Employment Opportunities

The State Solicitor's Office offers outstanding employment opportunities for talented people interested in a legal career at lawyer level or as a member of valued support teams of paralegals, law clerks, historical researchers, legal secretaries and corporate and business support staff.

The State Solicitor's Office offers interesting and challenging work in all positions and provides a modern work environment with excellent professional development opportunities and collegiate support in all employment streams.

The following is a summary of the types of positions available at the State Solicitor's Office in the various employment streams.

The State Solicitor's Office Employment opportunities are advertised on the Department of the Attorney General's Career Compass website.

Lawyers

Generally the State Solicitor's Office recruitment strategy for lawyers is targeted at more junior levels through an acclaimed Law Graduate program, moving through to Restricted Practice and beyond.

However, the State Solicitor's Office also selectively recruits at junior, mid-range and senior (partner equivalent) levels when the special need arises.

The State Solicitor's Office is always keen to hear from very talented lawyers who are interested in joining a leading government law firm in one or more of the practice areas outlined in this website.

If you require any further information on lawyer positions with us, contact:

Keith Whitehouse, General Manager
Phone: (08) 9264 1897
Email: k.whitehouse@sso.wa.gov.au 

Law Graduate Training Program

Applications for 2014 will open on the WA jobs board 29 April 2013 and close for applications 14 June 2013.

The Office will accept applications from:

1. Law graduates wishing to undertake Articles 
   
   These traditional legal traineeships will involve 12 months as an articled clerk inclusive of the required external practical legal training with the Leo Cussen Institute (paid for by the State Solicitor's Office). At the conclusion of the articled clerkship  the State Solicitor's Office will support the graduates admission to practice and transition to a 12 month contract of employment as a legal practitioner.
   
   
2. Law graduates who have completed the course work component of an approved practical legal training course (provided by the College of Law) but have not been admitted to practice law.
   
   These graduates will still undertake a 12 month legal traineeship as an Articled Clerk but will not have to undertake further external practical legal training provided that the approved course work is completed prior to registration of articles. At the conclusion of the articled clerkship  the State Solicitor's Office will support the graduate's admission to practice and transition to a 12 month contract of employment as a legal practitioner.
   
   
3. Law graduates who have completed the requirements of an approved practical legal training course (such as that provided by the College of Law) and have already been admitted to practice and wish to undertake a Legal Officer Traineeship (LOT). 
   
   These law graduates will for 12 months undertake the same legal traineeship programme as Articled Clerks with the same level of remuneration. Following completion of this traineeship, these graduates will transition to a 12 month contract of employment as a legal practitioner.

Only one recruitment process is undertaken each year for the State Solicitor's Office's Law Graduate program:

Applications open 29 April 2013
Applications close 14 June 2013
Offers Monday 29 July 2013 (9am) - offers will be held open until Tuesday 30 July 2013 (5pm)

To apply:

All applications must be submitted on the WA Jobs Board (www.jobs.wa.gov.au)

Please address your application to the General Manager, Mr Keith Whitehouse including:

1. a cover letter discussing why you want to undertake the law graduate recruitment program at the State Solicitor's Office
2. your resume
3. a copy of your most current official academic transcript

Late applications or those sent directly to the State Solicitor's Office cannot be accepted Applications received directly by the State Solicitor's Office will be returned to the applicant for re-submission via the WA Jobs Board.

Professional Assistants

These full time positions will provide applicants with a unique opportunity to work closely with the most senior legal officers within government. Responsibilities include assisting in drafting legal opinions, submissions and correspondence and involvement in law reform. The work is interesting, diverse and challenging and will provide an excellent basis for a successful career in law.

Successful applicants will be appointed for two years beginning in January 2015. Following completion of the appointment Professional Assistants can reasonably expect, subject to performance, to be offered articles with the State Solicitor and to be employed through their restricted practice period.

Applicants should be in their penultimate year of study of law and be prepared to complete their study part-time over the two year period. Highly developed research, analytical, problem solving and interpersonal skills are essential. Applicants' legal academic results should be such that applicants can reasonably anticipate being invited into an Honours programme in law.

