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The opportunity

Join the board of Anika Legal, an award-winning not-for-profit legal service that is redefining how free legal assistance and housing support is delivered in Australia.

Founded by Victorian of the Year, Noel Lim, Anika has become one of Australia’s most innovative community legal centres — combining technology, education, and social enterprise to close the justice gap and advance housing justice.

As a Board Director, you’ll play a critical role in guiding Anika’s next stage of growth, helping scale a proven model that doubled the impact of each employed lawyer, delivered free legal assistance to 1667+ renters, and shaped housing policy.

About Anika Legal

At Anika Legal, we believe everyone deserves a safe and secure home.

Imagine living in a home that made you sick, having to choose between paying rent or eating, or living in constant fear of becoming homeless. That is the reality for most of the 7 million renters in Australia who are denied a safe home.

Anika Legal is a free, not-for-profit legal service that stands with renters so they can stand up for their rights with dignity.

Through our technology-enabled, student-powered legal services, and our evidence-based advocacy, we empower renters to thrive in safe homes.

Anika Legal is committed to building a team that is as diverse as the community we serve.

Our team is better with people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences who work together to impactfully create access to justice. We believe in fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace for people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, cultural and linguistic backgrounds and abilities. We strongly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people who are culturally and linguistically diverse, people who are LGBTQIA+, disabled people and people of mature age to apply.

What the role involves:

Anika’s service is built on supervised law student placements. Universities partner with us to host their students in work-integrated learning, and growing those partnerships is central to our strategy. We’re looking for a director who knows the university sector from the inside and can help us do that well.

As a Board Director, you'll:

• Attend approximately 6 board meetings per year, ~4 of which will be held in person. If you are not based in Melbourne you must be willing to travel there for board meetings and key events approximately 4 times per year.
• Steward Anika’s strategic direction by setting long-term goals, guiding innovation, and supporting the CEO and executive team to deliver measurable impact.
• Oversee organisational performance and governance, including outcomes for renters, partnerships, sector influence, and organisational risk management.
• Strengthen Anika’s role as a sector leader by shaping strategic initiatives, advocacy priorities, and collaborations that advance systemic reform in housing and justice.
• Support the CEO and Executive Team on strategic and operational matters.
• Act as an ambassador for Anika, promoting its mission, strengthening relationships with key stakeholders, and leveraging your networks to amplify our impact.

Who are we looking for?

Essential

• Senior leadership experience in the university sector, or in leading work-integrated learning or clinical legal education programs.

Desirable

• Experience building and growing university partnerships, and a network across Australian law schools.
• Board or committee governance experience.

Learn more about Anika's board members here.

How to apply

To apply for this role, fill out this application form, which will ask you to upload your CV, a cover letter, and answer a few questions about yourself. Do not submit your application by email - these will not be considered.

If you have further queries about the role or are having difficulties completing the application form, contact Dale Clough at people@anikalegal.org.au.