Description

To obtain a copy of the Candidate Information Kits for this vacancy, please click on the 'Apply Online' button to the left of this advertisement.


The key duties of the position include
Employment Opportunity
The Office of the Solicitor-General was established under the Law Officers Act 1964. The Solicitor-General is the second law officer of the Commonwealth.The Solicitor-General has an office based within the Attorney-General's Department in Canberra along with chambers in Melbourne. This position (together with the other Counsel Assisting position) is to be based in the Canberra office, although some limited travel may be required.
Duties of the Counsel Assisting the Solicitor-General will include:

• Participating as a member of the legal team in cases in which the Solicitor-General is briefed as counsel.
• Preparing and researching draft legal opinions, often involving complex constitutional and public law issues.
• Preparing draft papers for presentation by the Solicitor-General at internal and external conferences.
• Assisting in managing requests to brief the Solicitor-General
• Liaising with the Office of Legal Services Coordination and other areas of the department and Australian Government Solicitor as appropriate.
• Where practicable, occasional appearances as junior counsel.

The Executive Level 1 position will be non-ongoing from March 2026 to March 2027. The Executive Level 2 position will be non-ongoing from August 2026 to August 2027.
How you can help us make a difference
The Counsel Assisting the Solicitor-General will provide high level support to the Solicitor-General. As second law officer of the Commonwealth, the Solicitor-General provides written and oral advice on matters of significance to the Australian Government and appears as counsel in cases of constitutional significance, international cases and other cases of special government interest.
Our ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• experience in litigation, advising and/or opinion writing, preferably specialising in matters of Australian public law
• outstanding research, legal analytical and communication skills
• a degree in law with 1st class Honours or equivalent
• post-graduate qualification in law and/or associateship (preferably at the High Court)
• a capacity to manage effectively competing demands on time
• an ability to work closely and effectively with the range of persons identified above
• exceptional interpersonal and persuasive skills
• excellent professional judgement.