• Location: Sydney CBD or Brisbane CBD
  • Term: 3 years contract with possible extension
  • Full-time (Part time at 0.8 FTE will be considered)
  • Remuneration: SCHADS Level 5-6: $88,400-$102,450 + 10.5% super +17.5% Annual Leave Loading
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are encouraged to apply

Job title: Solicitor/Senior Solicitor

Reporting to: Managing Lawyer – Safe Climate (Coal and Human Rights)

Read the Position Description here: Download

The Opportunity:

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.

We are recruiting for a Solicitor/Senior Solicitor to join the Safe Climate (Human Rights and Coal) Practice Team within our Systemic Change Program.

Candidate Profile:

You will have an unrestricted practising certificate, and strong PAE working as a lawyer with demonstrated litigation experience. These positions represent an opportunity to deliver on human rights, climate change and the environment and offer a high level of autonomy. Lawyers who think outside the box and want a chance to think creatively about delivering systemic change are strongly encouraged to apply.

EDO is a diverse and inclusive workplace. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are particularly encouraged to apply.

Key Section Criteria

Core skills

  • 3+ years PAE working as a solicitor including litigation desirable, 5 + years PAE highly desirable
  • For Senior Solicitors: An unrestricted practicing certificate or entitlement to one
  • Demonstrated experience in administrative and/or environmental law 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, human rights or environmental law and/or related disciplines
  • Capacity to undertake law reform or policy, experience desirable
  • Demonstrated experience working First Nations people or 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. 

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 welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 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 Sunday 11 December 2022  and are to be forwarded to [email protected] with ‘Application for position of Solicitor  Safe Climate – Coal and Human Rights‘.

Interviews are expected to be scheduled on 14 and 15 December 2022, with an expected start date of employment in January/February 2023. If you have any accessibility needs for interviews please let us know.