Specialist Family Violence Solicitor

Introduction

Established in 1979, Mallee Family Care is a place-based agency delivering 70+ programs and services to meet the diverse needs of our community, across a catchment area of more than 160,000 km².

If you're passionate about improving outcomes in the lives of children, families and individuals, and in building stronger communities, we would like to hear from you.

Mallee Family Care supports professional development and offers generous salary packaging and paid placements where appropriate.

We are committed to building an organisation that reflects the diversity of the communities we support.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, we invite applications from people of all walks of life. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD), LGBTQIA+, and people living with a disability are encouraged to apply for our roles.

Description

Position Objectives 

The Mallee Family Care Community Legal Centre (MFCCLC) offers a free and confidential legal service to vulnerable people in the Northern and Southern Mallee areas of Victoria and Southwest New South Wales. Services provided include legal advice, information and advocacy, referral pathways, legal casework, community legal education and policy review and reform. Additionally, MFCCLC offers specialised Family Violence, Mental Health support and Financial Counselling.

The Service adopts an Integrated Service model, with collaboration required with other professional staff and service providers to best meet client needs.  In particular, MFCCLC provides a specialist approach to supporting families in our Domestic Violence Unit/Health Justice Partnership (HJP) program.  The HJP program is a multidisciplinary team (law, social work, mental health and financial counselling) that provides a range of innovative services in the Mallee communities and works in partnership with other agencies. 

The HJP aims to provide integrated services that address the needs of some of the most vulnerable members of our community, with a particular focus on women who have experienced, or are experiencing, family violence, those with mental health issues and priority cohort groups.

In addition to the HJP program above the service has recently added a new program and an additional Health Justice Partnership project between Eastern Community Legal Centre and Mallee Family Care Community Legal Centre (called Mabels). This new program seeks to provide an early intervention advice and referral response to family violence within the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) context by improving the responses of maternal and child health, legal, family violence and support services in a co-ordinated and integrated manner. 

This role will work closely with the MFCCLC team, in particular the whole HJP team members and MCH staff to assist and empower women who disclose family violence.  This role will actively engage in the integrated practice framework to provide legal advice, support & advocacy to women experiencing or at risk of experiencing family violence. This role will provide client support using a trauma informed and strengths-based approach that will assist client's in navigating their legal options and the legal system which will support clients being empowered to make decisions that will help keep themselves and their children safe.

This role is required to operate from the Mildura site of the MFCCLC.

Position Description Specialist Family Violence Solicitor Aug 25

Skills And Experiences

Qualifications and Experience:

A current practicing certificate as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria, along with demonstrated relevant experience in a legal setting and in court representation.Admission as a legal practitioner in Victoria, with at least (2) two years Post Admission Experience.A person employed at this level will be expected to have specific knowledge required to undertake a specialist role within the organisation and experience both in family violence and family law casework.We are seeking a highly motivated person to assist with the development of the Mabels Program within the areas identified and others as the project progresses.A current driver's licence and a willingness to travel with preparedness to be accommodated overnight on outreach regularly will be required.

For you to be considered for this role, all applications must be submitted with a Cover Letter, Resume and the Key Selection Criteria addressed, which can be found in the position description.

For more information regarding this position please contact Maree Fullgrabe – Human Resource Manager on

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