Senior Lawyer, Child Protection

Victoria Legal Aid; Ballarat; Hybrid; AUD 114,000 - 131,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging up to AU$15,900

Hybrid work model

Seasonal leave

Gender affirmation leave

Reproductive and fertility leave

Annual salary increase

Education and development

Flu vaccinations

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Victoria Legal Aid in Ballarat is seeking a Senior Child Protection Lawyer to represent parents and children in child protection proceedings in the Children's Court of Victoria, and related matters such as Youth Crime and Family Violence. You will mentor in-house child protection lawyers and collaborate with the Regional Manager to improve programs.

This full-time role is hybrid with flexible arrangements, based at Ballarat office on Wadawurrung Country, offering a salary range of AU$113,668 –

Qualifications

• Comprehensive knowledge of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 and child protection / evidence law.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with children, parents and stakeholders.
• Strong advocacy and policy advisory abilities.
• Leadership experience supervising junior staff.
• Unrestricted Australian practising certificate (Victoria) to practise as a government legal practitioner; eligible for federal courts.

Responsibilities

• Represent parents and children in child protection proceedings in the Children's Court of Victoria.
• Mentor and support in-house child protection lawyers.
• Collaborate with Regional Manager and Child Protection team to improve programs.
• Contribute to continuous improvements in child protection services.

Skills

Child protection law

Advocacy skills

Leadership

Communication

Victoria practicing certificate

Federal courts eligibility

Job description

• Full-time ongoing position (part-time applications considered)
• Salary range: $113,668 - $131,153 plus super
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging, flexible hybrid work arrangement

About the role Looking to gain or develop leadership skills and to work within an office to build a strong child protection practice? This is the role for you!

As the Senior Child Protection Lawyer, you will serve as an advocate and provide legal representation for parents and children in child protection proceedings within the Children's Court of Victoria and other related matters such as Youth Crime and/or Family Violence. You will play an important role in mentoring and offering specialist support to in-house child protection lawyers.

Additionally, the senior lawyer will collaborate with Regional Manager and the Child Protection team to contribute to continuous improvements in child protection programs, through the provision of high-quality legal services. This role presents an excellent opportunity to make a significant impact while furthering your professional development in child protection law.

This role is based at our Ballarat office on Wadawurrung Country.

Why Ballarat?

• Our office is just over an hour drive from Melbourne and Geelong.
• All the amenities of a city, without the extended commute to work.
• Exposure to multiple practice areas including crime, child protection, family violence, family law and civil justice.
• Opportunity to deliver community legal education with legal staff and other specialist roles.
• Feel a sense of connectedness and community from working in regional Australia.

About you As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Comprehensive knowledge and practical experience in relevant law and procedures, particularly focusing on the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, and expertise in child protection and evidence law.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact sensitively and empathetically particularly children and young people, as well as their parents, staff, and external stakeholders.
• Strong advocacy skills and proficiency in offering strategic advice on legal policy matters, with a keen understanding of external organizations, community, and welfare groups, and their significance in legal aid services.
• Leadership abilities, with experience in supervising and mentoring junior legal staff.
• A current unrestricted Australian practising certificate which entitles you to practise in Victoria as a government legal practitioner (mandatory).
• Entitled to practise in federal courts and courts exercising federal jurisdiction (entry on the High Court's Register of Practitioners).

Don't meet every requirement? At VLA, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If your CV doesn't align perfectly with our job description, we strongly encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate.

About VLA We offer legal representation, family dispute resolution and non-legal advocacy to those who need it most. With over 1500+ staff employed in 16 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.

Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so that we best represent the people we serve.

Employee benefits

• A focus on work-life balance, including flexibleworking arrangements
• Hybridwork fromhome& office model
• Generous leave benefits, including:
  • Three days paid seasonal leave (to be taken between Boxing Day and New Year's Day public holidays)
  • Paid gender affirmation leave
  • Five days both paid reproductive and fertility leave per calendar year
• Annual 3% salary increase each December plus performance-related salary incentives
• Attractive salary packaging options including General Expenses up to $15,900, Meals & Entertainment up to $2,650 PLUS Novated Leasing
• Individual learning and professional development opportunities, tailored to your role and career goals
• Free annual flu vaccinations
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program, including confidential counselling and access to a range of mental health and wellbeing resources.

How to apply To be considered for this role, please submit your current resume and a cover letter addressing the following:

• What has attracted you to this role in the Ballarat Office of Victoria Legal Aid
• What skills and experience you could bring to the role with reference to the key selection criteria

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process or need an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team.

For further information, please review the attached position description or contact Erin Churchill, Regional Manager on (03) 5329 6*** or ***********@vla.vic.gov.au.

No agency applications will be accepted.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Sunday 22 November 2026.

Other relevant information It is a requirement that staff attend for office-based days at their primary work location. In line with this requirement, interstate applications will be considered only where the candidate is able and willing to relocate to Victoria, unless part of a border community.

VLA is committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first.