Positions vacant

As a service to our members, we maintain this page to disseminate information about legal roles available in the ACT region.

Members of the Law Society may list jobs on this page for free. Non-members may also list jobs on this page, but a small fee will be charged. 

To advertise a job on this page, please contact the communications manager on communications@actlawsociety.asn.au or visit our advertising page for paid listings. 

Positions vacant

Interested in tutoring at ANU?

The Research School of Accounting in the College of Business and Economics at The Australian National University is seeking expressions of interest from legal practitioners interested in tutoring in 2025.

The Research School of Accounting teaches courses in Introduction to Commercial Law, Law of Business Entities and Taxation Law at undergraduate and graduate level. Further information can be obtained from Associate Professor Keturah Whitford on (02) 61254726.

Apply here. This link also contains the position description and an overview of the application process.

Applications close 13 July 2025.

Location: Canberra
Job type: Permanent/Fulltime

  • Support women, trans & gender diverse people subjected to sexual violence
  • Lead a unique, influential legal practice delivering ground-breaking services
  • Flexible workplace | Canberra based | Relocation assistance

The Organisation
  
The Women’s Legal Centre ACT is an innovative, specialist community legal centre providing crucial legal and social support services to women, trans and gender diverse people in Canberra and committed to our vision to keep women safe, strong and in control of their lives.
  
The Sexual Violence Legal Service is a nation leading service, delivered in partnership with Victim Support ACT. It delivers legal assistance to people subjected to violence within a multi-disciplinary service model, with a focus on people engaged in the criminal justice processes. Lawyers in the service work together with Victim Support Advocates to provide integrated and trauma-informed support to clients.
  
Benefits & Culture

  • Attractive remuneration, generous salary packaging, 5 weeks paid leave
  • Annual health and wellbeing allowance, paid cultural and reproductive health leave
  • Genuine commitment to a flexible and respectful working environment
  • Permanent role within a well-established, sector leading service
  • New office with modern facilities, supportive of women, trans and gender diverse people and their children 

The Role
  
Working in close collaboration with the executive team to develop and deliver on strategy, you will lead and drive the Sexual Violence Legal Service (SVLS) and manage a multidisciplinary team to deliver groundbreaking legal advice and representation to people subjected to sexual violence.
  
You’ll champion the growth of the SVLS practice and along with your team deliver ongoing innovative and trauma-informed legal support services. Additionally, you will: 

  • Supervise and mentor a small team of legal practitioners working collaboratively with victim support advocates
  • Manage a caseload of matters including representation in ACT courts and facilitate the resolution of complex case matters
  • Develop and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders within the criminal justice institutions and frontline services agencies
  • Lead law reform, public interest and advocacy work
  • Represent the Centre in local and national law reform forums

Skills Required
  
You bring a creative blend of management and mentorship experience, together with deep legal practice knowledge and high-level technical skills relevant to criminal law. You have a vision for improving criminal justice with a focus on safety, respect, choice and empowerment for people subjected to sexual violence. You also have: 

  • Eligibility to hold an ACT Unrestricted Practicing Certificate
  • Experience in criminal law practice and demonstrated ability to deliver high quality complex legal advice and representation in relation to sexual assault matters
  • Experience leading service delivery, supervising legal practitioners and overseeing complex casework
  • High level stakeholder relationship skills including collaboration with partners and community advocates
  • Strong systems thinking including the ability to analyse existing laws and policies and identify gaps and reforms to better protect people subjected to sexual violence
  • Commitment to trauma-informed practice, reflection and self-care practices

The Centre highly values lived experience of intersectionality and welcomes applications from First Nations women, women from migrant and refugee backgrounds, and women of colour and women with other relevant lived experience.
If you want to use your legal and leadership skills to improve the experience and outcomes of people subjected to sexual violence in the criminal justice system, please submit your resume together with a cover letter responding to the skills required section above quoting 1343361 or call Debbie Jardine at NGO Recruitment on (02) 8243 0570. 

