Senior Lawyer, Children's Law

Victoria Legal Aid; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 105,000 - 122,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging up to $15,900

Hybrid work model

Generous leave benefits

Annual salary increases

Job summary

Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) is seeking a Senior Lawyer to provide high-quality legal services in child protection, criminal, and intervention order matters in the Children’s Court of Victoria. This role involves advice, duty lawyer services, casework, representation, negotiation, and dispute resolution for children, young adults, and families.

You will mentor and train junior lawyers, supporting their professional development.

Qualifications

• Proven ability in advocating and handling complex youth crime, child protection, and intervention order cases.
• Extensive practical knowledge of the Children, Youth & Families Act 2005 and related laws.
• Experience mentoring and training junior lawyers, fostering team growth.
• Unrestricted Australian practising certificate for Victoria and eligibility to practice in federal courts.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice, duty lawyer services, and casework in Children’s Court matters.
• Represent clients and negotiate in disputes, pursuing resolution for children and families.
• Mentor and train junior lawyers to support professional development.

Skills

Youth crime advocacy

Child protection expertise

Intervention orders experience

Mentoring junior lawyers

Education

Australian practising certificate (Victoria)

Job description

• Salary range: $104,925 - $122,409 plus super
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging, flexible hybrid work arrangement

• Maximum term position up to 12 months
• Salary range: $104,925 - $122,409 plus super
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging, flexible hybrid work arrangement

About the role

Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) is seeking a Senior Lawyer to provide high-quality legal services primarily in child protection, criminal, and intervention order matters in the Children’s Court of Victoria.

This role involves legal advice, duty lawyer services, casework, representation, negotiation, and dispute resolution on behalf of children, young adults, and their families. Additionally, as a senior member of our team, you will also play a crucial role in mentoring, training, and supporting junior lawyers, nurturing their professional development in the legal field.

This role is based at our Dandenong office on Bunurong Country.

About the Dandenong office

The Dandenong team is the largest regional VLA office providing legal services across criminal law, family violence, child protection, youth crime, family and civil law. A large team of Independent Mental Health Advocates and an Independent Family Advocate are based in the region. Legal services are provided across two Magistrates’ Courts (Dandenong and Moorabbin), the Specialist Children’s Court (Dandenong), the Drug Court, the Mental Health Tribunal, VCAT and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. The City of Greater Dandenong local government area is the most culturally diverse community in Australia, with residents from over 150 birth places and over 60% of its population born overseas.

About YouAs Our Ideal Candidate, You Will Possess

• Proven ability in advocating and handling complex youth crime, child protection, and intervention order cases.
• Extensive practical knowledge of the Children, Youth & Families Act 2005 and related laws.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with clear, constructive communication abilities.
• Experience mentoring and training junior lawyers, fostering team growth.
• A current Unrestricted Australian practising certificate which entitles you to practise in Victoria as a government legal practitioner of a law practice (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 flexible working arrangements
• Hybrid work from home & 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
• Discounted annual Myki public transport passes
• 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.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Monday 19 October 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.