Senior Legal Officer (Various Positions) The Legal Division is managed by the Chief Counsel and is comprised of both lawyers and non-lawyers. Together we are responsible for all legal services required by the department. We partner with the business areas of the department, the Executive, and the Secretary to identify and manage legal risk across the department and facilitate excellent legal outcomes for our clients.
As a member of the Division, you will be involved in interesting and important work which may span environment protection, energy, climate change and heritage, and on-ground operations in Commonwealth national parks and Antarctica.
The Legal Division operates in a fast-paced, exciting environment. We focus on ensuring our staff are supported and developed so that they are in the best position to take on and enjoy the challenges of the work. We provide competitive conditions and remuneration and opportunities for lawyers to either specialise or diversify their skills, while learning from and being supported by highly skilled senior lawyers.
Work across the Legal Branches includes:
Advising on commercial matters including procurements, underwriting arrangements, funding activities, finance law and delegations.
Providing legal advice on a broad range of issues including statutory interpretation and administrative law, regulatory actions and investigations.
Managing the department's litigation across a broad range of matters including merits review, judicial review, regulatory enforcement, commercial disputes, and Work Health and Safety matters, in a range of Courts and Tribunals.
Developing legal risk and mitigation strategies, particularly in areas of novel or complex work.
Developing and coordinating legislation bids and processes, including drafting instructions for the department's ambitious legislative reform agenda.
Developing legal guidance resources and policies and delivering training to the department.
Coordinating freedom of information requests and providing privacy and secrecy advice.
Providing administrative and financial support services to the Division.
The Job
Senior Legal Officers draw on their experience to provide high-quality legal services. These positions are leadership roles driving the vision and direction as set out by the Principal Legal Officers and the Senior Executive within the Legal Division.
In this role you will:
Use your technical legal expertise to provide clear, concise, and practical legal advice that meets the needs of the client.
Work on complex and sensitive matters with a significant degree of autonomy.
Work in a team within the Division which specialises in a particular area of law, or which services a particular area of the department.
Ensure knowledge of and compliance with legislative, financial and administrative frameworks, government decision-making processes and agency guidelines and regulations.
Work with client areas to understand their business and be their main point of contact for their legal needs.
Settle routine and moderately complex work prepared by other lawyers.
Supervise and mentor junior lawyers where appropriate.
Help identify where external advice is required and prepare documentation seeking quotes and engaging external legal providers.
Assist the Principal Legal Officer with management of the team by making suggestions, contributing to team discussions, and identifying areas for innovation.
Knowledge and experience
Candidates must hold a degree in law and be admitted to practise in Australia. Ideally candidates will have a minimum of three years of relevant post-admission experience.
The successful candidate will have, or have the ability to quickly gain, an understanding of the legislative frameworks, decision-making processes and guidelines relevant to the department.
Skills and capabilities
The successful candidate will:
Demonstrate technical legal expertise and provide clear, concise, and practical legal advice that meets the needs of the client.
Identify and analyse complex issues or problems, developing strategic advice or solutions which demonstrate sound judgement and an awareness of the context in which they are operating.
Understand priorities and adapt when those priorities change, take responsibility for their workload, and understand when to escalate issues.
Build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders as a trusted in-house adviser.
Work collaboratively and cooperatively as a member of a team, contributing to ideas, coordinating projects, suggesting improvements, and leading and developing other team members as appropriate.
Flexible employment arrangements are available with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
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