Associate - Environment & Planning - Sydney

Kelly Gordine; Sydney; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading US law firm in Sydney seeks an Associate for its Environment & Planning practice. You will work directly with a respected environmental law partner on complex contaminated land, pollution and regulatory matters for government, property, energy, infrastructure and resources clients.

The role blends advisory and contentious work with high-profile disputes and broad client contact. Ideal candidates will have 3–5 years’ PQE in environment and planning law, exposure to contaminated land or

Qualifications

• 3–5 years’ post-qualification experience in environment and planning law.
• Exposure to contaminated land, pollution or regulatory work.

Responsibilities

• Advising on contaminated land liability, investigation and remediation strategies.
• Assisting with planning and environmental approvals for remediation and development projects.
• Conducting environmental due diligence on acquisitions and divestments.
• Acting in environmental disputes, including nuisance, negligence and PFAS contamination claims.
• Advising on pollution licence compliance and regulatory prosecutions.
• Negotiating remediation obligations with regulators and drafting contracts.

Job description

A leading US law firm is seeking a talented Associate to join its Environment & Planning practice in Sydney.

This is an outstanding opportunity to work directly with one of Australia’s most highly regarded environmental law partners. The team acts on complex contaminated land, pollution and regulatory matters for government, property, energy, infrastructure and resources clients. The successful candidate will gain exposure to a broad mix of advisory and contentious work, including high-profile contamination disputes, while playing a key role in a growing practice.

The Role

The successful lawyer will be involved in:

• Advising on contaminated land liability, investigation and remediation strategies.
• Assisting with planning and environmental approvals for remediation and development projects.
• Conducting environmental due diligence on the acquisition and divestment of property portfolios and businesses.
• Acting in environmental disputes, including nuisance, negligence and PFAS contamination claims.
• Advising on pollution licence compliance, environmental incidents and the defence of regulatory prosecutions.
• Negotiating remediation obligations with regulators and drafting clean-up and remediation contracts.

About You

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Between 3–5 years’ post-qualification experience in environment and planning law.
• Exposure to contaminated land, pollution, environmental approvals or regulatory work.
• Strong technical legal, research and drafting skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including with clients and regulators.
• A collaborative approach and commitment to delivering exceptional client service.

What’s on Offer

The opportunity to work directly with a market-leading environmental law partner at a leading international firm.

• Exposure to complex, high-profile contaminated land and regulatory matters.
• A key role in a growing practice, with significant responsibility and client contact.
• Outstanding mentoring and professional development opportunities.
• A flexible and inclusive workplace culture.
• Clear pathways for career progression and advancement.

This role would suit an ambitious environment and planning lawyer looking to accelerate their career within a growing, partner-led practice while working on some of the most significant contaminated land and environmental regulatory matters in the market.