information, intake & triage, advice, minor assistance, casework in areas of family violence and related legal issues such as family and general law, representation and referral services primarily from our Bentleigh East & Frankston offices and visiting service locations.

The Position will also provide pre court engagement and family violence duty lawyer services at the Moorabbin and/or Frankston Specialist Family Violence Courts.

Organisational Context
Peninsula Community Legal Centre (PCLC) is one of 48 community legal centres in Victoria. It operates across six local government area in the south east of Melbourne – Cardinia, Casey, Frankston, Glen Eira, Kingston and Mornington Peninsula. PCLC is headquartered in Frankston and has branch offices in Bentleigh, Cranbourne, Frankston North and Rosebud.

PCLC works to empower and support disadvantaged community members of the South Eastern and Westernport region to use the law and legal system to protect and advance their rights and broaden their awareness of their responsibilities. PCLC offers general legal advice and casework services, specialist family law, tenancy, family violence, rooming house and social work programs, and is active in community legal education and law reform work.

PCLC Vision & Values
Vision
A fair and just society where all people have equal access to the law

Values
Social Justice - empowering compassionate relationships
Compassion - in it together
Empowerment - fairness equity respect
Integrity - quality driven
Engagement - being community driven
Mission
To work with community to deliver tailored legal services that support vulnerable and disadvantaged community members to address their legal needs, through working towards fairer outcomes, to advocate for fair and just laws and through working with our community to deliver preventative legal education.

Objectives

Deliver high quality targeted place-based legal services underpinned by a person-centred and rights base approach.
Proactively engage with priority client groups and communities to improve access and equity.
Provide community legal education to empower and inform the community about legal rights and responsibilities.
Identify and engage in advocacy for law reforms that have a direct benefit to PCLC clients and communities.
Actively promote and protect the human rights of our vulnerable community members.
Invest in an organisational culture built around the health and well-being of our people.
Partner with community sector and health organisations to address unmet, health-harming legal needs and effect system improvements.
Seek and utilise client and stakeholder feedback to inform our services and activities.
Work with our partners and community networks to reach people who may not actively seek out legal help.
Build and maintain a strong profile amongst community and the legal assistance sector

Description:
Position Duties

Deliver high quality legal advice and casework, advocacy and representation services in accordance with the PCLC Advice and Casework Guidelines.
Conduct ongoing casework in accordance with the Centre’s Advice and Casework Guidelines and within the caseload/file limit directed from time to time
Provide duty lawyer, pre court engagement and representation services in accordance with Centre’s Advice & Casework Guidelines & SFVC legal practice model.
Work closely and collaboratively with our practice partners, Victoria Legal Aid, Court, Southside Justice and community partners to meet the SFVC Program objectives.
Maintain an appropriate case management system, including undertaking regular file reviews.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date records, including file notes, client and casework data and case studies.
Assist with the allocation, processing and triaging of referrals into the family violence program.
Develop and maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation, procedures and practices relevant to the position.
Develop and maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant information, resources and referral options for clients.
Undertake all administrative duties required to support the objectives of the family violence program.
Participate in regular supervision and caseworkers’ meetings.
Ensure that all work is conducted within the requirements of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014, the Centre’s professional indemnity insurance and the Centre’s policies and procedures.
Liaise with relevant organisations and workers.
Represent Peninsula Community Legal Centre at relevant community, government and other forums.
Participate in community legal education activities as directed.
Identify trends and issues arising from legal advice and casework practice.
Participate in activities which seek to ensure greater legislative and practical protection for PCLC clients, such as submission writing and campaigns.
Liaise with and report to the Practice Manager, Family Violence regularly.
Assist with collection of data and preparation of reports and other accountability documentation as required.

Applications for this role are via the PCLC careers portal.
If you are viewing through Seek or Indeed - please click 'Apply' to be taken to the PCLC careers portal where you can open and download the Position Description.

For further information contact Jackie Galloway +783 3600

Skills and Experiences:
Key Selection Criteria

Possess, or is eligible to possess, a current practicing certificate including High Court registration with one year’s post admission practice.
Experience in court representation including family violence and summary crime.
Family Violence Duty lawyer experience will be looked upon favourably.
Highly developed advocacy skills
Experience in family violence with an understanding of the challenges impacting vulnerable community members when accessing the family violence and family law systems.
Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to social justice principles, understanding of the legal assistance sector and a commitment to PCLC ‘s vision and values.
Experience in, or demonstrated capacity to undertake, direct legal service delivery, including provision of information, advice and referral services, negotiation, and advocacy on behalf of clients, representation of clients in courts and other legal settings.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Excellent interpersonal skills.
Well-developed organisational skills and ability to work with minimal supervision.
Competency in using word processing and electronic communication programs.
Holds a current Victorian Driver’s Licence and has access to a reliable and comprehensively insured vehicle.
 
 

Australia
Victoria
Bentleigh Show on map Get directions