Submit your application using this link

As there is no formal closing date for this role, if you are interested we would encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

NGO Recruitment values equitable recruitment practices and is committed to representing candidates reflective of the diverse organisations and communities we work with. We welcome and encourage applications from all backgrounds, ages, and identities, and are happy to adjust our recruitment process to support accessibility needs. If you are interested in this position and have most of the skills or experience we are looking for, please go ahead and apply.

Glass Goodwin is looking for a solicitor with an interest in working in wills and estates law. This would be an opportunity for someone looking to deepen their specialisation in wills and estates law or considering moving to wills and estates from a different practice area. Prior experience in wills and estates is not essential, though experience as a solicitor will be preferred. 

Glass Goodwin is open to discussing acquiring existing estates practices. 

Interested applicants should contact Timothy Morton via tmorton@glassgoodwin.com.au. All discussions will be treated as strictly confidential.
 

The Office of the Director of Prosecutions (ODPP) is looking for exceptional people to join our team.

As a 5LG State Prosecutor with the ODPP you will be at the forefront of prosecuting the State's most serious criminal prosecutions across Western Australia (including regional sittings of the District and Supreme Court of Western Australia). This role offers a challenging and rewarding career path with the opportunity to work on serious, important and complex cases.

More information (including a position description) can be found at WA Government Jobs | State Prosecutor 5LG  

Closing date  for applications is Friday 6 June 2025.

Who we are?

We are dedicated to providing expert legal services in family law, committed to delivering exceptional client outcomes through personalised attention and professional excellence. We are seeking a skilled Executive Assistant with experience in the legal industry to join our team and connect with one of our Directors at Parker Coles Curtis.

Why us?

At Parker Coles Curtis, you are an important part of our team from the very start. We are a high performing, growth focused firm where we invest in our staff. In our most recent engagement survey, we achieved an engagement score of 85% with 90% of respondents incredibly proud to work at Parker Coles Curtis. We encourage our team to contribute to our organisational culture and live by our values. You will be given exposure across our operations as well as ongoing development and learning to hone your skills. Led by three incredible female Directors who are leaders in their field, Parker Coles Curtis and their specialised focus on Family Law are unique. Learn more about what it's like to work with us and the benefits you'd enjoy via our website: parkercolescurtis.com.au

The role?

As an Executive Assistant, you will provide exceptional executive and personal support to your Director, Debra Parker, to ensure they can perform their role to the highest standard. You will support them by overseeing communications and taking the lead in the administrative expectations and tasks to ensure effective organisational flow. This role requires you to provide assistance to the administrative stream in order to ensure an efficient, organised, happy and healthy office atmosphere. This role is broad and varied, the right person will make it their own and thrive.

About you

• Your professional experience within the legal profession (family law preferred) is well developed, providing you with a clear understanding of the expectations of an EA role in this industry

• You have high-level professional communication skills, both written and oral, with demonstrated ability to deliver written work

• You have stand out administrative experience including strong communication and negotiation skills

• You are someone who goes above and beyond to anticipate needs, no task is too small

• You are an expert ‘juggler’ who can manage competing priorities with a keen eye for detail

• You have a growth mindset and a commitment to personal career development

Next steps

Hit the apply button and send us your latest CV along with a cover letter telling us why you are the right person to join our team. We will be reviewing applications as they come through, expect to hear back from us swiftly. We care about the candidate experience and you dedicating the time to apply.

Inclusion

We are committed to inclusive recruitment practices, if you require any assistance during this recruitment process or have any further questions, please contact hr@parkercolescurtis.com.au

Who we are?

We are dedicated to providing expert legal services in family law, committed to delivering exceptional client outcomes through personalised attention and professional excellence. We are seeking a skilled Personal Assistant to join us and play a key role in supporting our legal team at Parker Coles Curtis.

Why us?

