Role
Position: Manager of Advocates
* Salary: $149,739-$173,174 pa plus superannuation and annual leave loading
* Classification: Clerk Grade 11/12
* Contract: Ongoing, Full-time (35 hours per week)
* Location: Work from your closest Legal Aid NSW office subject to approval. Travel required.
About Us
Legal Aid NSW delivers accessible legal services across criminal, family and civil law. We provide advice, court representation, and family dispute resolution through 28 offices and phone-based support, helping people navigate the legal system with confidence and fairness.
About The Role
As Manager of Advocates, you will lead a talented team of family law and care and protection solicitor advocates, representing people at some of the most critical moments of their lives. This role blends inspiring leadership with meaningful courtroom advocacy—shaping high‐quality practice across NSW, mentoring staff, and contributing to law reform.
This is a unique career pathway at Legal Aid NSW, designed for experienced advocates who are driven to take on complex work and lead others through it. The Manager of Advocates role offers the rare chance to deepen your advocacy practice while shaping a strong, supported team. The experience and skills developed in this role also create a powerful platform for future career progression—including, for those who choose it, a pathway to the Bar.
The role is predominantly court and office based with flexibility to work from your closest Legal Aid NSW office and access to other flexible work arrangements, subject to approval under the flexible working policy. The role includes travel as required to courts and tribunals, including overnight stays. All travel and accommodation costs are covered, offering variety, professional growth and connection with communities across NSW.
Which role is right for you?
We are also recruiting Solicitor Advocate Grade V and Grade VI roles alongside this role. While the Grade V and VI roles do not carry formal people‐management responsibilities, they share the same purpose, values and commitment to outstanding advocacy. Applicants are welcome to apply for all three roles or the one that best matches their experience. Apply for the Solicitor Advocate Grade V role (Job Ref 82239) by 5 May 2026 here: link, and the Solicitor Advocate Grade VI role (Job Ref 80820) by 28 April 2026 here: link.
About You
"You bring clarity, calm and purpose to complex work—and lift others to do the same."
You are a highly experienced advocate with a strong background in family and care & protection, bringing both authority in the courtroom and strong leadership behind the scenes. You thrive on managing complexity—anticipating issues, solving problems, and coordinating and allocating advocacy work to ensure the division operates smoothly and effectively. Just as important, you are deeply committed to supporting, mentoring and guiding advocates, setting clear standards and creating a culture of confidence, excellence and care. You lead with purpose, balance strategic oversight with hands‐on expertise, and are driven by the impact your leadership has on staff, practice and the clients the service exists to support.
Why You Should Join Legal Aid NSW
We are committed to diversity and inclusion. We are committed to creating a culturally safe and genuinely inclusive organisation and workplace for everyone who works and interacts with us. We strive to be a place where people from diverse backgrounds want to work, where voices and cultures are valued and where people feel valued, welcomed, respected and heard. We want a workforce that reflects our clients, so we can deliver a service that meets the needs of the community. We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds — including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, the LGBTQI+ community, culturally diverse people and other diverse communities. We acknowledge, support and accommodate the diverse access needs of people with visible and invisible disabilities.
For application support or recruitment adjustments, please contact the Talent Acquisition Team at erecruitment@legalaid.nsw.gov.au or 02 9134 9347.
Other Benefits Of Working With Us
* You will have access to training, development and mentoring opportunities.
* We are an accredited Flex Ready and Carers and Employers certified employer and are recognised as leaders in flexible work. Most of our staff work flexibly — for example, from home some of the time or in a way that helps them balance family and work life.
You Must
The essential requirements for this role
* Be admitted or be eligible for admission as a legal practitioner in NSW
* Have or be eligible to obtain an unrestricted NSW Practising Certificate
* Be willing to do a Criminal Record Check and Working with Children Check
* Hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency (for ongoing vacancies) or a valid visa to work in Australia (for temporary vacancies)
* Be a registered practitioner of the High Court of Australia as per the provisions of Section 55B of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth)
* Have capacity and willingness to travel regularly, to regional and remote
It is a statutory obligation for staff to hold a valid Working with Children Check for all legal roles within the Family Law Division. You will be required to provide your Working with Children Check details prior to commencement.
All required clearance, registrations, admissions and certifications must be obtained and maintained prior to commencement in the role.
Closing Date
Wednesday 6 May 2026 at 11.59pm
#J-18808-Ljbffr