2026 New Lawyers Program

Make a difference. Build your career. Support those who need it most.

• 12 full-time ongoing positions starting February 2026
• Starting salary of $90,871 + superannuation and generous salary packaging (up to $15,900p.a.)
• Structured two-year graduate pathway with ongoing role at completion
• Diverse placements across Victoria, including regional offices

Launch your legal career with purpose

The 2026 New Lawyers Program (NLP) is your chance to begin your legal career with one of Victoria's most dynamic and diverse legal practices. Over two years, you'll rotate through three placements, each eight months long, gaining hands-on experience in different areas of law and working directly with clients who need your support most.

This is more than a graduate program – it's the start of a career where your skills and commitment will make a difference every day.

About The New Lawyers Program
The NLP is a structured two-year pathway designed to accelerate your career while making a real difference for Victorians.

Through three set placements, you'll gain practical experience across areas such as criminal law, family violence, child protection, youth crime, civil justice, and access to justice services.

Most pathways involve at least one regional placement. Each move means stepping into a new office and community, adapting to different teams, clients, and requirements. At the end of the program, you'll transition into an ongoing lawyer role within VLA, ready to continue a rewarding career in social justice.

Why this work matters

As an NLP lawyer, you'll represent some of Victoria's most vulnerable people, including clients with experiences of trauma, family violence, child protection involvement, mental health issues, disability, substance dependency and systemic disadvantage.

The work can be challenging and emotionally demanding – but also incredibly rewarding. You'll see the direct impact of your advocacy every day and contribute to shaping a fairer, more just Victoria.

We'll also support you every step of the way with:

• Expert supervision from senior lawyers and practice leaders (including 60+ accredited specialists)
• Dedicated mentors and structured training to grow your legal, advocacy and leadership skills
• Development in resilience and wellbeing strategies to sustain a long-term legal career

Placement Pathways

The Program Is Designed To Give You Breadth Of Experience And Prepare You For Your Career At VLA. Placements May Include

• Criminal Law – summary crime, youth crime, family violence matters, therapeutic justice approaches or indictable crime.
• Family, Youth and Children's Law – child protection, family law, child support, or youth justice
• Civil Justice Law – equality law, civil and administrative justice, economic and social rights, or specialist advocacy
• Access to Justice Services – first contact client services such as Legal Help and integrated service models

Some pathways are metro-based, while others require relocating (temporarily or permanently) to a regional area. If you relocate for a single rotation, we may provide accommodation for the placement.

Regional Placements Are a Unique Career Opportunity. They Offer

• Broader casework and faster responsibility in smaller teams
• Closer connection with clients and communities, where your work has visible impact
• Stronger mentoring relationships with senior lawyers and leaders
• A chance to develop professional resilience and adaptability in new settings

These placements are often career-defining experiences, and we strongly encourage applicants to preference an outer regional pathway.

Each placement pathway includes three rotations and is linked to a home directorate, where you'll be placed permanently after completing the program.

See the attachments for a list of the 2026 placement pathway options, and more details about selecting your preferred placement can be found here:

Join an information session

We're holding two online information sessions with more detail about practice areas, placement pathways and how your placement preferences and recruitment performance affect your chances of securing one of these roles.

We strongly encourage all applicants to attend – book online via humantix for either session
:

• Wednesday 15 October, 4:30 – 6:00pm AEDT
• Monday 20 October, 12:00 – 1:30pm AEDT

About You
We're looking for early-career lawyers who are passionate about social justice, are adaptable, and ready to grow. You'll bring:

• Eligibility to hold a Practicing Certificate that entitles you to practice law in Victoria by January 2026, with less than 12 months' post-admission experience at the time of application
• commitment to building a sustainable, socially impactful legal career
• strong communication and interpersonal skills – you can explain complex law in plain English, connect across cultures and build trust with clients and colleagues
• resilience, reflection and self-leadership to manage the demands of high-stakes, potentially distressing work
• interest in working across diverse legal areas and flexibility to relocate for regional placements (if you preference a pathway that requires relocation)

We strongly encourage applications from Australian First Nations lawyers and from people of diverse backgrounds and with lived experience.
About Victoria Legal Aid
We offer legal representation, family dispute resolution and non-legal advocacy to those who need it most. With over 1500 staff employed in 16 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.

Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so that we best represent the people we serve.

At VLA, we offer more than just a job – we offer a career with purpose. You'll be part of a diverse, inclusive organisation that values your ideas and perspectives.

Benefits Include

• Focus on work-life balance including flexible working arrangements
• Generous leave entitlements, including three paid days of seasonal leave between Boxing Day and New Years Day
• Training and professional development opportunities
• Excellent salary packaging options including General Expenses up to $15,900, Meals & Entertainment up to $2,650, and Novated Leasing.
• Access to discounted Private Health Insurance

How to apply

To Apply, Please Submit

• A brief cover letter addressing why you would be a great legal assistance lawyer, and

• in particular, addressing key selection criteria 2 and 5 noted in the attached Position Description

• Your current resume (including two referees)

• Your top three preferred placement pathways (or choose Anywhere to maximise your chances of receiving an offer, noting this may be for one of our less-popular pathways)
• Your academic transcript, showing completion of your law degree
• Confirmation of:
• Practical Legal Training completion; and
• practising certificate (or evidence of admission as a lawyer or evidence of enrolment to be admitted by December 2025.

Unfortunately, applications that do not meet all above requirements will not be progressed
*.*
If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process or need an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team.

Important eligibility information

• Applicants must reside in Victoria or a nearby border community and be available for regular in-office and at-court attendance. Interstate candidates are welcome to apply if willing to relocate.
• Placements are confirmed in advance to support workforce planning and lawyer development. While occasional adjustments may be required to meet business requirements, you'll know your rotations ahead of time.
• Access to personal transport is required for many placements (especially regional ), as public transport may not be available.
• All positions require a valid Working With Children Check and may be subject to a police check.

VLA is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.

Want more information?

• review the attached position description
• read our 2026 New Lawyers Program webpage
• book in for one of our two Information Sessions
• contact VLA's Early Careers Specialist at

Applications close by 11.59pm on Sunday 26 October 2025
Launch your legal career with purpose. Apply now and be part of building a fairer Victoria.