At Parker Coles Curtis, you are an important part of our team from the very start. We are a high performing, growth focused firm where we invest in our staff. In our recent engagement survey, we achieved an engagement score of 85% with 90% of respondents incredibly proud to work at Parker Coles Curtis. We encourage our team to contribute to our organisational culture and live by our values. You will be given exposure across our operations as well as ongoing development and learning to hone your skills. Led by three incredible female Directors who are leaders in their field, Parker Coles Curtis and their specialised focus on Family Law are unique. Learn more about what it's like to work with us and the benefits you'd enjoy via our website: parkercolescurtis.com.au

The role?

As a Personal Assistant, you will work closely with solicitors, Directors and other administrative staff to ensure excellent client services through smooth workflow, accurate document preparation and management, and effective communication across the team. This role is broad and varied across all areas of family law, the right person will make it their own and thrive.

About you

• Your legal skills and experience are well-developed, and you are looking for your next challenge.

• You understand the importance of client relations and teamwork in a small law f irm. You see the lasting impact you can make.

• You have stand out administrative and law firm experience including strong communication and negotiation skills.

• You are someone who goes above and beyond, no task is too small.

• You are an expert ‘juggler’ who can manage competing priorities with a keen eye for detail. • You have a growth mindset and a commitment to personal career development.

• You have high-level professional communication skills, both written and oral, with demonstrated ability to deliver written work.

Next steps

Hit the apply button and send us your latest CV along with a cover letter telling us why you are the right person to join our team. We will be reviewing applications as they come through, expect to hear back from us swiftly. We care about the candidate experience and you dedicating the time to apply.

Inclusion

We are committed to inclusive recruitment practices, if you require any assistance during this recruitment process or have any further questions, please contact hr@parkercolescurtis.com.au

Who we are?

We are dedicated to providing expert legal services in family law, committed to delivering exceptional client outcomes through personalised attention and professional excellence. After successfully recruiting some incredible new team members, we are continuing our campaign to recruit quality Lawyers to join our team and contribute to our growing success.

Why us?

At Parker Coles Curtis, you are an important part of our team from the very start. We are a high performing, growth focused firm where we invest in our staff. In our recent engagement survey, we achieved an engagement score of 85% with 90% of respondents incredibly proud to work at Parker Coles Curtis. Led by three incredible female Directors who are leaders in their field, Parker Coles Curtis and their specialised focus on Family Law are unique. If you have thought about a career in family law, we are the firm for you. Learn more about what it's like to work with us and the benefits you'd enjoy via our website: parkercolescurtis.com.au

The role?

As a Lawyer with us, you will be pivotal in handling a range of family law matters in consultation with our Directors. This role requires a combination of legal expertise, client management skills, and business acumen, with a focus on providing high-quality service and contributing to our firm’s growth. We are a small but mighty firm, who is growing. We encourage our team members to contribute to our organisational culture and live by our values. You will be given exposure across family law as well as ongoing CPD.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Conduct Family Law Matters

• Creation of documents and precedents, including organised administration related to matters

• Represent the firm at events showing care and commitment in promoting the f irm's business

• Exemplify advocacy and dispute resolution skills

• Ability to meet financial targets and understanding the billing processes

• Engage with ongoing professional development and continuous learning

About you

• You have experience as a lawyer in either family law or another field for a minimum of 2-4 years

• You are competent in preparing briefs and observations to Counsel

• You have an understanding of and ability to apply Court rules and Practice Directions to practical situations

• You have the ability to manage competing priorities and triage tasks according to priority/urgency

• You are able to provide support to Directors and other Senior Lawyers/Associates in the conduct of files including demonstrating initiative, flexibility and proactiveness in conduct of the case

• You have a growth mindset and are committed to personal career development

• You have high-level professional communication skills, both written and oral, with demonstrated ability to deliver written work.

Next steps

Get in touch via hr@parkercolescurtis.com.au and send us your latest CV along with a cover letter telling us why you are the right person to join our team. We will be reviewing applications as they come through, expect to hear back from us swiftly. We care about the candidate experience and you dedicating the time to apply.

Inclusion

We are committed to inclusive recruitment practices, if you require any assistance during this recruitment process or have any further questions, please contact hr@parkercolescurtis.com.au

The Department of Home Affairs (the Department) is seeking expressions of interest from lawyers willing to represent subjects under the appointed lawyer provisions set out in Division 3 of Part III of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 (the ASIO Act).

