- Location: Australia wide considered – (Gadi/Sydney or Boorloo/Perth preferred)
- Term: 2 years
- Full time (37.5 hours)
- Remuneration: SCHADS Level 2: FTE $60,000 – $65,700 + 10.5% super + 17.5% Annual Leave Loading
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are particularly encouraged to apply.
Reporting to: Managing Lawyer, Safe Climate – (Corporate and Commercial)
Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) is the leading environmental law practice in the Australia Pacific Region delivering legal solutions for people, nature, and our climate. We have a big vision which is a world where nature thrives. We’ve got big ambition about the role we can play in delivering that vision and we’ve got an incredible team across the country working to achieve it.
We are dedicated to protecting our climate, communities, and shared environment by providing access to justice, running ground-breaking litigation and leading law reform advocacy. Over our 30-year combined history we’ve developed a formidable track record of empowering communities and delivering effective protection of the environment through legal services.
As the region’s legal experts in our field, we aim to be a brave, unified, and focused team, committed to inclusion and excellence in all that we do. We strive to be a diverse and inclusive workplace supporting a highly skilled, engaged, and effective team, where everyone can feel that they belong.
The Opportunity
We are looking for a Paralegal/Graduate researcher to join our Safe Climate (Corporate and Commercial) team to assist with research and legal support to the team. You will work closely with the Managing Lawyer and a team of 3 solicitors.
Fantastic opportunity for a paralegal or graduate to join our Safe Climate team, providing specialist legal advice and research on scrutinising corporate activities and actions which jeopardise the planet. The position will focus on corporate “greenwashing” which delays real climate action at a time when we need to be rapidly reducing global emissions. It is one of the major obstacles we face in reaching net zero emissions, enabling a business-as-usual approach under the cloak of transitioning to a safe climate. It will also provide general paralegal support to litigation undertaken by the Safe Climate team.
Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) is the largest environmental legal centre in the Australia-Pacific, dedicated to protecting our climate, communities and shared environment by providing access to justice, running ground-breaking litigation and leading law reform advocacy.
As the region’s legal experts in our field, we aim to be a brave, unified, and focused team, committed to inclusion and excellence in all that we do. We strive to be a diverse and inclusive workplace supporting a highly skilled, engaged, and effective team, where everyone can feel that they belong.
Key Selection Criteria:
Core skills
- A degree in law or studying law.
- A good understanding of environmental law, corporate law or Australian consumer law process and procedure.
- Excellent research, analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated time-management skills and ability to work independently.
Substantive experience
- Experience maintaining client files and compiling court materials desirable.
- Experiencing compiling research reports.
- Commitment to EDO values.
Personal qualities and cultural competency
- A champion of the EDO values
- Strong initiative and self-motivation
- Commitment to the protection of human rights and the environment
- A strong sense of ethics and understanding of professional obligations
- Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of First Nations and peoples from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations in both the delivery of our work and our internal culture
- Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative and 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
- Option to work from home and the office
- 8 weeks paid parental leave, regardless of gender or carer status
- 15 days personal/carer’s leave
- 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave
- 3 days paid cultural leave
- 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.
Our Values
Commitment – We are committed to; a united organisation, to each other, to collaboration, to justice, to our communities and to creating a world where nature thrives.
Diversity – We are respectful of and welcome diversity of staff, volunteers, offices, environmental regions, communities, stakeholders.
Integrity – We work effectively, efficiently, strategically, professionally, and ethically; “justice is in our nature”.
Vision – We lead change and environmental empowerment using innovation, creativity, and courage.
How to Apply
All offers of employment may be subject to satisfactory background checks including a National Police Check, disclosure of previous or current disciplinary action, referee checks, proof of eligibility to work in Australia and qualification checks.
EDO particularly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Pacific Island peoples, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, workers of all ages, people with disability, and people who identify as LGBTQIA+.
Applications must include a CV and a letter that clearly addresses each of the selection criteria. Applications which do not address the selection criteria will not be considered.
Applications close at 5pm – Monday 13th February 2023. Applications should be emailed to [email protected] with “Paralegal/Graduate Researcher – Safe Climate (Corporate and Commercial)” in the subject line.
Please let us know if you have any accessibility needs for applying and/or interviews.
