This critical role is for a proactive Lawyer (5-10 years PAE) who will directly manage and run complex legal cases, provide expert supervision and mentorship to our team of junior solicitors, paralegals, and interns, and lead the day-to-day delivery of legal services.

While the Principal Solicitor focuses on strategic growth and client acquisition, this role will ensure the seamless, high-quality execution of all legal matters and contribute significantly to our social justice law reform advocacy for women, gender diverse, and First Nations peoples.

About Violet Co Legal & Consulting

Violet Co Legal & Consulting is a 100% for-purpose business that makes positive change through legal services, consulting services, and our advocacy and law reform programs.

All our work focuses on women, gender diverse, and First Nations peoples. We are a certified Social Enterprise, meaning at least 50% of our profits go back into Community, channelled into pro bono legal services and advocacy campaigns to improve our justice system.

Our Founder and Principal Solicitor Karen Iles has been recognised as an innovator and leader in the profession. Her recognitions include appointment by the Commonwealth Attorney General to the Australian Law Reform Commission Expert Advisory Group - Inquiry into Justice System Responses to Sexual Violence, Finalist, NSW Woman of the Year Award (2025), Private Practitioner of the Year and Finalist Women Lawyer of the Year (2023) Women Lawyer’s Association of NSW, and the inaugural recipient of the Pro Bono Service Award (2022) from the Law Society of NSW. She also serves as Deputy Chair, the National Justice Project.

More information about Violet Co and our work can be found on our website: www.violetco.com.au.

About the role - what does success look like?

Lawyers in our team provide exceptional client experience, legal representation and insight to our clients. Lawyers are also involved in our advocacy function.

You will be the primary driver of legal case management and delivery, working with a high degree of independence to provide expert legal advice and representation to our diverse client base.

You will effectively lead and supervise a small team of junior solicitors, paralegals, and interns, ensuring their professional growth and the consistent delivery of high-quality, impactful legal services.

You will be accountable for the day-to-day operational excellence of legal matters, ensuring seamless workflow, accurate file management, and adherence to all deadlines and undertakings.

You will actively attract, pursue, and win new work for Violet Co, contributing significantly to our growth and impact, and be compensated with bonus payments for your wins.

You will actively contribute to our social justice and law reform advocacy initiatives, leveraging your expertise to drive meaningful systemic change.

Clients will think you are fabulous - as your inclusive, culturally competent and trauma informed style will make our clients want to work with us, trust us and refer us to their networks.

70% of your time will be dedicated to working directly on client matters, blending core “external” client work with “internal” responsibilities.

Each Violet Co team member blends core “external” client work with “internal” responsibilities.

Essential and desirable experience

To be successful in this role, candidates must demonstrate the following:

Admission to Practice: Hold a current unrestricted practising certificate as a Solicitor/Lawyer in Australia.

Significant PAE & Specialised Legal Expertise (5-10 years): Proven experience in running and managing a diverse and complex caseload independently, providing expert legal advice and representation in all facets of workplace and employment law, including unfair dismissals, general protections, discrimination, workplace investigations, enterprise bargaining, and drafting employment contracts and policies.

Advocacy and Litigation Leadership: Demonstrated lead experience in conducting and overseeing employment-related disputes before relevant tribunals and courts (e.g., Fair Work Commission, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia).

Proven Supervisory Experience: Demonstrated experience and ability to effectively supervise, mentor, guide, and develop junior legal staff (solicitors, paralegals, and interns), ensuring high standards of work and professional growth.

Operational Excellence in Case Management: Superior ability to manage the day-to-day operations of legal files, ensuring meticulous record-keeping, strict adherence to deadlines and undertakings, and efficient workflow processes from intake to closure.

Client Management and Business Development Acumen: Proven ability to build and maintain strong client relationships that foster trust and encourage referrals, combined with a proactive approach to identifying and converting new client work.

Understanding of Social Justice Principles: A strong commitment to and understanding of social justice principles, particularly as they relate to women, gender-diverse, and First Nations peoples, and a demonstrated ability to work with clients from diverse backgrounds in a culturally competent and trauma-informed manner.

Exceptional Communication: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, capable of conveying complex legal information clearly to diverse audiences, and building strong, transparent relationships.

Organisational Mastermind: Elite organisational skills and attention to detail, enabling efficient management of multiple complex priorities and projects in a fast-paced environment.

Desirable Experience

Employment law or Industrial Relations experience within a private practice, Trade Union or in-house.

Experience working as a mediator or restorative justice practitioner.

