Legal Aid NSW Fellowship Information Session
Fellowship Program
Legal Aid NSW in partnership with the UNSW Faculty of Law and the Australian Human Rights Centre has established a Human Rights Fellowship Program for graduating law students. The fellowship program has been developed to give UNSW law students interested in human rights legal practice an opportunity to gain hands-on work experience at Legal Aid NSW.
Fellowship Program Outline
Two fellowships are currently available for graduating UNSW law students to undertake 26 weeks of work with the human rights groups of Legal Aid NSW. This period of work is designed to meet the Practical Legal Training requirements of the College of Law for admission as a legal practitioner.
Fellows will gain experience in human rights advocacy, assist with client casework, legal research, law reform, training and education. The Human Rights Fellow will also work with and provide reports to the Legal Aid Human Rights Committee on potential public interest human rights matters. The fellow will be paid a salary for the period of the fellowship.
Eligibility and Selection Criteria
All UNSW law students who anticipate completion of their law degrees by the end of the current academic year are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to applicants who have specialised in human rights and public interest law. There are two placements available, each for a six month period. The first is for a student who is available to commence their six month placement in the first half of 2013 and the second for a student available to commence their six month placement in the second half of 2013.
At this stage we would anticipate commencement dates of April 2013 for the first placement and October 2013 for the second.
An application will consist of:
- Curriculum vitae with contact details of two referees (one of which must be an academic referee)
- A cover letter indicating availability to take up the fellowship for a period of 26 weeks in one of the two intakes, reasons for applying for the fellowship and areas of interest in human rights and public interest law
- A statement addressing each of the following eight selection criteria:
- A sound Academic Record with good results in either the LLB or JD and the capacity to acquire knowledge of human rights or social justice law
- Knowledge of current issues and developments in human rights law
- Capacity to identify and understand legal and cross cultural issues facing socially and economically disadvantaged people
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to conduct community legal education and to prepare correspondence, submissions and other written materials
- Excellent analytical and research skills
- Ability to meet deadlines and work within a team environment
- Demonstrated computer skills
- Knowledge and understanding of ethical practice
Candidates will be selected for interview on the basis of the material submitted in their application.
Information session
An information session on the fellowship program will be held on:
Tuesday, 18 September 2012 - 1pm to 2pm in the Boardroom (Level 2) Faculty of Law UNSW.
Representatives from the human rights group of Legal Aid NSW as well the Australian Human Rights Centre will be there to answer questions and provide information about the type of work Legal Aid NSW does.
Deadline
Applications will be accepted until 28 September 2012. Late applications will not be considered.
Applications are to be forwarded to:
People and Organisational Development
Legal Aid NSW
PO Box K847
Haymarket NSW 1238
or via email to eoi@legalaid.nsw.gov.au
Please direct enquiries to Diane Macdonald, Australian Human Rights Centre on (02) 9385 1803.
