Sydney Criminal Lawyers | Sydney, NSW
Full-Time Position
Sydney Criminal Lawyers is seeking a motivated Graduate Lawyer or recently admitted lawyer who is fluent in Mandarin to join our criminal defence team.
This position would suit a graduate who has already gained some exposure to criminal law and knows that criminal defence is the area in which they want to build their career.
We are particularly interested in candidates who have completed PLT, work experience, an internship or employment within a criminal law firm. Previous experience does not need to have been as a lawyer what is important is that you have had genuine exposure to criminal law practice and understand the fast-paced and client-focused nature of the work.
Our firm assists clients from a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and we are experiencing increasing demand from Mandarin-speaking clients who would prefer to communicate directly with a Mandarin-speaking lawyer to help join our expanding mandarin-speaking team we already have in place.
For this reason, professional fluency in Mandarin is an essential requirement for this position.
Working alongside experienced criminal defence lawyers, you will gain practical exposure to a broad range of criminal and traffic matters.
Depending on your level of experience and admission status, your work may include:
Attending and assisting with client conferences;
Communicating with Mandarin-speaking clients and assisting them to understand the court process and their matter;
Reviewing police briefs of evidence and identifying evidentiary issues;
Conducting legal and factual research;
Preparing chronologies, case summaries and briefing material;
Drafting correspondence and legal documents;
Assisting with subpoenas and the review of subpoena material;
Preparing matters for mentions, pleas, hearings, bail applications and trials;
Liaising with barristers, experts, police, courts and other parties;
Attending court for Mentions to start and as your experience develops, taking on greater responsibility for the conduct of matters and court appearances such as pleas, bail applications, mental health applications and eventually local court hearings.
To be considered, you should:
Be completing or have completed your Practical Legal Training (PLT), or be a recently admitted lawyer;
Be fluent in Mandarin and English;
Have previous experience or exposure within a criminal law firm preferred, including through PLT, an internship, work experience or employment;
Have a genuine interest in developing a career in criminal defence law;
Have strong written and verbal communication skills;
Be confident communicating with clients who may be experiencing significant stress;
Have strong attention to detail and an investigative mindset;
Be organised and able to work in a fast-paced legal environment; and
Be willing to learn from experienced criminal defence practitioners.
Experience using legal practice-management software such as LEAP would be advantageous but is not essential.
This is an opportunity to commence your legal career in an environment where you can obtain genuine exposure to criminal defence at one of Sydney's premiere criminal law firms
You will have the opportunity to work with experienced criminal lawyers, observe how defence strategies are developed, assist with serious and complex criminal matters and progressively develop your own advocacy and case-management skills.
For the right graduate, we are looking for someone who wants to develop into a capable criminal defence lawyer and build a long-term career with the firm.
Please submit your CV and a short cover letter outlining:
Your criminal law experience, including any PLT placement, internship or employment within a criminal law practice;
Your current admission/PLT status;
Your level of Mandarin proficiency; and
Why you want to pursue a career in criminal defence law.
Why Choose Sydney Criminal Lawyers?Here are 12 reasons to choose our multi-award winning legal team: 1. Proven Track Record of Exceptional Results · Sydney Criminal Lawyers® consistently achieves outcomes which are in the highest percentile of the Judicial Commission’s sentencing statistics for criminal cases. · Our legal team devises effective case-strategies and fights hard to have cases dropped entirely or charges downgraded – saving clients the time, expense and stress of a defended hearing or jury trial. · Where cases nevertheless proceed, our lawyers have an outstanding track record of winning defended Local Court hearings, and complex jury trials in the District and Supreme Courts. · We also consistently win appeals in the District and Supreme Courts (including the NSWCCA) after clients have received unsatisfactory results with other law firms in the lower courts.We are one of the few firms to achieve successful criminal law appeals in the High Court of Australia. · Where our clients wish to plead guilty, we frequently achieve ‘dismissals’ and ‘non convictions’ in cases where other lawyers have advised there is no chance of doing so. 2. Highest Level of Client Satisfaction · We have the best and most comprehensive client review record of any law firm in Australia. · Regular communication, accessibility and quality service are our team’s highest priorities. · We are committed to thoroughly explaining all steps involved in the criminal law process, providing regular updates throughout the proceedings, and making ourselves accessible and responsive. · We are passionate about providing an exceptional level of service to our clients, and we fight hard to achieve optimal results in the shortest period of time. 3. Australia’s Most Awarded Criminal Law Firm · We have received more awards and accolades than any other criminal law firm in Australia. Our team has been awarded “Criminal Defence Firm of the Year in Australia” in a number of prestigious and competitive awards programs for several years running. · The awards recognise our exceptional track record of results, our outstanding client service, the high level of satisfaction we achieve, the affordability of our services and our overall excellence. 