Law Volunteer jobs

• Practical work experience in a leading social justice and law reform organisation
• Work alongside legal and policy change-makers
• 50-day placement, minimum 2 days a week, including:
  • 15 days practical legal training work experience to meet admission requirements; and
  • 35 days voluntary work experience to build skills and practical experience.

The Justice and Equity Centre is a leading social justice law and policy centre. We build a fairer, stronger society by helping to change laws, policies and practices that cause injustice and inequality.

We offer a diverse and inclusive workplace where wellbeing is actively promoted, and flexibility is supported.

The JEC is currently recruiting for Practical Legal Training Placements, a role suitable for recent law graduates or law students in their penultimate or final year of study seeking to develop their practical legal and professional skills and satisfy Practical Legal Training requirements. The Placements are unpaid, however reasonable travel costs are reimbursed.

PLT Placements will have an opportunity to work with lawyers and policy officers across our organisation:

• Our Strategic Litigation team conducts high impact strategic litigation that achieves positive outcomes for disadvantaged people. We bring test cases that create important legal precedents and advocate for policy and law reform to protect human rights and promote social justice.

• Our Homeless Persons’ Legal Service provides free legal assistance for people experiencing homelessness. This includes a criminal law practice that aims to divert clients from the criminal justice system. HPLS helps reduce homelessness by tackling legal and systemic barriers that prevent people from accessing and maintaining appropriate, secure housing.

• Our Towards Truth team uses legal research and analysis to deliver a unique and ground-breaking truth-telling project that shows the impact of laws and government policies on First Nations people since 1788. You can learn more about Towards Truth Project by visiting www.towardstruth.org.au.

Practical Legal Training Placements contribute to the provision of a successful, innovative, and responsive legal practice by assisting with litigation and policy advocacy that drives law reform and systems change.

Experiences offered vary but can include:

• Assisting with legal drafting
• Conducting research for casework and policy projects
• Interacting with clients
• Managing case files
• Liaising with stakeholders including police, courts and corrections

Applications

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people with disability are strongly encouraged to apply.

Your application should be no longer than five pages. An application should comprise:

• A cover letter addressing the selection criteria included in the position description
• A current CV
• A copy of your academic transcript

Please send your application to [email protected], including ‘PLT Placement’ in the subject field. Applications are considered on a rolling basis.

Inquiries should be directed to Jonathan Hall Spence, Principal Solicitor, via [email protected].