Overview

Division 3 of Part III of the ASIO Act contains a questioning framework to assist the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) to gather intelligence in relation to politically motivated violence (including terrorism), espionage and acts of foreign interference. ASIO may only question an individual pursuant to the authority conferred by a questioning warrant issued by the Attorney-General.
Questioning of a subject under a questioning warrant is overseen by an independent prescribed authority appointed by the Attorney-General (ss 34AD and 34BD of the ASIO Act). The prescribed authority supervises and provides directions during the execution of the questioning warrant in accordance with Division 3 of Part III of the ASIO Act. The prescribed authority may make directions under the ASIO Act, which must be consistent with the warrant, or otherwise:

  • be approved in writing by the Attorney-General, or 
  • be necessary to satisfactorily address a concern of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) of which the prescribed authority has been informed under section 34DM of the ASIO Act.

The prescribed authority is required to explain to the subject of the warrant a number of procedural matters, including the subject’s rights and obligations under the warrant, when the subject first appears before the prescribed authority.

In certain circumstances, the prescribed authority must make a direction to appoint a lawyer for the subject of a questioning warrant (ss 34FB and 34FC of the ASIO Act). For example, under paragraph 34FB(2)(a) of the ASIO Act, the prescribed authority must give a direction that a specified person be appointed as the lawyer for the subject of an adult questioning warrant where:

  • the warrant includes an immediate appearance requirement, and
  • a lawyer for the subject is not present while the subject is appearing before a prescribed authority for questioning under the warrant.

In these circumstances, the subject may also contact a lawyer of choice other than the appointed lawyer. To enable questioning to commence without delay, the subject will be questioned in the presence of the appointed lawyer until the subject’s lawyer of choice arrives.

In addition to this, a minor must not be questioned in the absence of a lawyer under any circumstances. Therefore, to ensure questioning may commence without delay, the prescribed authority must give a direction that a specified person be appointed as the lawyer for the subject of a minor questioning warrant where:

  • the warrant includes an immediate appearance requirement, and a lawyer for the subject is not present while the subject is appearing before a prescribed authority for questioning under the warrant (s 34FC(2)(a)), or
  • questioning has been deferred to enable the subject to obtain a lawyer, and the prescribed authority is satisfied that such time as is reasonable to enable a lawyer for the subject to be present during the questioning has passed (s 34FC(3)(b)).

The prescribed authority has the authority to appoint a lawyer independently of ASIO and the Australian Government.

What would you do as an appointed lawyer?

Lawyers appointed for the subject of an adult questioning warrant must be present while the subject is questioned before a prescribed authority, unless the subject voluntarily chooses to be questioned in the absence of a lawyer (s 34FA), the prescribed authority gives a direction under subparagraph 34FF(7)(c)(i) that the lawyer is removed due to disruption of questioning proceedings, or the prescribed authority gives a direction that questioning can occur without a lawyer present (this can only occur in the limited circumstances set out in s 34FB(3)(b) or 34FF(7)(c)(iii)). The subject of a minor questioning warrant must not be questioned in the absence of a lawyer.

The lawyer provides advice to the subject during breaks in questioning (s 34FF). A lawyer must not intervene in the questioning or address the prescribed authority during questioning, except to:

  • request clarification of an ambiguous question, or
  • request a break in questioning in order to provide advice to the questioning subject.

The prescribed authority must provide a reasonable opportunity for the lawyer to advise the subject during breaks in the questioning. During a break in questioning, the lawyer may request an opportunity to address the prescribed authority on a matter.

Eligibility requirements:

  • You must be enrolled as a legal practitioner of a federal court or of the Supreme Court of a State or Territory.
  • You must hold a current practising certificate granted under a law of a State or Territory.

