Principal Lawyer and Team Leader

Law Society of NSW; Sydney; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The Law Society of New South Wales is seeking a Principal Lawyer and Team Leader to head the Commercial and Advisory Law Reform team, delivering strategic policy advice to the Executive and Council. You will lead policy lawyers and support staff, build relationships with government, judiciary, and professional bodies, and oversee committee processes, agendas, and submissions.

This senior role requires NSW practising certificate eligibility, strong leadership, and exceptional communication, with

Qualifications

• Legal qualification and NSW practising certificate eligibility.
• Experience in high-quality policy analysis and advice.
• Strong knowledge of legal policy issues.
• Leadership experience with staff in a team.
• Excellent written and oral communication.
• Ability to mentor and coach team members.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• Ability work with minimal supervision and initiative.
• Integrity and confidentiality.
• Willingness to work out of hours.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Commercial and Advisory Law Reform team.
• Provide strategic policy advice to Executive and Council.
• Develop stakeholder relationships with government and professional bodies.
• Coordinate research and prepare submissions on policy matters.
• Oversee agendas, outcomes, and reports for committees.
• Attend meetings representing the Law Society's position.
• Mentor and develop team members.
• Ensure timely and effective information for members.
• Balance workload to maximise team effectiveness.

Skills

Legal qualifications

Policy analysis

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Research skills

Written and verbal communication

Time management

Team mentorship

Integrity and confidentiality

Out-of-hours availability

Education

NSW practising certificate eligibility

Job description

The Law Society of NSW is currently looking for a full time Principal Lawyer and Team Leader to join our Policy and Practice team as the Law Society’s Head of Commercial and Advisory Law Reform.

About us

The Law Society of NSW is the voice of the legal profession and represents the interests of more than 33,000 members across the state. The Policy and Practice Department supports the Law Society’s representation and advocacy work, through engagement with law reform and policy development. The Department supports 17 policy committees and has responsibility for major legal policy projects.

About the role

The Principal Lawyer and Team Leader will lead the Commercial and Advisory Law Reform team of policy lawyers and paralegal/administrative staff in providing high quality policy and strategic advice to the Executive and Council of the Law Society and support to committees of the NSW Law Society Council. By participating in and developing the Law Society’s stakeholder relationships with Government departments and agencies; the judiciary; representative organisations; and professional bodies, you will support the Policy and Practice Department in maintaining the Law Society’s position as a respected advisor on matters of legal policy and law reform on behalf of solicitors in NSW.

What you'll be doing

• Participate in the management of the Policy and Practice Department alongside the Director, Policy & Practice and the Head of Social Justice and Public Law Reform.
• Identify opportunities for advocacy and application of the Law Society’s policy expertise for consideration and development by the policy committees.
• Lead and manage a team of policy lawyers and administration staff, with primary responsibility for providing strategic advice across a designated group of practice areas represented by the committees within the Commercial and Advisory Law Reform remit.
• Provide individual support to committees within that designated group, as required, and coordinate and delegate secretariat responsibilities for other committees within that group to the members of the team. This includes liaising with practitioners and other Law Society staff on issues arising from the committees and being responsible for overseeing the timely completion and distribution of agendas, outcomes, submissions, correspondence and reports.
• Undertake and coordinate research on complex legal practice issues and policy development, as required, including the preparation of submissions on behalf of the Law Society as a stakeholder in matters of legal policy and law reform, as well identify appropriate material for the various Law Society publications and communication channels.
• Attend meetings with key stakeholders with the ability to represent the Law Society’s position.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate the provision of accurate, timely and effective practice information and assistance to members of the profession in concert with the Law Society’s Legal Information Service and Professional Support Unit, on matters relevant to the designated group of practice areas.
• Provide assistance through the preparation of briefing notes, as required, to the President, Council, CEO and Media and Public Relations Manager on policy and practice issues.
• Develop, manage and deliver outcomes from ad hoc policy projects undertaken by the Policy and Practice Department.

Lead and coach individual team members and monitor their performance and development.

• Coordinate the team’s general workload and workflow to ensure external / internal stakeholder satisfaction and optimum team effectiveness.
• Demonstrate and encourage behaviour which is consistent with organisational policy requirements.

About you

• Legal qualifications and eligibility to hold a NSW practising certificate.
• Demonstrated experience of providing high quality and strategic policy analysis and advice.
• High level professional/technical knowledge of legal policy issues.
• Private legal practice experience an asset.
• Sound leadership skills, including the ability to lead, influence and manage staff in a team environment.
• Ability to effectively manage resources to meet objectives and competing deadlines in an intensive workload environment.
• Demonstrated high level research and policy analysis skills, including the ability to carry out legal and general research, including internet based research.
• Superior written and oral communication skills and excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to mentor, lead, develop and coach team members while working and participating constructively as a team member.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• High level problem solving skills.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and to demonstrate initiative.
• Integrity and compliance with the Law Society's confidentiality requirements.
• Willingness to work out of hours, when required, to attend Committee meetings.
• Ability to adapt to a changing and flexible working environment.
• Reliability and the ability to exercise judgment to balance the team’s and Department’s needs with the organisation’s requirements.

The Law Society of New South Wales is committed to building and maintaining a respectful and inclusive workplace, appointing the best person for the role and supporting diversity.