Experience in advocacy, for-purpose sector and/or charitable initiatives.

Experience working on matters involving anti-discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault and or/racism.

The skills and competencies that will set you up for success

Strategic Legal Thinking & Problem Solving: Ability to identify complex legal issues, develop innovative and practical solutions, and provide strategic advice that aligns with client objectives and Violet Co's purpose.

Strong Leadership & Team Development: Proven ability to lead by example, motivate, and empower a team of legal professionals, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment. This includes effective delegation, feedback, and performance management.

Exceptional Legal Writing & Advocacy: Demonstrated ability to produce clear, concise, and persuasive legal documents, submissions, and correspondence, and to represent clients effectively in various forums.

Advanced Research Prowess: Highly developed research skills, with the ability to quickly grasp complex legal concepts and identify relevant precedents and information to support advice and advocacy.

Superior Organisation & Case Management: Meticulous attention to detail and outstanding organisational skills to manage multiple complex cases, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously, ensuring efficient and effective workflow.

Proactive & Independent Initiative: A high degree of self-motivation and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision, taking initiative in managing cases, engaging with clients, and contributing to firm objectives.

Adaptability & Innovation: Capacity to thrive in a fast-paced and flexible environment, demonstrating an innovative mindset to leverage technology and identify opportunities for continuous improvement in legal service delivery.

Advanced Interpersonal & Stakeholder Engagement: Exceptional interpersonal skills to build and maintain strong, transparent, and trusting relationships with clients, colleagues, partners, and external stakeholders, including government bodies and community organisations.

Resilience & Trauma-Informed Practice: Strong personal resilience and a deep commitment to trauma-informed practice, ensuring compassionate and empathetic engagement with clients facing sensitive and challenging legal issues.

Relationships

This role will report directly to Karen Iles, Director & Principal Solicitor. This role will work alongside the Violet Co Team and have a number of direct reports. This role will be responsible for managing legal practitioners, paralegals and interns within the team. Currently there are two paralegal and two intern roles within the team.

The position holder will interface directly with Violet Co clients, funders, community partners and other external stakeholders. A high degree of professionalism is required.

Location and days

The position of Senior Lawyer is full time or part time depending on the suitable candidate. The part time position can be worked flexibly with the hours spread over a number of days per week.

Office location with some flexibility to work remotely. The office is located at The Hub Hyde Park 223 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst. Occasional interstate and regional travel may be required.

What we can offer you - PURPOSE PURPOSE PURPOSE!

Violet Co is a for purpose business. We offer all of our team the unique opportunity to work all the time on 100% for purpose client matters and projects. This is rare in the private sector! Having purpose and passion for your work can be a rare thing - especially in the legal profession.

In addition we are awesome to work for because we provide:

A culture of flexibility and accountability.

The opportunity to work with, and learn from, Aboriginal people, partners and clients.

The opportunity to work in a small business where you will have the opportunity to “do everything” - you will be stretched beyond a narrow set of routine tasks.

Learning and development courses, events, conferences and activities will be structured into your annual plan

A fair wage that is competitive in the market

Bonus payments for winning new client work

Our office has the following benefits:

Carbon neutral

BCorp

Gym

End of trip facilities - shower, towels, lockers, hair dryers, hair straighteners etc.

Permanent lockers

Bike storage cages

Rooftop cafe

Full kitchen and commercial sized fridges so you can cook up a strom for lunch and leave essentials at work

Meditation and prayer space

Breastfeeding space

Close access to public transport - Museum station and buses on Oxford, William and Elizabeth Street

Vibrant cafes and restaurants

Inclusive Surry Hills and Darlinghurst location

24/7 access

Access for people with different physical abilities

Personal strengths, resilience and support

This role is responsible for working on legal matters and projects involving topics and subject matter that may include; sexual assault, gender-based violence, discrimination, systemic impacts of colonisation, homophobia and gender identity discrimination.

It is anticipated that a person in this role may have their own lived experience of sexual assault, domestic and family violence, racism, intergenerational trauma, homophobia, gender identity discrimination and other forms of discrimination.

A high degree of self awareness, and healing from trauma, is required to work effectively in this space and in this role.

The position holder will be encouraged to develop their own self-care plan in consultation with their manager to minimise risk of additional trauma.

We offer an Employee Assist Program (EAP) to support our team through the up’s and down’s, challenges and day-to-day.

Debriefing with supervisor and/or team members

Wellbeing “boosts” are identified with each team member

Special leave for domestic, family, sexual violence or other discrimination court matters is available