Volunteer | Circle Green Community Legal

Become part of the team

Volunteer with us

We regularly recruit volunteers who have a demonstrated interest in social justice issues and are able to make a regular commitment.

Our volunteers range from law students and graduates to lawyers and other non-legal professionals.

Volunteers are a fundamental part of the services we provide and we are grateful for their commitment and dedication.

I highly recommend volunteering at Circle Green because it helps you gain practical skills and is a great opportunity to make heaps of mates.

Previous volunteer

Legal volunteers

What’s involved

Volunteering may involve a variety of tasks, including:

Assisting with client intake and interview over the telephone;
Arranging appropriate assistance for eligible clients by way of the telephone, or in-house lawyer appointments;
Referring clients to specialist legal, government and community services, as appropriate;
Undertaking research and drafting materials in relation to a wide range of employment or tenancy law issues;
Assisting lawyers with client appointments; and
Assisting lawyers, staff and volunteers with other duties as required.

Selection criteria

Applicants should meet the following criteria:

Be able to commit to one day per week for a period of at least 6 months;
Be skilled in written and verbal communication, including being able to effectively communicate with lawyers and vulnerable clients;
Have good time management skills with the ability to complete quality written work within tight timeframes;
Be organised with good attention to details;
Have good computer skills (including quick word processing skills) and;
Have strong legal research skills

Please indicate in your application if you want to volunteer with Circle Green to complete an internship or for course credit.

These arrangements require advanced approval from a Principal Lawyer to ensure that the volunteer experience is suitable.

How to apply

Complete and submit the Volunteer Expression of Interest form below.

Remember to attach a cover letter (addressing the selection criteria), your resume, and your academic transcript.

Other volunteering opportunities

Non-legal volunteers

Circle Green sometimes recruits non-legal volunteers for specific project work.

We offer volunteer roles in:

Communications
Marketing and events
Social media
Digital design and IT
Office and administrative assistance
Program support
Research

Keep an eye on our social media pages for posted non-legal volunteer opportunities.

Volunteer Lawyers

We welcome unrestricted legal practitioners with substantial employment law experience who wish to volunteer their time and knowledge through our workplace law Evening Legal Service (ELS). The Evening Legal Service is a free in-person (or over the telephone) appointment with a lawyer which is made available to particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged clients.

The Evening Legal Service operates every Tuesday evening from 6pm – 8pm, except on public holidays and during the Christmas/New Year period.

The legal issues covered in these appointments vary. They can include interpreting and advising on employment contracts, preparing clients to represent themselves at conciliation conferences, and drafting court documents and correspondence. We receive very positive feedback from our pro bono lawyers about their experiences with the Evening Legal Service and many members of the legal profession have been long term supporters in enabling Circle Green to provide the service.