Principal Solicitor - Community Legal Centre NSW

Tradewind Australia; Broken Hill; On-site; AUD 109,000 - 133,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging up to $15,834 taxFree

Flexible working arrangements

Employee Assistance Program

Study leave and practical assistance

Discounted gym and health club

Supportive, family-friendly working环境

Genuine regional leadership role in a

Job summary

Community Legal Centre in Broken Hill seeks an experienced Principal Solicitor to lead the legal practice within its regional program. You will provide hands-on legal work while supervising staff, developing standards and ensuring ethical practice across Far West NSW.

The role involves travel across the region, effective leadership, and a visible commitment to improving access to justice for people experiencing disadvantage. Fixed-term to June 2030 with attractive salary packaging options.

Qualifications

• Must hold Australian legal qualification and be admitted as a solicitor in Australia.
• Eligibility to hold an unrestricted practising certificate and to practise as principal where applicable.
• Significant experience providing legal advice, casework, advocacy or representation.
• Experience supervising and mentoring legal practitioners.
• Strong understanding of professional responsibility, ethics, risk management and quality legal practice.
• Experience working with people experiencing disadvantage and barriers to justice.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Commitment to social justice and improving access to justice.
• Understanding of community legal centres and broader legal assistance sector.
• Commitment to client-centred, trauma-informed, culturally safe practice.
• Current driver’s licence and willingness to travel across the region.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice, casework, advocacy and representation to clients facing disadvantage.
• Lead and oversee the legal practice, maintaining high ethical and professional standards.
• Supervise, mentor and support solicitors across the service.
• Support workload management, professional development and risk management.
• Develop and maintain practice standards, precedents, templates and resources.
• Lead quality assurance, file review, risk management and compliance activities.
• Support recruitment, induction and staff wellbeing.
• Identify emerging legal and community needs and contribute to service planning and development.
• Build relationships with community organisations, government agencies, courts and the broader legal sector.
• Contribute to law reform, policy development and systemic advocacy.
• Support legal education, outreach and community engagement across Far West NSW.

Skills

Australian legal qualification

Admission to Australian bar

Unrestricted practising certificate

Legal leadership

Supervising experience

Risk management

Experience with disadvantaged clients

Strong communication

Commitment to social justice

Community legal centres knowledge

Client-centred practice

Driver's licence

Job description

Principal Solicitor | Community Legal Centre

Broken Hill, NSW | Full-time | Fixed-term to 30 June 2030

$109,251 - $132,928 + super + salary packaging up to $15,834 tax-free

Lead legal practice. Support your community. Build something lasting.

An established community services organisation is seeking an experienced Principal Solicitor to provide legal leadership within its Community Legal Centre program in Broken Hill.

This is a genuine opportunity to combine hands-on legal practice, professional supervision, people leadership and practice governance while making a meaningful difference to people experiencing disadvantage across Far West NSW.

With the position offered through to 30 June 2030, this is more than a short-term regional posting. You'll have the opportunity to help shape the ongoing development of a legal service, support and mentor other lawyers, build strong community relationships and establish yourself in the region.

About the opportunity

Based in Broken Hill, you will lead the quality and development of the legal practice while continuing to provide high-quality legal services to clients.

While Broken Hill will be your home base, you won't be working in isolation. The role forms part of a broader regional legal service, with strong connections to teams and community legal services across the wider region, including Mildura, Swan Hill and surrounding areas. You'll have the opportunity to collaborate with experienced legal professionals across the network, share knowledge and practice expertise, and draw on a broader team while maintaining a strong local presence in Far West NSW.

You’ll work closely with senior leadership and the broader legal team to ensure services are accessible, client-centred, culturally safe and consistent with professional obligations, funding requirements and best-practice legal standards.

The role will include:

• Providing legal advice, casework, advocacy and representation to clients experiencing disadvantage and barriers to justice.
• Leading and overseeing the legal practice and maintaining high standards of ethical and professional practice.
• Supervising, mentoring and supporting solicitors across the service.
• Supporting workload management, professional development and emerging practice risks.
• Developing and maintaining legal practice standards, procedures, precedents, templates and resources.
• Leading quality assurance, legal file review, risk management and compliance activities.
• Supporting recruitment, induction, performance management and staff wellbeing.
• Identifying emerging legal and community needs and contributing to service planning and development.
• Building relationships with community organisations, government agencies, courts, tribunals and the broader legal sector.
• Contributing to law reform, policy development and systemic advocacy.
• Supporting legal education, outreach and community engagement across Far West NSW.

The position involves some travel throughout Far West NSW, including outreach to smaller regional and remote communities, as well as duty lawyer services across local courts. Overnight travel will occasionally be required.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for an experienced solicitor who can provide strong legal leadership while remaining connected to clients and the community.

You’ll need:

• An Australian legal qualification and admission as an Australian lawyer.
• Eligibility to hold an unrestricted practising certificate and to practise as a principal, where applicable.
• Significant experience providing legal advice, casework, advocacy and/or representation.
• Demonstrated experience supervising and mentoring legal practitioners.
• A strong understanding of professional responsibility, legal ethics, risk management and quality legal practice.
• Experience working with people experiencing disadvantage and barriers to justice.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• A commitment to social justice, human rights and improving access to justice.
• An understanding of community legal centres and/or the broader legal assistance sector.
• A commitment to client-centred, trauma-informed, culturally safe and inclusive practice.
• A current driver's licence and the ability and willingness to travel throughout the region.

Your background could be broader than you think

You don’t need to have previously held the title of Principal Solicitor to be considered.

We’re interested in speaking with experienced Senior Solicitors who are ready to take the next step in their career, as well as existing Principal or Supervising Solicitors.

Your background could include:

• Community Legal Centres
• Legal Aid
• Aboriginal Legal Service
• Government legal services
• Family or criminal law
• Family violence and domestic violence
• Duty lawyer and court advocacy
• Other relevant private practice

What matters most is that you have the legal experience, leadership capability and professional standing to operate at Principal level, together with a genuine commitment to working with communities experiencing disadvantage.

Why Broken Hill?

For the right person, Broken Hill offers the chance to do legal work where your contribution is visible and your relationships with the community genuinely matter.

Your work will extend beyond the office, with opportunities to engage directly with communities across Far West NSW, develop local partnerships and help improve access to justice for people who may otherwise struggle to access legal support.

At the same time, you’ll be part of a broader regional network rather than an isolated legal service, with professional connections across the wider region and opportunities to work alongside teams in areas including Mildura and Swan Hill.

Broken Hill also offers a distinctive regional lifestyle, a strong sense of community and the opportunity to step away from the pace of metropolitan practice.

This isn’t being positioned as a short-term regional stint. With the role funded through to June 2030, there is a genuine opportunity to put down roots, build relationships and contribute to the long-term development of legal services across Far West NSW.

What you’ll receive

• $109,251 - $132,928 + super
• Salary packaging of up to $15,834 tax-free
• Full-time hours
• Fixed-term contract through to 30 June 2030
• Flexible working arrangements where appropriate
• Employee Assistance Program
• Study leave and practical assistance for approved courses
• Discounted gym and health club membership
• Supportive, family-friendly working environment
• The opportunity to take on a genuine legal leadership role in regional NSW

Desired Skills and Experience

Lead a growing legal service in Broken Hill, combining hands-on practice and leadership with a long-term opportunity to shape access to justice.