Jemima Crane
Newcastle,NSW
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Crime Lawyer
Legal Aid Queensland
12.2023 - 04.2024
- This role involved:
- Preparing higher court matters by reviewing briefs of evidence, providing advice to clients including regarding the committal process and briefing and instructing counsel.
- Preparing summary matters in the Magistrates Court and Childrens Court
- I have provided advice to clients, engaged in case conferencing and appeared in sentences and bail applications.
- Providing legal information and advice to clients and members of the public in relation to various areas of criminal law
- I regularly provide advice in advice clinic sessions for people in the community and people in prison.
- Observing duty lawyer services in the Magistrates and Children's courts, including for clients in custody and working towards becoming duty lawyer accredited.
- Conducting extensive personal research to develop a working knowledge of criminal law practice and procedure in Queensland.
Legal Officer
Office Of The Child And Family Official Solicitor
01.2023 - 12.2023
- This role involved:
- Providing independent legal advice to Department of Child Safety staff during their interactions with children and their families.
- Liaising and negotiating with Departmental staff and the Director of Child Protection Litigation.
- Preparation of high quality material for court on behalf of Departmental staff to support applications for child protection orders.
- Preparation of timely and high quality briefs to the Director of Child Protection Litigation in proceedings on applications for child protection orders
- Preparing high quality court material in relation to emergency applications under the Child Protection Act 1999.
- Appearing in the Childrens Court in relation to emergency applications.
- Travelling to provide support to Departmental staff in regional locations.
Legal Development Program
Office Of The Director Of Public Prosecutions
02.2022 - 01.2023
- This role involved:
- Reviewing briefs of evidence and drafting Crown Case Statements.
- Conducting legal analysis and research and drafting Charge Certification reports.
- Assessing matters referred from Police Prosecutions and making recommendations as to election.
- Drafting sentence instruction sheets, preparing sentence bundles, and drafting written submissions in District Court sentences.
- Preparing submissions and bundles for bail applications.
- Appearing in severity appeals in the District Court and mentioning matters in the Local Court.
- Liaising with police, witnesses and complainants.
- Arranging and participating in case conferences and conferences with complainants and witnesses.
- Instructing Counsel in District Court jury trials.
- Travelling for rural District Court circuit sittings.
- Participating in professional development workshops and undertaking individual legal research.
Paralegal
Moray & Agnew Newcastle
07.2021 - 12.2021
- Compulsory Third Party Insurance team at the Newcastle Office.
- This role involves providing high-quality legal support to solicitors by:
- Reviewing and summarising medical records, medico-legal reports, investigative reports and other evidence obtained under authority or subpoena;
- Drafting legal advice to professional clients within set deadlines;
- Drafting submissions to the Personal Injury Commission;
- Drafting correspondence to claimants and their legal representatives, the Personal Injury Commission, Courts and other stakeholders;
- Drafting letters of instruction to doctors, healthcare professionals and other investigators;
- Drafting requests for particulars, reviewing particulars and responding to particulars within the required time frame;
- Developing settlement strategies and drafting settlement offers.
Paralegal
Burgess Thomson Newcastle
08.2020 - 06.2021
- Law firm in Newcastle specialising in Property Law, Wills, Estate Planning and Deceased Estates, and Business and Commercial Law.
- This role involved providing high-quality legal support to solicitors by:
- Drafting correspondence to clients, other firms and other stakeholders such as the Supreme Court and financial institutions;
- Preparing and amending legal documents including contracts, leases, wills, estate planning documents and applications for probate;
- Using LEAP legal software to open and maintain electronic files, assist in managing the office and trust accounts and prepare invoices;
- Performing administrative duties including greeting clients, answering the office phone, calendar management, file management, email management, printing/photocopying and mail duties.
Education
Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/ Diploma of Legal Practice -
University of Newcastle
Bachelor of Social Science with a major in Criminology -
University of Newcastle
Higher School Certificate -
Kotara High School
Practical Legal Training
- 01/2021 - 02/2021, O'Brien Winter Partners Student Placement, Full-time for 180 hours. This placement involved working closely with solicitors and barristers in criminal law matters and family law matters. Activities undertaken included attending various Local Courts in the region for mentions, bail applications, hearings and sentencing; attending the District Court for a jury trial; observing an application to amend parenting orders in the family court via telephone link; and observing client conferences, writing file notes, conducting legal research, drafting legal correspondence, drafting court forms and scrutinising briefs of evidence.
- 02/2020 - 10/2020, University of Newcastle Legal Centre Student Placement, Two days per week for 105 hours. This placement involved working closely with a criminal law solicitor and other students. Activities undertaken included conducting legal research, scrutinising briefs of evidence, assisting in the preparation of matters for Local Court hearings, drafting correspondence, completing court forms and using Clio legal software to manage files; and participating in legal advice clinics by interviewing clients, creating file notes, consulting solicitors, observing solicitors providing legal advice and managing files.
Student Placements
- 08/2019 - 10/2019, Victims of Crime Assistance League (VOCAL), This placement involved working closely with Victim Support Specialists and clients who had been affected by violent crime, particularly domestic violence and sexual offences. In this placement, I observed client interviews, entered notes into Apricot database, completed and submitted assistance application forms on behalf of clients and attended court with Victim Support Specialists and clients.
- 03/2018, University of Newcastle Legal Centre Criminal Law Placement Clinic, This placement involved working closely with solicitors on criminal law matters and attending court to observe Local Court hearings. Tasks included reading and scrutinising briefs, developing case theories and observing solicitors provide legal advice.
Volunteer Experience
03/2021 - 07/2021, Aboriginal Legal Service, This role involved providing high-level legal support to solicitors in criminal matters. The role involved attending Newcastle Local Court list days with solicitors for mentions, bail applications and sentencing. It also involved assisting solicitors in the office by performing administrative duties, conducting legal research, completing court forms, observing conferences and writing file notes.
References
- Carissa Eyers, Managing Solicitor, Newcastle Office Group 1, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, ceyers@odpp.nsw.gov.au
- Rhianna Lee, Principal Crime Lawyer, Legal Aid Queensland, Townsville Office, 0429 468 424, rhianna.r.lee@gmail.com
Timeline
Crime Lawyer
Legal Aid Queensland
12.2023 - 04.2024
Legal Officer
Office Of The Child And Family Official Solicitor
01.2023 - 12.2023
Legal Development Program
Office Of The Director Of Public Prosecutions
02.2022 - 01.2023
Paralegal
Moray & Agnew Newcastle
07.2021 - 12.2021
Paralegal
Burgess Thomson Newcastle
08.2020 - 06.2021
Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/ Diploma of Legal Practice -
University of Newcastle
Bachelor of Social Science with a major in Criminology -
University of Newcastle
Higher School Certificate -
Kotara High School
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