Construction Disputes Senior Associate

Law Staff; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 weeks parental leave

Top-tier remuneration

Annual bonus 10-20%

International secondments

Extra week of annual leave

Annual leave purchase options

Hybrid working (2 days WFH)

Pro bono opportunities

Mentoring & professional development

Low staff turnover culture

Job summary

Law Staff, in partnership with a leading national law firm, seeks a Senior Associate with 4+ years’ PAE to join its Construction & Projects Disputes team in Brisbane.

The team handles complex disputes across civil engineering, infrastructure, energy and resources, offering exposure to court litigation, arbitrations and ADR, with strong mentoring to progress your career.

Qualifications

• 4+ years’ PAE with construction disputes experience.
• Experience in construction, projects, infrastructure or major disputes.
• Strong litigation and dispute resolution skills.
• Experience within a top-tier, international or respected mid-tier practice.
• Collaborative approach and commitment to technical excellence.

Responsibilities

• Act for government clients, principals and leading contractors on major projects.
• Work on civil engineering, vertical infrastructure, transport, energy, mining, oil and gas matters.
• Exposure to Supreme Court and Federal Court litigation, arbitrations and ADR.
• Provide guidance and support to progress your career.

Skills

4+ years PAE

Construction disputes

Litigation & dispute resolution

Top-tier/international experience

Job description

Looking to take the next step in your construction and projects disputes career?

Law Staff is partnering with a leading national law firm to recruit a Senior Associate with 4+ years’ PAE to join its highly regarded Construction & Projects Disputes team in Brisbane.

Consistently recognised as a Band 1 and Tier 1 ranked practice, the team acts on some of Australia’s most significant and complex disputes across the construction, infrastructure, energy and resources sectors.

You’ll join a sizeable, youthful team with exceptionally low staff turnover and a culture that genuinely stands out. With regular social events, team celebrations, supportive leadership and a collaborative approach, this is an environment where you can enjoy your work while continuing to develop your technical expertise.

The Role

You’ll work alongside highly regarded Partners, acting for government clients, principals and leading contractors across a diverse range of major projects, including:

• Civil engineering
• Vertical infrastructure
• Transport
• Energy
• Mining
• Oil and gas

Your work will include exposure to:

• Supreme Court and Federal Court litigation
• Domestic and international arbitrations
• Alternative dispute resolution
• Claims involving delay, disruption, quantum and technical project issues
• Strategic dispute avoidance and claims management advice

This is an opportunity to build your experience on sophisticated, high-value matters while receiving the guidance and support needed to progress your career.

What’s on Offer?

The firm offers an outstanding package of benefits, including:

• 26 weeks’ paid parental leave, gender neutral with no qualifying period
• Top-tier remuneration
• An annualised billable target, removing the pressure of daily billable targets
• Annual performance bonuses of 10–20%, plus discretionary bonuses
• International secondment opportunities
• An additional week of annual leave
• Annual leave purchase options
• Hybrid working arrangements, with two days working from home each week
• Meaningful pro bono opportunities
• Strong mentoring and professional development
• A supportive, high-performing team with genuinely low staff turnover

About You

To be successful, you will ideally have:

• 4+ years’ PAE
• Experience in construction, projects, infrastructure or major disputes
• Strong litigation and dispute resolution skills
• Experience gained within a top-tier, international or respected mid-tier practice
• Strong academic results and a commitment to technical excellence
• A collaborative approach and a genuine interest in developing your career

Candidates returning from overseas with experience gained in a Commonwealth jurisdiction are also encouraged to apply.

Interested in Learning More?

At Law Staff, we believe the best career decisions are made when you have the right information.

Whether you’re actively considering a move or simply curious about what this opportunity could offer, we’re happy to have a confidential, pressure-free conversation by phone, video or at our Brisbane CBD office.

We’ll take the time to understand your career goals, provide honest market insight and give you the information you need to decide whether this opportunity is right for you.

Even if this particular role isn’t quite right, we’d still love to connect. Law Staff regularly works on a range of unadvertised opportunities across private practice and in-house.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.