Public Interest Law Careers Guide - Law Institute of Victoria
Field of Law
Stage of Career
Undergraduates; Graduates; Practising lawyers
Contact Details
Address: Law Institute of Victoria, 470 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Mailing address: GPO Box 263, Melbourne Victoria 3001, DX 350, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9607 9311
Visit the LIV website
Contact: General Inquiries, email inquiries@liv.asn.au
Description of Organisation
The LIV represents more than 19,500 lawyers and people working in the law in Victoria, interstate and overseas. Our members offer their commitment, diversity and expertise to help shape the laws of Victoria and to ensure a strong legal profession for the future.
The LIV promotes justice for all by advancing social and public welfare in the operation of the courts and legal system, as well as advancing education and public confidence both in the legal profession and in the processes by which the law is made and administered.
As the peak body for the Victorian legal profession, the LIV initiates programs to support the needs of a changing profession, promotes an active law reform advocacy agenda, responds publicly to issues affecting the profession and broader community, delivers continuing legal education programs, and continues to provide expert services and resources to support our members.
The LIV is a non-profit organisation dedicated to its members and the development, maintenance and the sustenance of the law for the benefit of the community.
Does your organisation have a human rights officer?
Administrative Law and Human Rights Section
Senior Lawyer
Phone: +61 3 9607 9442 (Direct)
Junior Lawyer
Phone: +61 3 9607 9489 (Direct)
Email: alhrsection@liv.asn.au
Phone: +61 3 9607 9311 (Switchboard)
Visit the Administrative Law and Human Rights pages on the LIV website
Information for secondary schools
Do you host school trips or send speakers to schools?
Yes
Contact person for school trip and/or speakers
Contact the Court Network via the website
Information for university students/graduates
Students looking for support to transition to graduate programs visit the Seasonal Clerkship & Traineeship Guidelines web page on the LIV website
Do you employ law graduates outside a graduate program, and what sort of roles do they fill?
The Legal Policy and Practice department (LPP) strives to represent and support our members and the wider legal community in its work on legal policy and reform through LIV Sections and their various committees, practice networks and interest groups.
From time to time, LPP recruits law students and law graduates as Paralegals and Senior Paralegals to service a particular Practice Section.
The different practice sections offer members an opportunity to participate in lobbying and advocacy for law reform and adopt leadership roles.
LPP is responsible for preparing submissions on a wide range of law reform issues and plays an integral role in ensuring the LIV is a key stakeholder in the development of the law in Victoria and nationally.
Practice Sections are:
- Administrative Law and Human Rights
- Collaborative Practice
- Commercial Law
- Costs Law
- Criminal Law
- Elder Law
- Family Law
- Government Lawyers
- International Law
- Litigation Lawyers
- Property and Environmental Law
- Succession Law
- Workplace Relations
What are you looking for in an applicant?
LPP requires legally trained personnel and skilled support staff to manage and operate the practice sections and to produce and analyse information for delivery to members and the wider profession. The Senior Paralegal and Paralegal roles are responsible for providing leadership and support to LPP by:
- Driving key legal policy development, law reform, strategic advocacy and projects in partnership with LIV members, LIV departments and other key stakeholders; and
- Delivering relevant information and resources to assist legal practitioners in their practices.
Key Effectiveness Areas/Responsibilities
Assist the General Manager and the Section lawyer in driving key legal policy development, law reform, strategic advocacy and projects in partnership with legal practitioners, key stakeholders and LIV departments by:
- Developing and implementing strategic advocacy campaigns on issues of significance for legal practitioners;
- Developing and implementing projects on issues of significance for legal practitioners;
- Encouraging and contributing to legal policy development and law reform through submissions and other strategies;
- Collaborating with legal practitioners, key stakeholders and LIV departments on policy development, law reform, projects and legal issues.
Assist the General Manager and the Section lawyer in delivering relevant information and resources and assist legal practitioners in their practices by:
- Providing relevant and up-to-date information to legal practitioners on substantive law issues;
- Providing relevant and up-to-date practice support to legal practitioners on non-legal practice issues;
- Contributing to continuing professional development programs and events for legal practitioners; and
- Providing assistance to key LIV representatives (including the President, CEO and Public Affairs Manager) and LIV departments to deliver relevant and up-to-date information to targeted audiences on specific legal issues.
Develop team members' professional skills and foster relationships by:
- Identifying and implementing strategies to develop personal professional skills and those of team members;
- Identifying and implementing strategies to develop and improve the efficiency of departmental and cross departmental processes, communications and relationships; and
- Identifying and implementing strategies to improve the efficiency of services, processes and communications.
Capabilities/ Core Competencies
1. Excellence;
- We strive to perform beyond expectations in everything we do.
- We are committed to leading the legal profession and assisting the wider community by focusing on continuous improvement, effective communication and accomplishing the highest standards of service and expertise.
2. Integrity;
- We value integrity at personal and professional levels.
- We conduct every aspect of our business in a trustworthy, reliable and transparent manner. We foster confidence in the LIV by maintaining the highest ethical standards in everything we do.
3. Innovation;
- We embrace diversity, creativity and flexibility.
- We recognise the need to be dynamic in meeting the changing needs of the legal profession and the wider community.
4. Team work;
- We work collaboratively.
- We value and support our colleagues.
- We interact openly and constructively.
- We identify key relationships, build partnerships, share ideas and resources.
5. Accountability;
- We are responsible, consistent in our approach, committed and outcome focused.
- We are resourceful and dedicated to delivering the optimum results for our members, stakeholders and the wider community.
Qualifications/skills required
Knowledge & Skills
You should have a history of displaying the following competencies:
- Demonstrated policy experience;
- High level legal research skills;
- Strong written communication and interpersonal skills;
- Keen attention to detail;
- Excellent organisational skills with a proven ability to deal with competing deadlines;
- Accountability to ensure the successful achievement of quality results;
- Ability to work effectively individually or as a team member to accomplish organisational goals;
- Strong customer service orientation; and
- Demonstrated computer skills
Qualifications
You will have completed a degree in law from an Australian University.
Where do you advertise your positions?
Seek; and the LIV website
Do you use a recruitment agency?
No
