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The challenges associated with attracting and retaining suitable legal professionals to rural, regional and remote (RRR) locations are well documented. It’s a reality familiar to other professional groups, such as doctors and nurses. As the Law Council of Australia notes on its website, “These recruitment problems have a direct effect on the legal sector’s ability to service the legal needs of regional communities.”

These issues have been exercising the minds of the Presidents of regional law societies across NSW, who’ve been considering ways to make a difference. It’s prompted the creation of a new Law Society of NSW online resource called Careers in the Country. The initiative is intended to support legal professionals, including solicitors and practice support staff in RRR parts of NSW.

Law Society members practising in a RRR area of NSW can submit their vacancies via an online form and the listing will be posted on the website and promoted through key channels such as Monday Briefs. Legal practitioners and support staff working in non-RRR locations will be encouraged to browse the career opportunities and consider the benefits of working in “vibrant, welcoming communities”.

A message posted to Law Society members recently said “Together, we can strengthen legal services in the regions and support the practitioners who serve them.”

Visitors to the site can learn more about living and working in some of the state’s various regions, in Regional Guides prepared by the local regional law society. Job vacancies are listed beneath each region.

The Law Society says it is “actively growing and promoting” the platform to connect legal professionals with “meaningful opportunities across the state.” The resource has been pitched at those “ready to make a real difference in a local community,” recent graduates “seeking hands-on experience and mentorship” or those considering a “lifestyle and career change”.