First Nations Pro Bono Lead

Gilbert + Tobin has an exciting job opportunity as a First Nations Pro Bono Lead - apply now!

---

At a glance

---

Key Responsibilities

Our pro bono practice is comprised of an experienced team of 8 lawyers dedicated entirely to pro bono work. The team is engaged in its own legal work and also supports pro bono work by lawyers across all the firm’s practices groups. Our practice has close relationships with the access to justice sector and with our clients and their communities throughout Australia. These strong relationships inform the work we undertake.

We are particularly known for our work with First Nations people and communities and this work makes up more than half of our pro bono caseload. We also have a focus on providing services to refugees and asylum seekers, people with disabilities and human rights work. We are especially proud of our work in rural and remote Australia which sees us frequently travelling to these communities to engage with clients and provide legal services.

You will have the opportunity to work on an exciting range of access to justice work, including small and large matters, both litigious (across all jurisdictions) and non-litigious, for individuals and not-for-profit organisations, law reform and policy work, and providing community legal education.

We regularly make submissions and advocate for law reform on issues fundamental to access to justice and opportunity for our client groups, undertake test case litigation and work alongside our colleagues in pro bono practices at other firms seeking to advance the law for the people we represent.
Equally importantly, we are committed to providing legal services to people who could not otherwise access assistance on issues impacting their day to day lives.

Working with the pro bono partners, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and First Nations Strategies Lead, you will have the opportunity to help shape our First Nations practice, further develop our networks, identify legal issues of importance to First Nations people and communities and help set priorities. 
You will also be working yourself on matters for individuals, organisations and on law and policy reforms and supporting the work of other lawyers  as part of the broader pro bono practice.

The Successful Candidate

As a successful candidate, you should be a First Nations (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander) person who is a high performer with demonstrated capacity to provide legal services across many areas of law as well as engaging in law reform, advocacy and providing legal education. Your performance will be recognised and rewarded accordingly. In addition, you will have:

• 4+ years post qualification experience, preferably largely in legal practice;
• Strong networks across First Nations communities;
• Legal experience in or demonstrated capacity to undertake access to justice work for First Nations communities including litigation and work for not-for-profits, particularly in governance;
• Superior analytical, communications and drafting skills;
• Independence of thought and creative thinking ability;
• The ability to work effectively with First Nations clients from a range of backgrounds;
• The ability to work both autonomously and in a team environment; and
• The ability to manage a large and varied caseload.

Apply now