The position is responsible for providing independent, high level, accurate and timely legal advice and legal consultancy services for the Minister, Director-General and departmental officers of the department on a broad range of complex, sensitive matters including employment law, child safety, human rights, historical abuse and current litigation, administrative law, contract law, intellectual property, right to information, judicial review, privacy, property law, statutory interpretation and whistle-blowers protection, liaise with other government and external agencies and to represent the Director-General as required in legal matters.

In order to maintain the ability to provide independent legal advice, the holder of the position is not subject to direction from persons who are not lawyers as to the content of legal opinions or advice.

Job details

As a Senior Legal Officer you will:

• Provide high level, independent, timely, strategic and expert advice for the Minister and Director-General and to high level and other officers of the department, in relation to legal, policy and process issues, often of complex and sensitive nature, to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of departmental services.
• Coordinate, prepare, settle and represent departmental submission to Courts and Tribunals and develop systems and procedures to support the department's interactions with Court and Tribunals in liaison with the service delivery area of the departments.
• Consult, liaise and instruct as required with service delivery officers within the departments, Crown Law, other departments, legal representatives, representatives of other relevant agencies and court and tribunal registries, in relation to relevant specific projects and cases, in order to ensure the most beneficial outcome for the State, and represent the department, or assist legal representatives in managing, investigating and/or resolving legal issues relevant to the agency's responsibilities, whilst adhering to the Model Litigant Principles. 
• Research and prepare complex recommendations, advice, submissions, briefing notes and correspondence on a range of business development, performance improvement and legal issues associated with the corporate governance of a large, diverse and complex organisations.
• Assist Director to facilitate through a range of educative strategies, the development of efficient and cost-effective policies and procedures which enable the agency to meet its legal obligations and minimise legal risk, assist in the development of an effective database of departmental advices and opinions given and received and assist the Director manage the department's budget allocation for legal expenses including monitoring the performance of external providers of specialist legal services.
• Assist the Director to research and make recommendations to senior management on trends, risks and future opportunities in areas of contemporary and emerging legal issues affecting the Department, actively participate in fostering a team environment and positive culture, understand/value the contributions individual roles play in the success of business outcomes and actively contribute to, support and manage change in processes, procedures and systems by demonstrating and encouraging flexibility and resilience.

Your mandatory requirements:

• Possession of a law degree and admission as a Barrister-at-law or Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland, or admission in another jurisdiction with the ability to be admitted in Queensland.

Applications to remain current for 12 months.:

Further information

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

Please ensure you download all attachments and follow the instructions on how to apply.

Two permanent full-time positions available14-JUL-26

Documents

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

• 695164-26-Role Profile (Word, 225KB)
  
  
  695164-26-candidate-info-pack (Word, 235KB)