Remuneration

Appointed lawyers will be renumerated at an hourly rate of $290, inclusive of GST, to be billed in six-minute units. This hourly rate is consistent with the solicitor fees set out in the Commonwealth’s cost assessment policy for legal financial assistance, available at Commonwealth Legal Financial Assistance Schemes Assessment of Costs—July 2012 (ag.gov.au).

Pursuant to section 34JE of the ASIO Act, applications for financial assistance may be made to the Attorney-General in respect of the subject of a questioning warrant’s appearance before a prescribed authority for questioning under the warrant. Grants under this ASIO scheme are made on written application at the discretion of the Attorney-General. Payment of fees for appointed lawyers by the Government is not contingent on a successful application for financial assistance by the subject of a questioning warrant.

Time commitment

Questioning may take place at short notice, for a maximum permitted questioning period of 24 hours (s 34DJ of the ASIO Act), or 40 hours where an interpreter is present (s 34DK). The subject of a questioning warrant may be questioned initially for a total period of 8 hours of questioning time. The prescribed authority may give a direction to extend the questioning time by two additional 8-hour questioning blocks under certain circumstances (s 34DJ(7) and s34DK(7)). A questioning warrant may remain in force for a period of no more than 28 days, although the Attorney-General may revoke the warrant before the period has expired. Questioning may take place over several days within this 28-day period, provided the maximum permitted questioning period is not exceeded.

Questioning time does not include time occupied with procedural matters, breaks or deferrals of questioning.

The prescribed authority may set breaks between periods of questioning by giving appropriate directions under paragraph 34DE(1)(e). While there is no prescribed number of breaks, a 30 minute break will be offered to an adult questioning subject every 4 hours.1 A minor may only be questioned for continuous periods of 2 hours or less, separated by breaks as directed by the prescribed authority.2 The prescribed authority must provide a reasonable opportunity for the lawyer to advise the questioning subject during breaks in questioning.
In addition to this, the questioning subject must be given a break of sufficient duration in any 24 hour period of questioning to ensure they have an opportunity for an appropriate amount of continuous and undisturbed sleep, having regard to the subject’s age (at least 8 hours for an adult, or 10 hours for a minor).

Appointed lawyers must be willing to attend as required for each questioning session under a questioning warrant. This may be during ordinary business hours or, in exceptional circumstances, outside of ordinary business hours (including at night).

The prescribed authority will work with an appointed lawyer to take into account their availability and other commitments when scheduling questioning sessions.

Secrecy requirements

Division 3 of Part III of the ASIO Act contains a number of secrecy offences in relation to information associated with a questioning warrant (s 34GF of the ASIO Act). Section 34GF of the ASIO Act includes criminal offences if a person discloses information relating to a questioning warrant during the specified period the warrant remains in force, or for a period of up to two years after its specified expiry.

Strict liability applies to paragraphs 34GF(1)(c) and (2)(c) where the subject of the warrant or their lawyer discloses information that indicates the fact that the warrant has been issued, or a fact relating to the content of the warrant, or to the questioning or apprehension of a person in connection with the warrant and/or the information is operational information.

A subject’s lawyer is a lawyer who has at any time been:

  • present, as the lawyer for the subject of the warrant, during the questioning of the subject under the warrant, or
  • contacted for the purpose of the subject obtaining legal advice in connection with the warrant, or
  • contacted for the purpose of the subject obtaining representation in legal proceedings seeking a remedy relating to the warrant or the treatment of the subject in connection with the warrant.

How to express your interest in being an appointed lawyer

Lawyers who wish to nominate their interest should email intelligenceandsecuritypolicy@homeaffairs.gov.au with:

  • Their full name and contact details (landline and mobile phone numbers, and email address).
  • Details of their employer (if any).
  • Their jurisdiction and date of admission as an Australian legal practitioner.
  • Their curriculum vitae, including a written statement confirming the accuracy of the information therein.
  • A copy of their current practising certificate.

