Our graduate law program is designed to improve pathways for First Nations law students who want to complete their legal admission requirements and begin a career in social justice.
Current applications
Applications for our 2025 program have closed. They were open from Friday 18 October to Sunday 10 November 2024. The expected start date is Monday 27 January 2025.
For the 2024 intake we had three First Nations Graduates.
Application process
Future positions will be advertised here and annually on the Careers portal page. Details on the application and interview process will be available within the job advertisement.
Eligibility
The program is open to First Nations law graduates and students who are eligible but haven't yet undertaken practical legal training.
About the program
The program involves:
- An eight-month placement with a full time salary.
- On-the-job legal experience, where you’ll gain excellent skills and experience with a team and practice area of law.
- Practical legal training run by Leo Cussen Centre for Law.
- Access to continuous professional education courses – fully covered by our organisation.
- For participants on First Nations Graduate program, you can then apply and be interviewed for the New Lawyers Program.
In 2024, we had three First Nations graduates complete the program.
Learning opportunities
Graduates are exposed to a range of activities and support including:
- constant one-on-one guidance from experienced lawyers
- helping lawyers in the administration, conduct and management of cases for clients
- liaising with internal and external stakeholders
- doing legal research and drafting documents
- professional legal education and law reform activities
- working with a diverse client base
- providing information and referrals to the public, legal practitioners and community agencies about our organisation and external services.
Our graduate program provides the ideal pathway into our New Lawyers Program.
Previous participants
Audrey Packer Cook
'As well as providing a valuable pathway into the New Lawyers Program, the Graduate Law Program is well supported through lawyers in your practice team to guide you with day-to-day legal tasks, as well as the provision of mentors to help you navigate Victoria Legal Aid and your career. Being a large organisation, Victoria Legal Aid gives you an opportunity to rotate through areas that interest you such as civil, criminal or family law areas'.
'In Civil Justice I have had the opportunity to work on individual client matters to address their experiences of discrimination, as well as to participate in broader law reform work which aims to address systemic issues, alleviate disadvantage and promote equality. Victoria Legal Aid works in each level of the system to achieve its goals of access to justice, which ensures your work is diverse and impactful'.
Jes’Se Rushby
'I completed Victoria Legal Aid's clerkship program in 2019 where I had an overwhelmingly positive experience. When the time came to apply for the graduate program it was an easy decision and felt like the natural next step. If you are passionate about social justice and being a driver of systemic change, the program is an ideal stepping stone in your legal career'.
'As a budding Indigenous lawyer, it was important for me to feel well-supported and provided with opportunities to challenge and develop my skills to become a robust and well-equipped legal professional. The graduate program undoubtedly offers this. The varied and complex legal issues of disadvantaged clients means that the work you do has a real and tangible impact. I feel immensely grateful to Victoria Legal Aid and couldn't think of a better way to start my legal career'.
Katelyn Jones
'The graduate program has given me an amazing opportunity to engage in client-facing legal work whilst completing my Practical Legal Training in a supportive environment'.
'Rotating through different practice areas is great as I get to work in different areas of interest and test my abilities in different roles. In addition, the support provided throughout the program has made it easier to balance work and Practical Legal Training and to navigate the transition from studies into the legal workforce'.
More information
For more information contact First Nations Employment Consultant Kristen Bell by:
- email kristen.bell@vla.vic.gov.au
- phone (03) 9269 0168.
Updated