About us
QAI’s mission is to promote, protect and defend, through advocacy, the fundamental needs and rights and lives of the most vulnerable people with disability in Queensland.
QAI is a specialist community legal service and disability advocacy organisation dedicated to the promotion, protection and defence of the fundamental needs and rights and lives of the most vulnerable people with disability in Queensland.
QAI provides legal services in mental health and human rights law and non-legal advocacy in NDIS appeals and decision support, education, Disability Royal Commission and criminal justice matters. We also publish and educate in our fields of expertise to empower clients and their supports to self-advocate, and consider law reform and challenging systems as one of our primary purposes.
About the role
QAI is looking for a Mental Health Solicitor/s to join QAI’s Mental Health Legal Service on a casual basis, to work in our Legal Aid Queensland (LAQ) Referrals Team.
QAI offers competitive remuneration under the SCHADS Award, with remuneration commensurate with experience and includes advantageous salary sacrifice and flexible working arrangement options.
The position reports to and is supervised by the Principal Solicitors.
The functions of the role include:
- Provide legal advice and representation within the scope of QAI’s legal services, including in relation to the Mental Health Act 2016 (Qld) and the Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld), with representation before the Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT); and
- Working with other members of the Mental Health Legal Service.
The successful applicant will be an experienced solicitor with an unrestricted Practising Certificate (or eligibility for one), who is able to meet the selection criteria.
Selection Criteria
1. Strong commitment to social justice principles including the promotion and protection of the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.
- Experience in Mental Health Law, Criminal Law with prior experience in the disability, mental health or social services sectors required
- Demonstrated experience providing legal advice and representation to highly vulnerable individuals in the community
- Admitted, or eligibility to be admitted, to legal practice in Queensland, with at least (2) two years Post Admission Experience (PAE)
- Well developed legal casework, advocacy and negotiation skills
- Excellent interpersonal & verbal communication skills including the ability to communicate sensitively with clients and other people from diverse backgrounds
- Excellent written skills, including ability to convey information in simple English.
- Highly developed organisational skills to identify priorities, manage workload, and maintain records
- Good knowledge of the welfare and/or disability sector/s with understanding of what makes people vulnerable
- Current driver’s licence as travel is required as part of this role
- Willingness to meet the Department of Health Vaccine Preventable Disease (VPD) screening requirements as required for all practitioners appearing before the MHRT. Documentation is required, confirming the successful applicant has been vaccinated against or is not susceptible to the following VPD’s is required: Hepatitis B; Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), Varicella (Chicken Pox); and Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
2. The position is conditional on accreditation to represent clients before the MHRT as determined by LAQ.
Any questions should be addressed to the Principal Solicitors, Carly Dennis and Emma Phillips at QAI, 07 3844 4200 and/or email qai@qai.org.au using the subject line: Mental Health Solicitor enquiry.
Applications close 5pm, Tuesday 4 May, 2021. Applications after the closing date may be considered.