Community Lawyer Family Violence

Community Lawyer, Family Violence 35 hrs per week 

The Community Lawyer, Family Violence will work within the Centre’s Family Violence team to provide high quality and timely legal services to clients affected by family violence.

 The Community Lawyer, Family Violence will provide pre -court engagement and family violence duty lawyer services at the Moorabbin and/or Frankston Specialist Family Violence Courts on a rostered basis.

The Position will also provide family violence legal services including information, intake & triage, advice, minor assistance, casework in areas of family violence, family law and general law, representation and referral services primarily from our Bentleigh & Frankston offices and visiting service locations.

Organisational Context

Peninsula Community Legal Centre (PCLC) is one of 49 community legal centres in Victoria. It operates across six local government area in the south east of Melbourne – Cardinia, Casey, Frankston, Glen Eira, Kingston and Mornington Peninsula. PCLC is headquartered in Frankston and has branch offices in Bentleigh, Cranbourne and Rosebud.

PCLC works to empower and support disadvantaged community members of the South Eastern and Westernport region to use the law and legal system to protect and advance their rights and broaden their awareness of their responsibilities. PCLC offers general legal advice and casework services, specialist family law, tenancy, family violence, rooming house and social work programs, and is active in community legal education and law reform work.

Key Accountability Areas 

1. Deliver high quality legal advice and casework, advocacy and representation services in accordance with the PCLC Advice and Casework Guidelines.
2. Conduct ongoing casework in accordance with the Centre’s Advice and Casework Guidelines and within the caseload/file limit directed from time to time
3. Provide duty lawyer, pre-court engagement and representation services in accordance with Centre’s Advice & Casework Guidelines & SFVC legal practice model.
4. Work closely and collaboratively with our practice partners, Victoria Legal Aid, VicPol and the Specialist Family Violence Courts to support the SFVC practice model objectives.
5. Actively participate in SFVC working groups to support the involvement and implementation of the SFVC legal practice model.
6. Maintain an appropriate case management system, including undertaking regular file reviews
7. Maintain accurate and up-to-date records, including file notes, client and casework data and case studies.
8. Develop and maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation, procedures and practices relevant to the position.
9. Develop and maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant information, resources and referral options for clients.
10. Participate in regular supervision and caseworkers’ meetings.
11. Ensure that all work is conducted within the requirements of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014, the Centre’s professional indemnity insurance and the Centre’s policies and procedures.
12. Liaise with relevant organisations and workers.
13. Represent Peninsula Community Legal Centre at relevant community, government and other forums.
14. Participate in community legal education activities as directed.
15. Identify trends and issues arising from legal advice and casework practice.
16. Participate in activities which seek to ensure greater legislative and practical protection for PCLC clients, such as submission writing and campaigns.
17. Liaise with and report to the Practice Manager, Family Violence regularly.
18. Assist with collection of data and preparation of reports and other accountability documentation as required.

Selection Criteria

• Possess, or is eligible to possess, a current practicing certificate with two years post admission practice.
• Experience in, or demonstrated capacity to undertake direct legal service delivery, including provision of information, advice and referral services, negotiation and advocacy on behalf of clients, court representation and other legal settings. 
• Strong understanding of family violence and the challenges impacting vulnerable community members when accessing the family violence and family law systems. 
• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to social justice principles, understanding of the legal assistance sector and a commitment to PCLC‘s vision and values.
• Highly developed organisational and administrative skills and the ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities 
• Demonstrated knowledge of law and legal system, relevant legislation and court procedures relating to Family Violence. 
• Experience in court representation
• Excellent interpersonal skills 

Other Relevant Information 

• You will be required to travel to PCLC branches, PCLC service locations and Courts & Tribunals.  Access to a reliable and comprehensively insured motor vehicle is a requirement.

• Ensure compliance with all Privacy Legislation and treat all information of a personal and sensitive nature concerning the business of PCLC and its clients, in a professional and confidential manner in accordance with PCLC’s information and records management procedures.
• Ensure that all PCLC policies, procedures, systems and work practices are implemented and adhered to, in particular, in human resource management, risk management and customer service.

• Act in a professional manner at all times while performing duties for and/or representing PCLC in line with the Staff Code of Conduct.
• An attractive remuneration package will be negotiated with the successful applicant.  Salary packaging is available.

Application Process

Applications including a CV and Cover letter addressing the key selection criteria can be lodged through our jobs portal and/or via email to ••••@pclc.org.au 

Applications close 5pm 30 September 2026