Employment

General vacancies

CSO is required to fill all positions through a merit-based selection process. Positions are advertised on the government's Jobs SA website. You can register to receive updates about legal positions via the Jobs SA website ('Tools' - 'Email me jobs'). Positions that can be filled externally (ie open to people not already working in government) may also be advertised through online recruitment websites (such as Seek or CareerOne) or the Saturday edition of the Advertiser newspaper. 

Graduate pool

CSO has established a graduate solicitor pool. Successful applicants are placed in a pool and notified as suitable vacancies arise. Successful applications for the pool are valid for 12 months.

Potential applicants are advised that the CSO graduate pool is currently closed and will re-open in the 2017-18 financial year.

You can register to receive updates about legal positions on the Jobs SA website.

Paralegal pool

CSO has established a paralegal pool. Successful applicants are placed in a pool and notified as suitable vacancies arise. Successful applications for the pool are valid for 12 months.

Potential applicants are advised that the CSO paralegal pool is currently closed and will re-open in the 2017-18 financial year. You can register to receive updates about paralegal positions on the Jobs SA website.

Administrative officer and legal secretary pools

CSO has established administrative officer and legal secretary pools. Successful applicants are placed in a pool and notified as suitable vacancies arise. Successful applications for the pool are valid for 12 months.

Potential applicants are advised that the CSO administrative officer and legal secretary pools are currently closed and likely re-open in February/March of 2018.

You can receive updates about this position on the Jobs SA website.

Work experience

CSO offers the opportunity for high school students to complete a work experience placement for a period of up to 1 week. Work experience within CSO will be made available to 2 year 10, 11 or 12 work experience students, twice a year. Please note that we take rolling applications, so once the work experience allocation has been met we will no longer be able to accept any more applications, therefore we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Placements will be held between:

• 29 May to 2 June 2017 (intake complete)
• 25 to 29 September 2017 (intake complete)

Unfortunately, these dates are not flexible. If the dates do not coincide with your high school’s allocated work experience week you may wish to approach your teachers to negotiate to attend the work experience week and complete other forms of school work during the allocated week.

During their placement, students will be given the opportunity to learn about the work and services that CSO provides. Students may also have the opportunity to accompany solicitors to court, learn about records processes, accompany the rounds clerk on afternoon rounds at various courts around Adelaide, conduct basic legal research, watch trials, accompany solicitors to client meetings, participate in a Q&A with current law students about studying and transitioning into a professional legal environment, go on a tour of Parliament House, go on a tour of the Magistrate’s Court, develop administration skills in photocopying, filing, binding, and more.

Please note that the activities offered during each intake are determined by what can be accommodated at the time of placement and may therefore vary. 

Unfortunately, work experience cannot be offered to individuals who are not completing it through an insured work experience program due to limitation in resources and insurance complications.

We have now successfully filled the positions for placement for 2017. The 2018 intake will be open for applications in or around January/February next year.

If you have any questions, please contact us via email at CSO-BusinessServices [at] sa.gov.au

Practical legal training

CSO offers placements to students wishing to complete the practical legal training (PLT) component of their Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (GDLP) of their professional qualifications. Placements are offered to approximately 6 students 3 times per year, for a period of 6 weeks (225 hours) in accordance with the guidelines set by the Law Society.

Only students currently undertaking their PLT/GDLP are eligible. 

Potential applicants are advised that the dates available for 2017 are as follows:

• 27 February 2017 to 7 April 2017 (intake complete)
• 15 May 2017 to 23 June 2017 (intake complete)
• 21 August 2017 to 29 September 2017 (intake complete).

Please note that we take rolling applications. Once the PLT allocation has been met we will no longer be able to accept any more applications, therefore we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. The 2018 intake will be open for applications in January next year.

If you would like to express your interest in undertaking your PLT with CSO or have any questions, please contact us via email at CSO-BusinessServices [at] sa.gov.au.

Summer clerkships

Program objectives

The CSO Summer Clerkship program offers law students an opportunity to gain practical legal experience within a government environment, and undertake work within a legal practice.

Participants

Students completing their final years of study are invited to apply for a summer clerkship. CSO is interested in students who are high achievers in both their academic and personal lives, with good interpersonal skills, relevant legal work experience and relevant references.

About the program

The CSO Summer Clerkship program offers selected students the opportunity to take part in a structured program, including training and development sessions covering a range of legal and non-legal topics:

• introduction to CSO
• tour of the Attorney General's Department library, and training in the use of online facilities
• training in drafting and legal research
• information session on the practice management system
• file and matter management
• assisting in client matters, under supervision.

Students offered clerkships will be paid for the full 8 weeks. Each summer clerk is allocated to a section within CSO, or outposted to various government agencies.

Timing

Summer clerkships are offered for a period of 8 weeks each year, commencing in mid-December. Summer clerkships conclude in time for students to attend the first practical legal training program offered by the Law Society.

Numbers

Each year 6-7 placements are offered to law students. Placements are highly sought after and extremely competitive.

Applications

Applications for summer clerkships close on 30 April of each year. Interviews will be conducted by June, with all offers being completed by the end of July.

Applicants are advised that the 2017 program is now closed for 2017.

Selection criteria

Each application will be assessed upon the criteria mentioned above and presentation at interview.

Enquiries

All enquiries should be directed to the Business Services section, phone (08) 8463 6558 or email CSO-BusinessServices [at] sa.gov.au.