The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is the State's primary environmental regulator. The EPA works to protect the community and the environment as a leader, partner and protector. With a vision for New South Wales to have a healthy environment, healthy community and healthy business, the EPA believes healthy ecosystems are the foundation for healthy communities, a healthy economy and for enhancing liveability.
The EPA leads in protecting the air, waterways and land to ensure a healthy community for the future; works with communities, government and business to reduce impacts on the environment; and holds people and organisations to account through licensing, monitoring, regulation and enforcement.
About the role and the team
The EPA's Litigation Team is a high performing group of specialist in-house lawyers who prosecute and defend EPA cases in Court and who provide legal advice to the EPA across all areas of its work.
The Team has an ongoing role available at the Senior Legal Officer (Environment Officer Class 11) level. Reporting to a Principal Legal Officer, you will prepare and conduct litigation for the EPA to enforce environmental laws, support the development and administration of environmental legislation and provide legal advice, training and education to EPA staff.
A talent pool from this process may be used to fill additional roles at the same level within the next 18 months.
Key accountabilities
The key accountabilities relevant to the role include but are not limited to:
Prepare and conduct complex prosecutions and civil enforcement litigation to address contentious, long-term and emergent issues and to enforce and support the administration of environmental legislation.
Prepare and conduct complex cases defending the administration of environmental laws to maximise positive environmental outcomes.
Provide high quality legal and policy advice to stakeholders on complex litigation issues to ensure the effective resolution of legal issues.
Participate in the delivery of legal and investigative education seminars and training programs.
Develop and maintain cooperative, productive and professional working relationships with key stakeholders.
To be successful, you will be a mid or senior level lawyer, with strong litigation experience. In addition, you will ideally have knowledge of the legislation administered by the EPA, legislation relating to criminal and civil enforcement, and knowledge of environmental principles and practices and exposure to the complexity of the environmental debate. You will have strong attention to detail and excellent organisational and stakeholder management skills and experience in the provision of complex legal advice at a senior level. You must be admitted or immediately eligible to hold a practising certificate in NSW.
Essential Requirements
Admitted or immediately eligible to hold a practising certificate in NSW.
Considerable experience and well developed skills in conducting high level litigation.
Extensive knowledge of the legislation administered by the EPA and of criminal and civil enforcement of those laws within NSW.
Knowledge of environmental principles and practices and exposure to the complexity of the environmental debate.
Experience in the provision of complex legal advice at a senior level.
To Apply
Following your application through Seek, you will be directed to complete an online application through the 'I work for NSW' website. Should you not complete this, you cannot be considered for the role. We will send you this link along with other information needed for your application.
This an exclusive and retained assignment with Oceans Group. All third-party and direct applications will be forwarded to us for consideration. No other Agencies please.
Our commitment to diversity and flexibility:
The EPA strives to be an inclusive workplace for all people. We recognise that we operate in a diverse community and welcome and encourage applications from all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, the LGBTIQ+ community, veterans, refugees and those with disability. We understand that flexibility means different things to different people and are committed to offering flexible work arrangements where and when possible.