By providing this information to the Department, applicants consent to the Department of Home Affairs and relevant Commonwealth agencies, collecting, using and disclosing their personal information for purposes connected with the Appointed Lawyer Scheme in Division 3 of Part III of the ASIO Act. This includes consent for the Department to provide their personal information to ASIO and the prescribed authority for purposes connected with the Appointed Lawyer Scheme. For further information on how your personal information will be collected, used, stored and disclosed please refer to the attached Privacy Notice – Collection of personal information for the purposes of the Appointed Lawyer Scheme under the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 (APP 5).

What happens once you submit your nomination?

Individuals who express their interest in being an appointed lawyer and who meet the eligibility requirements outlined above will be placed on a confidential register maintained by the Department. Lawyers who are on the register will be contacted each year to confirm they are willing to remain on the register. Lawyers may request that they be removed from the register at any time, and can do so by emailing intelligenceandsecuritypolicy@homeaffairs.gov.au.
Should the need arise, the details of lawyers on the register will be made available to the prescribed authority responsible for overseeing questioning under a questioning warrant, in order for the prescribed authority to appoint a lawyer for the subject of a questioning warrant where necessary. While the choice of lawyer will be at the prescribed authority’s discretion, lawyers retain the discretion on whether to accept or decline to act for the questioning subject in any particular matter. Details of lawyers may also be provided to ASIO to assist in security and administrative arrangements in relation to questioning.

Lawyers who are contacted through the register may be asked to provide further information before appointment. Lawyers will also be provided with further information concerning the questioning process before they are required to represent a questioning subject. Terms of engagement will also be settled at that time.

There is no guarantee that lawyers placed on the register will be appointed as lawyers in connection with a questioning warrant. ASIO’s compulsory questioning powers are exceptional in nature and likely to be used sparingly.

Further information

If you would like further information about the Appointed Lawyer Scheme, please email intelligenceandsecuritypolicy@homeaffairs.gov.au.

Alliance Family Law:

This is an exciting opportunity for an early career lawyer or law graduate to join our specialist family law firm based in Deakin, Canberra. You will work directly alongside our Principal Solicitor, Cristina, who is an Accredited Specialist in family law, and is also trained in collaborative family law dispute resolution methods. 

You will learn quickly, in a friendly and flexible workplace. We value the ability to maintain a good work-life balance. We encourage flexible working as negotiated (but this is not a Work from Home role).

We are a specialist family law firm. We aim to help people going through separation and divorce, and all the complexities of family law, with both understanding and empathy whilst keeping costs down.

About you:

You will be a hard worker who is motivated by a challenge, wants to learn, is committed to working in Canberra, can work independently, and who enjoys being part of a small team.

You will either have:

  • a current practising certificate, and be admitted to the High Court of Australia, or
  • be a law graduate (or graduating in 2025) and be willing and able to be admitted as soon as practical.

You will 

  • have a strong interest in working in family law including dealing with financial matters such as businesses, companies and trusts
  • have good people skills and be able to show empathy, compassion, and understanding particularly in parenting matters
  • have excellent writing skills and the ability to draft concise written submissions and other documents
  • have the ability to work independently and to show initiative
  • be a self-starter
  • have excellent problem-solving skills
  • have strong ethical and moral values which you will bring to the workplace
  • have a genuine desire to assist and guide your clients
  • have experience with Microsoft Office and be proficient with technology generally
  • be open to supervision by the principal solicitor

In this job you will (or will learn to):

  • Guide new clients through the steps of their family law options, including litigation, consent processes, and negotiation/mediation
  • Apply court rules and practice directions
  • Represent your clients
  • Instruct counsel
  • Liaise with other practitioners
  • Prepare correspondence.
  • Draft court material (applications, orders, affidavits, and detailed case outlines)
  • Contribute to our culture, team, and success

You will get real time feedback as well as regular formal reviews of performance which will help you to grow your experience and your career.

The salary on offer will be based on your skills, qualifications, and experience, and will be reviewed annually.

Alliance Family Law is committed to growing its lawyers and providing a clear career path to partnership.

Interested?

Please send your resume with a covering email addressing the daily tasks and skills directly to practicemanager@alliancelegal.com.au and we’ll arrange a quick phone call.