Former secondees L-R: Amy Barber (Baker & McKenzie), Rosannah Healy (Allens), Sarah Shnider (Freehills), Catherine Dow (Corrs Chambers Westgarth)
Legal secondments to PILCH provide a unique opportunity for commercial lawyers to understand the access to justice and human rights sector and engage in diverse and rewarding work to further the public interest.
The work includes assessing inquiries for assistance, researching and preparing pro bono referrals to our members, preparing law reform submissions and supporting the establishment of innovative projects to address unmet legal need.
Secondee solicitors have contact with a wide range of PILCH stakeholders including pro bono practitioners at our member firms, barristers at the Victorian Bar, the Federation of Community Legal Centres, Victoria Legal Aid, governments and NGOs. Stakeholder liaison opportunities include involvement in consortiums, roundtable discussion on specific areas of practice, conferences and internal and external training.
The facilitation of referrals requires coming up with creative solutions for clients seeking legal assistance and thereby developing a generalist knowledge of the law and litigation processes in various jurisdictions. It also develops excellent communication and file management skills.
In the course of their referral casework, secondees take detailed instructions from clients, liaise with courts and government agencies, prepare briefs to counsel and research and draft referral memoranda. In some circumstances secondees may have opportunities to attend conferences between counsel and clients and may also attend court as observers.
Depending on their interests and level of experience, there may be scope for secondees to provide telephone advice to not-for-profits through PilchConnect.
Lawyers at any level of practice are welcomed as secondees to PILCH. We ask that applicants have a demonstrated interest in social justice, that they are self-directed, confident in interacting with a wide variety of stakeholders and keen to learn about different areas of the law.
Secondments are for between 3 and 6 months, preferably on a full time basis but no less than 3 days per week.