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 Justice JobsWA website.
Generally the State Solicitor's Office recruitment strategy for lawyers is targeted at more junior levels through an acclaimed Law Graduate programme, 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
The Office will accept applications from:
Please note that this recruitment process is open to law graduates only. We will accept applications from graduates who have been admitted to practice law; however practicing lawyers will not be eligible to apply. This ineligibility includes overseas qualified and practicing lawyers who have completed an Australian law degree for admission in Western Australia.
One recruitment process is undertaken each year for the State Solicitor's Office's Law Graduate Programme.
Applications for our 2020 Law Graduate Programme are now closed. Applications for our 2021 Law Graduate Programme will open in April 2020.
To apply: All applications must be submitted on the WA Jobs Board (/www.jobs.wa.gov.au/) Please address your application to the Head of Professional Development, Ms Kirsten Chivers including:
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.
Pay scales
The Law Graduate salary is currently under review, and more information will be provided to applicants as it becomes available. However remuneration for the second year of the programme will be that payable to a Solicitor (L2LG), commencing at $93,548 (as of 13 June 2018).
Future with the State Solicitor's Office
In the ordinary course, subject to performance, those who complete their initial contract will be considered for a contract extension and, in due course, permanency.
Mentors
Each Law Graduate is paired with a senior lawyer as part of an excellent mentoring scheme.
The program is designed to provide support and counsel to Law Graduates and junior practitioners. The mentor and mentees meet regularly to discuss work practices or other specific work-related issues.
Continuing Professional Development
Highly informative in-house Continuing Professional Development (CPD) seminars are held on a regular basis. The presentations are made by the SSO lawyers and some guest speakers cover a range of topics of particular interest and applicability to the work of the State Solicitor's Office.
Rotations
The Law Graduate Programme is designed to provide practical experience in the full range of State Solicitor's Office practice areas - and more. This is achieved by placing the Law Graduates in a range of internal and external practice areas throughout the year of the Law Graduate Programme. The following is what can be expected in the range of placement areas:
Civil Litigation
Chambers attendances are frequent. Often Law Graduates will be instructed to appear on more than one matter per session. Other more involved Court work includes:
General litigation work mainly relates to interlocutory procedures such as pleadings, discovery and interrogatories. Opinion writing in a range of areas is also frequently required.
Recoveries
This rotation provides Law Graduates with an insight into the realities of commercial practice and this rotation offers useful exposure to Court work. The Law Graduates attends Court to examine judgment debtors, by way of a means inquiry, regarding their means to pay judgment debts.
Other aspects of this work include:
Commercial
Law Graduates assist in the preparation of a wide range of commercial, conveyancing and other related legal documents such as:
Law Graduates also have the opportunity to attend property settlements. Much time is spent researching points of law relating to the execution of commercial transactions.
Native Title
The Native Title area represents the State's interests in all matters relating to native title. This involves representation in the National Native Title Tribunal, the Federal Court and the High Court. In addition, the Land Claims area provides legal advice to State Government Departments on native title issues and often liaises with the Commercial and Conveyancing branch in respect to resource development and mining issues.
The procedures established by the Native Title Act (Cth) are continually evolving. This impacts upon the work of Law Graduates, which is predominantly directed towards opinion writing. Issues that arise often relate to the interpretation of the Commonwealth Act such as the procedures it establishes and the powers and jurisdiction of the Native Title Tribunal. Law Graduates also assist in preparing matters for Court, including researching Federal and High Court submissions.
WA Police Service
This is another important external placement which provides a valuable opportunity for Law Graduates to gain an insight into the work done by SSO solicitors on placement with WA Police and WA Police solicitors. Law Graduates will be placed in the Legal Services Unit of WA Police. They will be asked to conduct research on a wide range of matters, and be involved in both preparing for, and assisting at, various court hearings.
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 2021. Following completion of the appointment Professional Assistants can reasonably expect, subject to performance, to be offered a place in the State Solicitor's Office Law Graduate Programme and 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.
Professional Assistants will receive remuneration at level 4 PSGOGA, $78,452 per annum (as of 13 June 2018).
Applications will open in 2020.
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:
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.
The State Solicitor's Office offers excellent vacation clerkships each summer and winter. The program offers law students an opportunity to gain practical legal experience with a leading law office.
Applications are usually sought in July of each year for the coming summer and following winter vacation periods. Generally 12 three-week summer clerkships are offered, with a further 12 winter clerkships of two weeks duration being available.
The clerkships are available to under-graduate and postgraduate students only. The carefully structured vacation clerkship program ensures that participants are well mentored and gain experience in as many of the State Solicitor's practice areas as possible.
During a typical clerkship a Vacation Clerk will spend a week one of the following areas before rotating into another:
During a week's placement a major task will be allocated along with opportunities to attend court and meetings.
Vacation Recruitment Dates Summer 2019/2020 and Winter 2020
Please note that no interviews are held for Vacation Clerkships at the State Solicitor's Office. Clerkships are selected 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 Head of Professional Development, Ms Kirsten Chivers including:
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.
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:
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 Justice 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
The State Solicitor's Office has approximately 20 legal assistants, 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 legal assistant.
Typical work of legal assistants include:
Positions are advertised in a similar manner to Law Clerks and Paralegals - please see above.
If you require any further information on legal assistant or reception positions, contact:
Assistant General Manager
Phone: (08) 9264 1868
Email: sso@sso.wa.gov.au
The State Solicitor's Office has a small team of historical and anthropological researchers whose work typically includes:
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
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 Justice.
Corporate positions are advertised in a similar manner to Law Clerks, although no pool recruitment exercises are undertaken for these positions - 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: 19-Nov-2019
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