Applications close 13 October.
We seek an experienced litigator to work with clients to protect our climate, communities and shared environment by providing access to justice, running ground-breaking litigation, and leading law reform advocacy.
The Special Counsel will engage with legal issues surrounding climate change, biodiversity and environmental protection in Queensland. In this role you will think creatively about delivering systemic change, chiefly in relation to fossil fuel developments and climate change, but also regarding biodiversity issues such as deforestation.
The role will primarily involve leading litigation and related advice with junior staff. It will also include non-litigious advice work and engaging in policy and law reform.
Candidate Profile:
You will have an unrestricted practising certificate, and strong PAE working as a lawyer with demonstrated litigation experience – preferably in environmental matters. You will be passionate about helping lead EDO’s safe climate and biodiversity work in Queensland and excel working with a high level of autonomy within a collaborative team environment. You think outside the box and want a chance to be creative about delivering systemic change in the fields of climate change, human rights, biodiversity and the environment. You also enjoy supervising and mentoring legal staff, and seeing their expertise grow to benefit the team and our work.
EDO is a diverse and inclusive workplace. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and members of the Global Majority* are particularly encouraged to apply.
Key selection criteria:
Essential requirements
- An unrestricted practicing certificate or entitlement to one
- A minimum of 8+ years PAE working as a solicitor with litigation experience
Substantive experience
- Demonstrated experience leading litigation in environmental, administrative and/or human rights or related disciplines
- Demonstrated experience in administrative and/or environmental law highly desirable
- Experience undertaking law reform or policy desirable
- Demonstrated experience in supervising, mentoring and contributing to the professional development of legal and non-legal staff
- Demonstrated experience working with diverse communities and individuals, including First Nations, desirable
Core skills
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to confidently exercise sound judgement and make decisions in high-pressure scenarios, based on consideration of different views
- Demonstrated ability to work productively autonomously, within a collaborative team environment, and to deadlines
- Excellent oral and written communication skills suited to a range of audiences
- Good file management and delegation skills
- Ability to represent EDO in the media
Personal qualities and cultural competency
- A champion of the EDO values
- Strong initiative and self-motivation
- Commitment to the protection of the environment and related human rights
- A strong sense of ethics and understanding of professional obligations
- Demonstrated awareness of, and sensitivity to, the needs and concerns of First Nations peoples and peoples from diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations in both the delivery of our work and our internal culture
- Thrive in a collaborative 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
- While primarily office-based, some flexibility to work from home
- 8 weeks paid parental leave, regardless of gender or carer status
- 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave per year
- 3 days paid cultural leave per year
- 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.
- Three Affinity groups for the following: Disability, Global Majority* and LGBTQIA+
*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’.