External Intervention Solicitor - Team Leader

The Law Society of New South Wales; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

The Law Society of New South Wales is seeking an External Intervention Solicitor - Team Leader to lead and guide the External Interventions team. This is a full-time permanent role with a hybrid working model.

You will supervise two external intervention solicitors, manage workloads, and provide education to the legal profession about the Uniform Law and trust account obligations. NSW practising certificate required with extensive private practice experience.

Qualifications

• Admitted as a Legal Practitioner in NSW with an unrestricted Practising Certificate.
• Strong grasp of NSW regulatory framework governing legal practice.
• Demonstrated advanced people and business management skills, including leading teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the external interventions team of solicitors and paralegal(s), guiding matters and workload.
• Report to the Deputy Director, Litigation & External Intervention on resources, proposals, and appointments.
• Ensure compliance with the Uniform Law and supervise trust money in law practices to support education and compliance.
• Prepare reports and advices for Council/Director, Legal Regulation; communicate timely developments to stakeholders.

Skills

Team management

Regulatory understanding NSW

Trust accounting knowledge

Communication skills

Leadership

Conflict resolution

Planning & organisation

MS Office

Trust accounting software

Education

Solicitor's Practising Certificate NSW

Tools

MS Office

Trust accounting software

Job description

External Intervention Solicitor - Team Leader

We are currently looking for a Team Leader to join our External Interventions team. This is a full-time permanent role with a hybrid working model.

About the role

The External Intervention Solicitor - Team Leader will lead and guide the external interventions team and conduct external interventions under the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) (Uniform Law). The Team Leader acts on behalf of the Council of the Law Society of New South Wales (Council) supervising the 2 external intervention solicitors with their caseloads as well as supporting legal practitioners experiencing difficulty in managing their law practices.

What you'll be doing

• Lead a team of external intervention solicitors and paralegal(s), which includes advising and assisting team members with their matters and managing overall team resources and workloads.
• Report directly to Deputy Director, Litigation & External Intervention (Deputy Director), in relation to:
  • resources;
  • - proposals to brief Counsel and/or engage external service providers;
  • - matters where external intervention is or may be required;
  • - reports received from managers regarding the progress of their appointments;
  • - re-appointments and/or termination of appointments;
  • - processes proposed to be implemented to improve efficiencies.
• Act within the framework of the Uniform Law and other relevant authorisations.
• Act as a supervisor of trust money of the trust accounts of law practices to improve compliance and to educate the legal profession.
• Conduct other external interventions into law practices on behalf of the Council of the Law Society of New South Wales.
• Prepare and submit reports on external interventions under the Uniform Law.
• Prepare (in consultation with the Deputy Director) advices for and takes instructions from the Council and/or the Director, Legal Regulation.
• Notify stakeholders of all relevant matters/issues that may arise in a timely fashion.
• Provide guidance and support to legal practitioners experiencing difficulty in managing their law practices.
• Provide education to the legal profession and external stakeholders about external intervention and relevant provisions of the Uniform Law.

About you

• Admitted as a Legal Practitioner in NSW - currently holds an Unrestricted Principal’s Practising Certificate.
• A thorough understanding of the NSW regulatory framework.
• Demonstrated advanced people and business management skills, including management of teams.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills and the ability to resolve conflicts.
• Strong organisation and prioritisation skills and the ability to complete tasks in a timely and efficient manner
• 15+ years’ experience in private legal practice.
• Extensive experience in legal practice, and in managing a law practice, as a principal.
• Available and able to work non-standard hours.
• Sound working knowledge of Solicitor’s trust account requirements; and Trust and office account record keeping.
• Experience in, and sound technical knowledge of the law and practice in at least two (2) of the following areas of legal practice:
  • Conveyancing
  • Criminal Law
  • Family Law
  • Litigation
  • Personal Injury Law
• Proven ability to use clear, concise language in correspondence.
• Ability to lead and work in a team environment.
• Ability to plan and organise team, and self, and others to ensure the completion of tasks.
• Demonstrated computer skills, including highly developed word processing capabilities, proficiency with email, internet and data base applications, and experience using programs, such as MS Office and specialist Trust Accounting software.
• Demonstrates willingness and determination to set clear goals, KPIs, etc.
• Regulates own behaviour, comprehends organisational structure and culture and acts appropriately in the execution of duties.
• Proven consistency in making sound decisions.
• Ability to use information, knowledge and experience to analyse and form judgments.
• Ability to comprehend the wider context, develops long term goals and determines strategies and actions required to achieve such goals.
• Behaves with integrity and in an honest and trustworthy manner, treating others fair, notifying supervisor if any conflicts of interest are present or arise.
• Able to maintain sustained level of concentration in a busy practice to ensure accuracy and to identify any errors to be addressed.
• Displays a commitment to quality client service, values supplying accurate and timely information and relates to people from diverse backgrounds.

About the team

Professional Standards forms part of the Law Society of New South Wales (Law Society) and conducts regulatory functions on behalf of Council, supported by the Director, Legal Regulation.

Professional Standards’ external intervention team is responsible for external interventions into law practices following the suspension of a practicing certificate, death or incapacity of a solicitor or other relevant circumstances defined under the Uniform Law.

The external intervention team provides support and education to the legal profession, including guidance to legal practitioners experiencing difficulty in managing their law practices.

External Intervention Solicitor - Team Leader