- Location: Garramilla/Darwin
- Term: 3 year contract with possible extension
- Full-time 37.5 hours
- Remuneration: SCHADS Level 5-6: $88,400 – $102,450 + 10.5% super +17.5% Annual Leave Loading
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are particularly encouraged to apply
Reporting to: Managing Lawyer – Safe Climate – Gas
Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) is the largest environmental legal centre in the Australia-Pacific, dedicated to protecting our climate, communities and shared environment by providing access to justice, running ground-breaking litigation and leading law reform advocacy.
As the region’s legal experts in our field, we aim to be a brave, unified, and focused team, committed to inclusion and excellence in all that we do. We strive to be a diverse and inclusive workplace supporting a highly skilled, engaged, and effective team, where everyone can feel that they belong.
The Opportunity
We are recruiting for a Senior Solicitor / Solicitor to join the Safe Climate (Gas) Practice Team within our Systemic Change Program. The role may be based anywhere in Australia, but will focus on the proposed expansion of methane gas developments in the Northern Territory. This role is offered as a three-year contract.
The Senior Solicitor – Safe Climate (Gas) will engage with legal issues surrounding climate change and environmental protection in the Northern Territory. In this role you will think creatively about delivering systemic change in relation to fossil fuel developments and climate change.
The role’s focus is on the proposed expansion of gas developments in the Northern Territory.
Candidate Profile
You will have an unrestricted practising certificate, and strong PAE working as a lawyer with demonstrated litigation experience. This position represents an opportunity to engage with legal issues surrounding climate change and environmental protection in the Northern Territory, and offers a high level of autonomy. Lawyers who want a chance to think creatively about delivering systemic change in relation to fossil fuel developments and climate change are strongly encouraged to apply.
EDO is a diverse and inclusive workplace. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are particularly encouraged to apply.
Key selection criteria
Core skills
- Strong autonomous Litigation focus
- An unrestricted practicing certificate or entitlement to one
- A minimum of 3 years PAE working as a solicitor with litigation experience, 5 + years PAE highly desirable
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to make sound judgments and decisions based on consideration of different views
- Demonstrated ability to work productively and to deadlines
- Excellent oral and written communication skills suited to a range of audiences
Substantive experience
- Demonstrated litigation experience in administrative or environmental law and/or related disciplines
- Capacity to undertake law reform or policy, experience desirable
- Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with diverse communities and individuals highly desirable
Personal qualities and cultural competency
- A champion of the agreed values of the EDO
- Strong initiative and self-motivation
- Commitment to the protection of the environment and public participation in environmental decision-making
- A strong sense of ethics and understanding of professional obligations
- Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations in both the delivery of our work and our internal culture
- Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative and team-based environment.
Our Culture and Benefits:
- We care deeply about creating a workplace where our team members feel valued, respected, and empowered. We are committed to providing equal opportunity regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or life stage.
- The chance to be part of the largest environmental legal practice in the Australia-Pacific
- A very flexible and family-friendly workplace
- Option to work from home and the office
- 8 weeks paid parental leave, regardless of gender or carer status
- 15 days personal/carer’s leave
- 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave
- 3 days paid cultural leave
- Extra leave over the Christmas period
- Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Ongoing professional development opportunities
- EDO proudly has a JEDI (Justice, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion) Committee and a Mental Health Ambassador Committee, and has developed a First Nations Program with the aid of Indigenous-led consultancies.
- Affinity groups for the following: Global Majority*, LGBTQIA+ and People with Disability
*Global Majority is a collective term that first and foremost speaks to and encourages those so-called, to think of themselves as belonging to the majority on planet earth. It refers to people who are Black, African, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or, have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’.
Our Values
Commitment – We are committed to; a united organisation, to each other, to collaboration, to justice, to our communities and to creating a world where nature thrives.
Diversity – We are respectful of and welcome diversity of staff, volunteers, offices, environmental regions, communities, stakeholders.
Integrity – We work effectively, efficiently, strategically, professionally, and ethically; “justice is in our nature”.
Vision – We lead change and environmental empowerment using innovation, creativity, and courage.
How to Apply
All offers of employment may be subject to satisfactory background checks including a National Police Check, disclosure of previous or current disciplinary action, referee checks, proof of eligibility to work in Australia, and qualification checks.
EDO particularly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Pacific Island peoples, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, workers of all ages, people with disability, and people who identify as LGBTQIA+.
Applications must include a CV and a letter that clearly addresses each of the selection criteria.
Applications which do not address the selection criteria will not be considered.
Applications close on Monday 3rd of April 2023. Applications should be emailed to [email protected] with ‘Application for position of “Senior Solicitor/Solicitor – Safe Climate (Gas)” in the subject line.
If you have any accessibility needs for any of the recruitment process, please let us know.
Please note: Your application may be considered for future roles at the EDO within the next 12 months without additional advertising. Please notify us in your application if you would not like to be considered for similar roles beyond this recruitment.
