Introduction
The Department of Customer Service is recruiting up to two temporary Principal Lawyers for its litigation team in Parramatta. At Clerk Grade 11/12, the role calls for strategic legal judgement, clear advice and the ability to manage substantial matters in a public-sector environment.
Your two-page cover letter needs to establish your level of practice quickly. Select litigation and advisory examples that show the complexity of the matter, the risks and options you assessed, how you influenced the approach and the decision or outcome your advice supported.
Applications close Monday 27 July 2026. Read the official job ad before submitting.
Role snapshot
- Role: Principal Lawyer (Litigation)
- Organisation: Department of Customer Service
- Location: Parramatta, Sydney Greater West
- Grade: Clerk Grade 11/12
- Salary: $154,231 to $178,369 plus superannuation
- Vacancies: Up to two temporary positions
- Closing date: Monday 27 July 2026
- Official advert: View the Principal Lawyer (Litigation) job ad
Application requirements
Prepare:
- A current CV
- A cover letter of no more than two pages
Use the free NSW cover letter template to organise the two pages around your legal practice, litigation judgement, stakeholder management and suitability for the department’s work.
Candidate evidence areas
Litigation strategy and legal analysis
Choose a matter that demonstrates the quality of your legal analysis and strategic judgement. Explain the facts, the legal or commercial risk, the options considered and the outcome.
Written advice
Show how you converted complex legal issues into advice that a client, executive or decision-maker could understand and use.
Advocacy and representation
Include evidence of advocacy, negotiation, hearings, dispute resolution or other work where you represented a client’s interests and adjusted your approach as the matter developed.
Managing complex matters
Explain how you organised competing deadlines, evidence, instructions and stakeholders. Seniority should be visible in the way you prioritised risk and kept the matter moving.
Public-sector judgement
Connect your legal work to accountability, fairness, legislation, policy and the wider public interest. Show how those considerations shaped your advice, litigation strategy or recommendation.
Influence and relationships
Give an example of building trust with a difficult client, senior stakeholder or cross-functional team while maintaining professional independence.
Example cover letter structure
1. Opening: State your interest in the Principal Lawyer role and summarise your litigation and advisory experience.
2. Complex matter: Explain one substantial matter, your analysis, strategy and result.
3. Advice and influence: Show how your written or verbal advice changed a decision or helped a client manage risk.
4. Advocacy and delivery: Provide evidence of representation, negotiation or dispute resolution and how you managed deadlines.
5. Government context: Explain how you apply legal judgement with accountability and public-sector considerations in mind.
6. Closing: Confirm your interest in contributing to the Department of Customer Service legal team.
Before you submit
Before submitting, check that the cover letter stays within two pages and that the first page establishes your level of practice through evidence. Re-read the official job ad, confirm the portal fields and make sure each example explains your judgement as well as the legal result.
The free NSW cover letter template can help with the structure. For tailored support with the Principal Lawyer application, use the Team 3Thirty application support service.