Paralegal, Family Violence

**Introduction**:
Organisational Context
Peninsula Community Legal Centre (PCLC) is one of 49 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
Delivering justice for our community - Promoting and protecting human rights and equality before the law

Values
- Fairness
- Empowerment
- Accessibility
- Respect
- Integrity
- Independence
- Quality

Mission

**PCLC will**:

- Empower and support disadvantaged and vulnerable people in our community to address their legal needs
- Engage and build an ever strengthening and capable legal practice
- Foster and maintain a network of support for the vulnerable and disadvantaged within our community
- Support families in the provision of services that champion child welfare and safety in the eyes of the law
- Deliver a legal service that builds our community toward building one free from violence

Objectives
- Deliver high quality and holistic community legal services, ensuring equity, fairness and justice for all
- Actively engage in systemic advocacy, to promote and enhance human rights and ensure access to justice
- Proactively develop the organisation and its employees to effectively respond to changing community needs
- Innovatively and responsively address increasingly complex legal and social issues impacting upon our community
- Demonstrate leadership within our community and the legal assistance sector

**Description**:
Position Duties

Support the family violence team in the delivery of client services.
Work collaboratively with the legal services team to allocate referrals from the court and other agencies.
Work closely and collaboratively with our practice partners, including, Victoria Legal Aid, Frankston & Moorabbin Specialist Family Violence Court & Southside Justice
Work with the Centres data system and the SFVC portal to undertake conflict checks, triaging, referral of clients, file preparation and liaising with court staff.
Develop and maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant information, resources and referral options for clients.
Participate in regular team meetings.
Assist with collection of data and preparation of reports and other accountability documentation as required.
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.
Liaise with and report to the relevant Practice Manager on a regular basis.

**Skills and Experiences**:
Key Selection Criteria

Tertiary qualifications or undertaking tertiary study in a relevant field such as law, community services, community development or social work
Highly developed organizational and administrative skills and the ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities
Understanding of family violence and 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.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Knowledge of the law and legal system, relevant legislation and court procedures relating to Family Violence.
Excellent interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated knowledge of Client Management & Data Systems such as CLASS, Outlook & Excel
Holds a current Victorian Driver’s Licence and has access to a reliable and comprehensively insured vehicle.