Description

About Us

Court Services Victoria provides corporate services and facilities to support the performance of the judicial, quasi-judicial and administrative functions of Victoria's courts and tribunal, Judicial College and Judicial Commission. 

Collectively, Victoria's Supreme, County, Magistrates', Children's, and Coroners courts, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), the Judicial College of Victoria, the Judicial Commission of Victoria, and Court Services Victoria (CSV) are referred to as the ‘Courts Group'. 

Our people enable the Courts Group to deliver on each jurisdiction's own strategic priorities while also pursuing strategic opportunities that are interconnected and deliver benefits more broadly.

SCV

The Supreme Court of Victoria is the highest court in Victoria and comprises the Court of Appeal and the Trial Division. The Court deals with major criminal and civil matters, plus appeals against decisions of lower courts.

The Supreme Court of Victoria recognises that its people are integral to its ability to meet and exceed community expectations and to achieve its goal of being an outstanding superior court. We continually strive to create a high-performance workplace that is characterized by creativity, innovation, flexibility, and quality delivery.

About the Role

This lawyer role is in the Civil arm of the Registry of the Supreme Court of Victoria. The lawyers of the Registry are the primary contact for internal and external stakeholders, particularly judicial officers and the representatives of parties to the proceedings in the relevant lists.

This role primarily supports the Senior Lawyer (Urgents) in the Practice Court and the Senior Lawyer of the Testators Family Maintenance List. The Practice Court hears urgent applications that would otherwise ordinarily be brought in a relevant list of the Common Law Division of the Court. The Testators Family Maintenance List involves proceedings under the Administration and Probate Act 1958, and in particular applications for provision or further provision out of a deceased estate under Part IV of that Act.

Key accountabilities in the Practice Court team include:

• Triaging proceedings for suitable case management or urgent hearing and liaising with parties regarding the listing of applications
• Assisting in the timely management of applications, and identifying and responding to complex and priority matters, with the guidance of the Senior Lawyer in Practice Court and other relevant lists
• Reviewing and preparing proceedings listed for urgent hearing
• Supporting the Judge of the Practice Court during and following the hearing of a matter
• As required, assisting with other case management and deputy prothonotary functions
   

Key accountabilities in the Testators Family Maintenance List include:

• Reviewing and preparing proceedings listed for directions hearings in the Testators Family Maintenance List and assisting judicial officers in those hearings
• Providing support to the Judicial Registrars and Senior Lawyer in charge of the List by reviewing and preparing applications for approval of compromises and for substantive provision orders under Part IV of the Administration and Probate Act 1958 including the drafting of orders for consideration
• Managing communications with the legal profession and other Court users
• As required, assisting other Registry Lawyers with case management of other Common Law Division Lists including the Trusts, Equity and Probate List
   

All lawyers in the Registry also provide legal and procedural advice to registry officers, the Prothonotary, and deputy prothonotaries as required.

Please note: due to the nature of the work of the Court, this role may involve exposure to confronting, graphic and/or distressing material, and distressed court users.

The role is a full-time position located at 451 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, with flexibility for hybrid working arrangements up to two days per week.

Requirements

About you

To be successful in the role, you need:

• excellent written and oral communication skills
• strong time management skills, with the ability to manage and prioritise urgent tasks
• strong attention to detail
• high level interpersonal, organisational and planning skills
• the ability to analyse and synthesise voluminous and at times complex material
• tertiary qualification in law and admitted to practise (note: a current practising certificate is not required)
• post admission experience in civil litigation and legal writing is highly desirable