Lead Counsel

NSW Department of Communities and Justice; Sydney; On-site; AUD 185,000 - 206,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working hours

Annual leave 20 days

Additional flex leave up to 18 days

Job summary

NSW Crown Solicitor’s Office seeks a temporary Lead Counsel with extensive torts expertise, reporting to the Director, to lead a sub-team and deliver high‑quality legal services for complex matters in a cost‑effective way.

The role requires five years post‑admission experience, strong leadership, and the ability to provide strategic advice under pressure. Flexible work arrangements apply, with a base location at 252 Pitt Street, Sydney.

Qualifications

• Five years' post‑admission experience in relevant law area.
• Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities.
• Ability to provide clear, strategic legal advice on complex matters.
• Sound professional judgment and autonomy under pressure.
• Excellent client, counsel and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Provide authoritative legal advice and representation in complex tort matters.
• Manage matters with autonomy, accountability and professional judgment.
• Advise government clients on emerging legal issues and risks.
• Lead, supervise and develop solicitors within the Practice Group.
• Contribute to precedents, procedures and professional knowledge.

Education

Law degree

Admission or eligibility as NSW solicitor

Job description

Lead Counsel – Torts Justice

• Flexible start & finish working hours + annual leave 20 days + additional flex leave (up to 18 days per year)
• Be part of a dynamic public sector team and work with legal experts of the industry
• Temporary role based in the Sydney CBD with flexible work arrangements available

Classification grade: Legal Officer Grade VII

Salary: $185,400- $206,000 p.a. base salary (employer’s contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading is paid in addition to the base salary.)

Work type: Full-Time – 35 hours per week up to 12 months

Work location: Our primary place of work is located at 252 Pitt Street, Sydney.

About The Role

We are seeking applications for a temporary Lead Counsel with extensive expertise in torts law and justice-related matters. Reporting to the Director, the successful candidate will serve as a trusted subject matter expert and influential leader, contributing to the delivery of strategic priorities across the practice group and the broader NSW Crown Solicitor’s Office.

The successful candidate will lead a dedicated sub-team, fostering a high‑performing and collaborative culture whilst supporting the professional development of solicitors. The role will be responsible for delivering high‑quality, client‑focused and cost‑effective legal services, providing expert legal advice and support for complex and sensitive matters.

The Torts Justice Practice Group provides specialist legal advice and representation to the NSW Government and its agencies in complex torts and related civil litigation matters.

The Practice Group undertakes all aspects of the conduct of tort‑related civil claims, in particular those involving law enforcement agencies, claims for intentional torts, and historical abuse claims.

The Role Involves

• Providing authoritative legal advice and representation in complex and sensitive torts matters.
• Managing matters with a high degree of autonomy, accountability and professional judgment.
• Advising government clients on emerging legal issues, risks and strategic implications.
• Leading, supervising and developing senior and junior solicitors.
• Contributing to the development of precedents, procedures and professional knowledge across the Practice Group.

Essential Requirements

• Completion of a law degree from an accredited law school or completion of the Legal Practitioners Admission Board’s Diploma in Law Course.
• Admission or eligibility for admission as an unrestricted legal practitioner in NSW.
• Authoritative specialist with highly developed legal knowledge and extensive experience which enable provision of advice and representation in highly complex and sensitive legal matters in areas of law in which the Practice Group specialises.
• Travel for regional or interstate court and other commitments subject to the application of any discrimination legislation (including in respect of carer’s responsibilities).

About You. Our Ideal Candidate.

• Applicants must possess at least five years' post‑admission experience in the relevant area of law.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including the supervision, mentoring and professional development of legal staff.
• The ability to provide clear, practical and strategic advice on complex legal issues.
• Sound professional judgment and the ability to work autonomously in a high‑pressure environment.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with clients, counsel, experts, witnesses and court officials.

Closing date:

Sunday, 27 September 2026 (AEST 7:59PM)

Who we are?

The NSW Crown Solicitors Office (CSO) provides high‑quality and cost‑effective legal services to the NSW Government and its agencies. As a trusted legal advisor to the NSW Government, our principal role is to advise and represent agencies so that they can deliver policies, programs and projects in a lawful, effective and efficient manner.

We act with integrity and professional independence, guided by the government sector's core values. We are focussed on providing excellent client service and promoting a culture of continuous improvement. We also provide our people with opportunities to learn, develop and adapt within an inclusive and supportive environment.

Our commitment to flexible working

The CSO has adopted a teams‑based approach to flexible working. We recognise that everyone has different needs and preferences, and our flexible work culture allows you to adapt your work routine to suit you. We’re all about flexibility, productivity and driving good client outcomes.

We have generous leave provisions available for our employees that acknowledge individual preferences and responsibilities including:

• Up to 20 days recreation leave and up to 18 days flex leave per annum
• 20 days purchased leave annually
• Inclusive paid parental leave provisions of up to 16 weeks (14 weeks + 2 bonus weeks) which can be taken flexibly within the first 24 months to support the birth, adoption, altruistic surrogacy or permanent out‑of‑home care placement of a child
• Study time up to 4 hours per week
• Extended Leave of up to 44 days after 10 years or up to 30.8 days after 7 years of service.

How We Support Health & Wellbeing

• We offer an employee assistance program to support the wellbeing of employees in the workplace and in their personal lives, which also extends to family members
• Coaching services are available for people leaders and executives to learn and implement best practices to manage their team’s wellbeing
• We offer an annual Flu Vaccination program
• We provide access to the Fitness Passport program – a discounted workplace health and fitness program available to staff and their families

CSO's commitment to diversity

At CSO, we believe a diverse and inclusive workforce contributes to the success of our organisation and we are committed to ensuring that our workforce reflects our diverse community.

We welcome and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds, including people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the LGBTQIA+ community, culturally and linguistically diverse people, veterans and other diverse communities.