Corporate Litigation | Associate Or Senior Associate | 3 Pae

Everi Pty; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

One day per week work from home

12 weeks' paid maternity leave

Professional development & coaching

QLS membership

Job summary

HarperLloyd Recruitment is partnering with a national specialist litigation firm in Sydney to recruit an Associate or Senior Associate in Corporate Litigation. The role offers exposure to high‑value disputes and direct client access within a growing national platform.

The successful candidate will have 3+ years' PAE in corporate litigation, with experience in shareholder disputes and governance matters, and a collaborative approach to practice growth across offices.

Qualifications

• 3+ years' PAE in commercial or corporate litigation.
• Experience working on complex commercial disputes.
• Leadership and mentoring capability to develop junior lawyers.

Responsibilities

• Handle corporate litigation matters including shareholder oppression and governance disputes.
• Participate in insolvency and general commercial dispute work.
• Collaborate across offices and manage client relationships with autonomy.

Skills

Corporate litigation

Shareholder disputes

Commercial disputes

Client management

Job description

Job Description

HarperLloyd Recruitment is partnering with a national specialist litigation firm seeking an Associate or Senior Associate Corporate Litigation Lawyer to join its expanding Sydney team. The firm has established a strong reputation in sophisticated commercial disputes and is now entering an important phase of its national growth strategy. Over the past period, the practice has continued to attract experienced corporate litigation lawyers from leading national and upper-tier firms, strengthening its senior bench while creating further opportunities for ambitious lawyers to join at an unusually exciting stage of the firm’s development.

The business intends to substantially grow its national footprint over the next five years, supported by investment in senior lateral hires, technology, central infrastructure and the continued expansion of its Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne teams. Progression is a genuine focus rather than simply a recruitment message. For a lawyer currently within a national, upper mid-tier or highly regarded disputes practice, this presents an opportunity to retain exposure to complex, high-value litigation while gaining greater autonomy, direct client access and career runway within a specialist platform.

The Work

This is not a generalist litigation position dominated by lower-value recovery matters. The Corporate Litigation practice is particularly active in shareholder oppression, corporate disputes and intergenerational family enterprise disputes, alongside complex insolvency and broader commercial litigation. The team regularly acts in disputes involving substantial privately held businesses and sophisticated counterparties.

This list of potential exposure includes:

• Shareholder oppression and shareholder disputes;


• Director and corporate governance disputes;


• Family enterprise and business succession disputes;


• Complex contractual disputes;


• Corporations Act matters;


• Insolvent trading and corporate insolvency litigation;


• Business ownership and partnership disputes;


• Equitable claims and security enforcement;


• Urgent interlocutory and injunctive proceedings;


• Commercial disputes involving significant privately owned businesses;


• Mediation and negotiated dispute resolution; and


• Supreme Court and Federal Court litigation.

The firm’s corporate litigation matters can involve significant enterprise values and highly sophisticated opposing legal teams, providing lawyers with the quality of work expected within larger commercial litigation practices but within a more focused specialist environment. Sydney is an important part of the firm’s national strategy. The existing litigation presence is being expanded, with additional lawyers joining and the firm planning to continue increasing the size of the Sydney team. The business is also doubling its Sydney office footprint to accommodate future growth. This creates an attractive window for an Associate or Senior Associate to join before the Sydney practice reaches maturity. Rather than entering an established hierarchy, the successful lawyer will have the opportunity to develop alongside the office, build strong relationships with senior practitioners nationally and potentially play a meaningful role in what the Sydney litigation team ultimately becomes.

About the Candidate

Applications are encouraged from commercial litigators at Associate or Senior Associate level looking to take greater ownership of sophisticated matters and develop within a specialist disputes environment.

Ideally, candidates will have:

• Approximately 3+ years' PAE in commercial or corporate litigation;


• Experience working on complex commercial disputes;


• Strong drafting and legal research capability;


• Experience managing matters with an appropriate degree of autonomy;


• Confidence dealing directly with clients, counsel and other stakeholders;


• Strong commercial judgement;


• Excellent written and verbal communication;


• Leadership and mentoring capability to assist in developing junior lawyers;


• The ability to manage competing matters and deadlines; and


• A collaborative approach to working across offices.

Experience in shareholder disputes, insolvency litigation, Corporations Act matters or privately owned business disputes would be particularly relevant but is not essential.

Candidates currently practising within national, upper mid-tier, mid-tier or highly regarded specialist litigation teams are strongly encouraged to explore the opportunity.

Work Environment

• Complex and commercially significant corporate litigation;


• Exposure to shareholder and family enterprise disputes involving substantial businesses;


• A growing national litigation platform;


• An expanding Sydney practice with genuine opportunity to establish profile;


• Direct access to highly experienced senior litigators;


• Senior lateral lawyers joining from respected national and upper-tier practices;


• Greater matter ownership and direct client exposure;


• Structured career development and annual reviews;


• A strong commitment to merit-based progression;


• A quarterly performance incentive scheme for Associates and Senior Associates;


• Incentive potential of up to approximately 25% of salary, depending on performance;


• Additional supervisory incentive opportunities for Senior Associates;


• One day per week working from home for professional staff;


• Practical flexibility around family commitments and appointments;


• 12 weeks' paid maternity leave;


• An additional day of annual leave for an employee's birthday;


• Professional development and external coaching;


• QLS membership and industry-event support;


• An active social environment; and


• Significant ongoing investment in technology and systems.

The culture of the firm is noteworthy. The firm has already invested heavily in the foundations required to grow: senior leadership, operational infrastructure, technology (including AI), referral networks and an established graduate pipeline.