Applications for the 2015 intake of Professional Assistants will open in May 2014.

Vacation Clerks

The State Solicitor's Office has a very attractive Vacation Clerk Program.

The State Solicitor's Office has clerkships each summer and winter providing an opportunity for law students to gain practical legal experience within a leading law firm.

Applications open 22 July 2013
Applications close 9 August 2013
Offers 25 September 2013 (9am) - offers open for two hours

Please note that no interviews are held for Vacation Clerkships - they are awarded based on academic excellence combined with a genuine interest in law pertaining to Government.

To apply:

All applications must be submitted on the WA Jobs Board (www.jobs.wa.gov.au)

Please address your application to the General Manager, Mr Keith Whitehouse including:

1. a cover letter discussing why you want to undertake the vacation clerkship program at the State Solicitor's Office
2. your resume
3. a copy of your  most current official academic transcript

Late applications or those sent directly to the State Solicitor's Office cannot be accepted Applications received directly by the State Solicitor's Office will be returned to the applicant for re-submission via the WA Jobs Board.

Law Clerks and Paralegals

The State Solicitor's Office has several teams of law clerks and paralegals supporting the work of lawyers. Positions range from relatively junior law clerks through to very skilled and experienced senior managing law clerks. Once with the State Solicitor's Office you will have excellent opportunities for personal development and advancement.

Typical work of law clerks and paralegals includes:

• Providing clerical and paralegal support to lawyers.
• Filing and serving documents.
• Preparing a range of legal and court documents and associated correspondence.
• Assisting with the management of large litigation matters, including data base administration and document management.
• Managing a range of legal files under the supervision of lawyers
• Appearing in chambers.

Available positions are usually advertised in The West Australian newspaper (Government appointments section) as well as on the WA Jobs Board. Jobs feature on the Department of the Attorney General's website.

If you require any further information on law clerk or paralegal positions with us, please contact:

Assistant General Manager
Phone: (08) 9264 1868
Email: sso@sso.wa.gov.au 

Legal Secretaries

The State Solicitor's Office has approximately 20 legal secretaries, each supporting a small group of lawyers. There are three levels, depending on the seniority and work of the assigned lawyers and the work expected of the secretary.

Typical work of legal secretaries include:

• Providing secretarial and clerical support to lawyers.
• Screening, answering or placing telephone calls.
• Word processing of opinions, court and legal documents and associated correspondence.
• Assisting with the management of lawyers' files, opinions and time sheets.
• Attending to travel arrangements.

Positions are advertised in a similar manner to Law Clerks and Paralegals - please see above.

If you require any further information on secretarial or reception positions, contact:

Assistant General Manager
Phone: (08) 9264 1868
Email: sso@sso.wa.gov.au 

Researchers (Anthropological & Historical) - Native Title

The State Solicitor's Office has a small team of historical and anthropological researchers whose work typically includes:

• undertaking genealogical research
• preparing scoping reports for lawyers
• analysing relevant archival materials and litigation evidence
• maintaining historical land claims materials.

Positions are advertised in a similar manner to Law Clerks and Paralegals - please see above.

If you require any further information on historical research positions, contact:

Managing Research Officer
Phone: (08) 9264 6102
Email: sso@sso.wa.gov.au 

Corporate and Business Support Staff

The State Solicitor's Office delivers some internal corporate and business services, principally in the areas of records and workflow management; human resource management; matter costing and billing; financial management and budgeting; and information technology. While these are not our 'core' legal activities, they are certainly critical to the operations of the Office. Other corporate services (eg Library services, accounts processing etc) operate within the Department of the Attorney General. 

Corporate positions are advertised in a similar manner to Law Clerks - see above.

If you require any further information on corporate or business support positions, contact:

Assistant General Manager
Phone: (08) 9264 1868
Email: sso@sso.wa.gov.au 

Last Updated: 6-Feb-2013