4. Fixed Fees · We want our clients to know exactly how much their cases will cost from the very start. That’s why we were the first criminal law firm in Australia to publish ‘fixed fees’, back in 2004. · We offer fixed fees for most types of criminal cases and services.Our fixed fees apply to a range of Local Court cases such as drink driving, drug possession, fraud, common assault and AVOs, and also specific services such as prison visits, bail applications, appeals and defended hearings. · Unlike many other law firms, our fixed fees are published on our website – which ensures transparency and certainty. 5. Free First Appointment · For those who are going to court, we offer a free first conference of up to an hour with one of our Senior Criminal Defence Lawyers. · We also offer a free first conference to those who have received an unsatisfactory result after being represented in court by another law firm, or after representing themselves, and wish to appeal. 6. Specialist Lawyer Guarantee · We guarantee that only lawyers with substantial criminal defence experience will work on your case and appear for you in court. · This ensures our clients receive the highest quality representation from an experienced, specialist criminal lawyer. 7. All NSW Courts · From Bombala to Broken Hill, our lawyers appear in courts throughout New South Wales – and across Australia for Commonwealth cases. · And we offer fixed fees for most criminal and traffic law cases throughout the state. 8. Accredited Specialists · Our entire firm is exclusively dedicated to criminal law – which makes us true specialists. · All of our lawyers have years of experience representing clients in criminal cases, and our principal has been certified by the Law Society of NSW as an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist since 2005. · An ‘Accredited Specialist’ is a lawyer who has practised for at least 5 years in a particular field of law (such as criminal law), has passed a rigorous assessment process conducted by the Law Society of NSW, and has been selected by the Specialist Accreditation Committee of the Law Society as an expert in the field. · Accredited Specialists are required to undertake more training each year than other lawyers and must be successful in having their accreditation renewed every year. Specialist Accreditation is the mark of a true specialist. · Our firm’s specialist experience ensures you receive the best possible result, whatever your criminal law case may be. 9. Results-Focused Law Firm · Our team is passionate about achieving results, and unlike many other law firms, our lawyers do not have monthly financial ‘budgets’ to meet. · The absence of budgets means our lawyers are entirely focused on achieving optimal results in the shortest space of time; whether by getting charges dropped or downgraded at an early stage or having cases ‘thrown out of court’. · Not having budgets also means our lawyers are not under pressure to engage in unscrupulous practices such as unnecessarily adjourning cases or ‘overcharging’ clients – which, sadly, is a common complaint against many other lawyers and law firms. · No budgets encourages regular consultation between lawyers within the firm – promoting an ‘open door’, team environment where lawyers bounce ideas off one another, formulate case strategy together and benefit from each other’s specialised experience, methods, techniques and insights. · The result is a firm which delivers optimal outcomes in the shortest time periods, at the least expense and stress to our clients. 10. Team of Lawyers Behind You · Our clients benefit from the pool of knowledge that only an extensive team of experienced criminal defence lawyers can provide. · Our lawyers regularly consult one another to stay ‘ahead of the pack’ in the ever-changing field of criminal law – constantly devising, refining and implementing specialised techniques which ensure our clients achieve the best possible outcomes. · A team approach is particularly important when it comes to serious criminal cases such as murder, commercial drug cases, serious and sexual assaults, large-scale fraud, robbery and other ‘indictable’ cases. · In such matters, clients reap the benefits of several lawyers devising and executing case strategies which maximise the chances of having cases dropped or downgraded at an early stage, or ‘thrown out of court’ – often saving clients a great deal of cost, time and anxiety. 11. Familiar with Magistrates and Judges · Each of our lawyers appears in court on a daily basis, and has done so for years. We have therefore been able to develop an understanding of, and rapport with, magistrates and judges in Sydney and indeed across the state. · Our team’s extensive experience before the courts ensures your case is tailored to the specific nuances of individual judicial officers, maximising the likelihood of a favourable result. 12. Convenience · We have offices in locations across the Sydney Metropolitan Area and beyond, including: |
