Principal Crown Prosecutor

The ODPP represents the State of Queensland in criminal cases. The ODPP's significant responsibility is to prosecute criminal matters in the High Court of Australia, Court of Appeal (Qld), Supreme Court, Mental Health Court, District Court, the Childrens Court of Queensland, and the Magistrates Court (in limited locations and matters).

About the location:

Live and work in vibrant North Queensland
Townsville offers an enviable lifestyle and a strong sense of community, making it a compelling place to live and work. With over 300 days of sunshine each year, access to the Great Barrier Reef, and stunning national parks, you'll enjoy a unique mix of city living and outdoor adventure.
- Well-connected: Townsville is just a 2-hour flight from Brisbane and offers modern transport, reliable internet, and strong infrastructure.
- Family-friendly: A range of quality public and private schools, accessible healthcare including Townsville University Hospital, and a welcoming community for partners and families.

About your opportunity:
The incumbent will have access to 5 weeks of paid recreation leave per annum, access to professional development including pre-approved study support and CPD opportunities.

This is more than just a role , it's a rare chance to build a meaningful legal career while contributing to justice in a vibrant regional centre.

Frontline courtroom experience: Enjoy an opportunity to practice your highly developed legal advocacy skills and autonomy in the exercise of legal decisionmaking.

Leadership and development: Opportunities for chamber management, mentoring, and stepping into broader leadership responsibilities.

Specialist court involvement: Engage in meaningful work through the Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Court and with the Townsville Sexual Assault Response Team, fostering trauma-informed practices.

As a Principal Crown Prosecutor, you will:

- Appear as leading counsel in all types of criminal trials in the superior courts
- Exercise, without supervision, the discretion to initiate, vary and discontinue serious criminal charges.
- Act as an expert source of advice to staff on complex and sensitive legal matters and provide professional mentoring for other Crown Prosecutors and legal staff and focus on performance aimed at improving professional capability.
- Manage the Chambers to ensure high quality delivery of prosecution services within a framework of continuous improvement.
- Build and manage strong stakeholder relationships in the North Queensland region and justice sector.

To be successful in this role you will:
- have experience in criminal law practice and have prosecuted/defended in jury trials and sentences before the superior courts.
- have superior managerial and leadership capabilities, developed in a legal practice framework.
- be a strategic leader, who is willing to contribute to office wide and local initiatives both internally with ODPP and chambers, but externally with our justice partners.
- Possess highly developed interpersonal skills, and a knowledge and understanding of dealing with trauma impacted and vulnerable victims of crime.
- Have a commitment to professional and ethical standards, the principles of equity, inclusion and diversity and highly developed cultural capability.

Mandatory qualifications, conditions and requirements:
You will be admitted as a Legal Practitioner in a State or Territory of Australia (please indicate date of admission).

Job Ad Reference: QLD/640859/25

Closing Date: Wednesday, 18 June This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License.