Legal Aid Queensland (LAQ) invites applications from experienced legal practitioners for the position of Principal Lawyer in the Criminal Law Division, specialising in Youth Justice Services. This role offers an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Queensland's criminal justice system while managing and guiding a team of passionate professionals. At LAQ, social justice is at the heart of everything we do. We are dedicated to providing quality, cost-effective legal services to financially disadvantaged individuals across Queensland.

Job details

The role

This is a temporary role to June 2026, where as the Principal Lawyer, you will represent clients by providing legal advice, preparing matters, instructing counsel, and appearing in court for accused persons in criminal law and related matters. You will manage and supervise a team of legal and administrative staff to ensure high professional standards, including providing coaching, performance feedback, recruitment, and conflict management. Additionally, you will lead and monitor operational performance, promote inclusion and diversity, and contribute to law reform, policies, and legal service delivery initiatives. This role also involves maintaining up-to-date knowledge of criminal law practices and ethics, delivering legal education and training to staff and external stakeholders, and engaging in duty lawyer services and legal advice sessions as required.

The ideal candidate

To excel in this role, you will demonstrate:

• Strong knowledge of and experience in advocating, preparing, and managing complex criminal law matters while adhering to professional and ethical standards.
• Proven experience in managing and leading a team, with skills in coaching, recruitment, conflict management, and performance feedback.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to connect with diverse clients, including those with complex needs.
• A commitment to fostering positive workplace culture and supporting organisational values of respect, quality, accountability, and cost-effectiveness.

Find out more about the role and how to apply in the attached role description.

Mandatory requirements

• Admission (or immediate eligibility) as a legal practitioner in Queensland.
• Current practising certificate and entry on the High Court Register of Practitioners.
• This role is unsuitable for early-career lawyers.

Special considerations

• Due to the nature of this role, exposure to confronting and/or distressing material may occur. Legal Aid Queensland provides a supportive environment to navigate these challenges.
• Disclosure of any employment as a lobbyist in the past two years and relevant conflicts of interest will be required.
• Criminal history and serious disciplinary history checks will be conducted on recommended applicants.

Why join us

As a member of the Legal Aid Queensland Community, you will receive:

• A 36.25 hour working week (full time hours)
• Generous salary packaging
• Employer super contributions of 12.75%
• Flexible working hours
• Study leave for approved work-related courses.

Find out more about working in Legal Aid Queensland here: https://www.legalaid.qld.gov.au/About-us/Careers

Further information

We are committed to building inclusive cultures in the Queensland public sector that respect and promote human rights and diversity.

Documents

Before applying for this vacancy please ensure you read the documents below.

• Position description - PO6 Lawyer (crime) (PDF, 170KB)
  Role Description
  
  LAQ Employee Benefits (PDF, 277KB)
  Application Kit
  
  LAQ Information Kit for Applicants (PDF, 448KB)
  Application Kit