Principal Lawyer

About Ruah

Ruah is a leading values-driven employer in Western Australia’s community services sector. Our staff go boldly, not just supporting people in need, but working to end homelessness, end domestic violence and create opportunities for people struggling with poverty and mental health challenges.

Our professional team of operational and corporate services staff is backed by one of WA’s biggest Peer support workforces. Our staff reflect our commitment to diversity and inclusion, where difference is valued, celebrated and embraced.

By choosing to work with us, you are helping transform the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged people in our community.

Ruah Legal Services specialises in the provision of end-to-end legal representation with integrated psycho-social support. Ruah Legal Services trades as the Mental Health Law Centre (MHLC) for the provision of legal services to clients experiencing severe mental illness. Key practice areas include the Mental Health Act, Criminal Law, Care and Protection, and Guardianship and Administration Act matters. Ruah Legal Services also provides legal assistances to victim-survivors of sexual assault through the SALSWA project, and to women experiencing family and domestic violence through Ruah Community Services programs.

About the Role

The Principal Lawyer position is a key senior management role responsible for leading and managing the legal practice in the provision of legal information, advice, and representation. The role requires a forward-thinking and innovative person to lead a high-performing, integrated team. The primary focus of the role is the supervision of lawyers, key workers, law graduates and law students, in collaboration with Senior Supervising Lawyers and a Senior Supervising Key Worker.

The Principal Lawyer ensures that lawyers and key workers engage in regular file reviews and professional supervision to ensure that they are working to their best ability and caring for their own mental health and wellbeing.

Partnerships and collaborative working arrangements are central to the way that Ruah Legal Services operates. The Principal Lawyer will build, develop and maintain strong working relationships with Ruah Community Services staff, our pilot project partners, and key stakeholders in mental health and legal assistance services.

The Principal Lawyer ensures compliance with legal, regulatory and insurance requirements, and works closely with the Executive Manager to ensure that day-to-day practice management aligns with our strategic plan and direction.

This is a full-time permanent position.

What we’re looking for

The successful applicants will be required to meet the following criteria:

• Be admitted as a lawyer of the Supreme Court of Western Australia with at least 5 years PAE.
• Completion of the Legal Practice Management Course (WA) or willingness to enrol.
• Technical expertise in criminal law advocacy and experience across other core practice areas.
• Expertise in the Mental Health Act 2014 or willingness to develop expertise.
• Demonstrated competence in advocacy before Tribunals and Courts.
• Experience supervising legal staff.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Negotiation and conflict resolution skills to manage workplace issues.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work co-operatively.
• Exceptional time management skills and demonstrated ability to prioritise tasks.
• Willingness and ability to work within and contribute to the vision, mission, core values and the guiding principles of the organisation.

The following criteria are considered desirable:

• Experience with integrated approaches to legal practice which involve collaboration with non-legal support services.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of diversity and social inclusion- including gender, sexuality, disability, cultural, age, and linguistic diversity and Aboriginal culture.

What do we offer?

• An annual base salary starting from $140,000 + superannuation
• 5 weeks annual leave
• 16 weeks paid parental leave, with flexibility to take at 32 weeks half-pay (uniquely, new staff can access 4 weeks paid parental leave after just 6 months’ service). 
• Incredibly valuable Salary Packaging (to extend your take home pay) with:
• up to $15,900 core packaging
• an additional $2,650 in meal entertainment packaging
• benefits for salary packaging travel, accommodation, parking fees, education expenses and more!
• Free, independent and confidential access for you and your family to our Employee Assistance Program.
• Opportunities to be active in the Ruah Community such as participating in a wide range of working groups, joining us at Pride events, being a part of a range of cultural events to promote and support reconciliation and much, much more! 

Required compliance documents:

• Current drivers’ license
• National Police Clearance Certificate

How to apply 

We’d love to hear from you!

Please click apply, create your LiveHire profile, and submit your current CV along with a cover letter of no more than two pages, helping us understand your fit for this role.

Closing date for applications: 5 January 2025

For further information please contact Sarah Toovey, Acting CEO, at sarah.toovey@ruah.org.au

We are building a workplace where difference is embraced and encouraged - and to do this, we need people on our team who are representative of the clients we work with, who are passionate about change and courageous enough to stand up for what is right.  Everyone is welcome. Everyone belongs.