Senior Associate, Commercial Disputes & Litigation

Hall & Wilcox; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

WFH equipment provided

Up to $500 equipment reimbursement

Free daily breakfast

26 weeks parental leave

Diversity and wellbeing programs

Hallstar reward program

Job summary

Hall & Wilcox in Melbourne is seeking a Senior Associate to join our Dispute Resolution team. This hands‑on role offers varied, complex work across commercial disputes and litigation, with significant learning, development and progression opportunities.

You will advise clients and manage matters, draft pleadings and submissions, appear in court, mentor junior lawyers and contribute to client relationships and business development.

Qualifications

• 6+ years' post-admission experience in commercial litigation within Australia.
• Experience managing complex disputes with autonomy.
• Experience with sophisticated corporate, financial services or institutional clients.
• Strong drafting, advocacy and communication skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven capability to supervise and mentor junior lawyers.
• Collaborative stakeholder management and exceptional client service.
• Interest in innovation and leveraging technology to deliver smarter legal solutions.
• Experience with investigations and regulatory disputes is highly regarded.

Responsibilities

• Advise clients and manage matters involving complex disputes, litigation and regulatory investigations across industries including the financial sector.
• Develop litigation and dispute resolution strategies with Partners aligned to clients' commercial objectives.
• Draft and settle pleadings, affidavits, witness statements, advices, submissions and briefs to counsel.
• Appear in court, attend mediations and other dispute resolution forums, coordinating with counsel, experts and clients.
• Supervise, mentor and develop junior lawyers within the team.
• Contribute to client relationships, business development initiatives and thought leadership.

Skills

Senior Associate

Commercial litigation

Regulatory investigations

Client management

Mentoring juniors

Legal drafting

Strategic thinking

Team collaboration

Job description

• Permanent full-time position
• Our HW Evolve approach includes hybrid and flexible working. WFH and from modern, open plan offices. We will provide you with WFH IT equipment plus reimbursement of up to $500 for additional equipment
• Competitive remuneration and our Hallstar reward and recognition program
• Learning and career development programs for all roles and levels
• Flexible leave options, including up to 26 weeks paid parental leave
• Free daily breakfast and office social events
• Genuine commitment to diversity, inclusion and wellbeing, and pro bono and community

Make the smarter choice. Come thrive with us. Learn more about what Hall & Wilcox can offer you here.

About the roleand team

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Associate to join our Dispute Resolution section, based in our Melbourne office.

Our Dispute Resolution section has over 130 team members nationally working across all facets of commercial dispute resolution and litigation, including commercial and contractual disputes, banking and financial services litigation, intellectual property, insolvency, public sector, property and construction disputes, regulatory investigations and tax disputes.

This role offers varied and complex work in the areas of commercial disputes and litigation. This is a fantastic hands-on role, with significant learning, development and progression opportunities, and the opportunity to work with interesting clients and complex matters.

You will be responsible for:

• Advising clients and managing matters involving complex commercial disputes, litigation and regulatory investigations across a range of industries including the financial sector;
• Working with Partners in developing litigation and dispute resolution strategies that align with clients' commercial objectives and risk appetite;
• Drafting and settling pleadings, affidavits, witness statements, advices, submissions, correspondence and briefs to counsel;
• Appearing and instructing in court, attending mediations and other dispute resolution forums, and working closely with counsel, experts and clients throughout the lifecycle of a matter;
• Supervising, mentoring and developing junior lawyers within the team; and
• Contributing to client relationships, business development initiatives and thought leadership activities.

About you

You will ideally have the following skills and experience:

• 6+ years' post-admission experience, including demonstrated experience operating at Senior Associate level within a commercial litigation practice in Australia;
• Proven experience managing complex commercial disputes with a high level of autonomy;
• Experience working directly with sophisticated corporate, financial services or institutional clients;
• Strong technical legal skills, commercial judgement and strategic thinking abilities;
• Excellent drafting, advocacy and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex issues in a practical and client-focused way;
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment;
• Proven capability to supervise and mentor junior lawyers and contribute positively to team development;
• A collaborative approach, strong stakeholder management skills and a commitment to exceptional client service;
• Enthusiasm for innovation and leveraging technology to deliver smarter legal solutions; and
• Experience with investigations and regulatory disputes, or a genuine interest in developing expertise in these areas, will be highly regarded.

About us

At Hall & Wilcox, we deliver outstanding legal services to corporate, public sector and private clients, both Australian-based and those offshore doing business in Australia. Our purpose is to enable our clients, our people and our communities to thrive.

We do great work, smarter. We’re passionate about the work we do and how it creates value for today and tomorrow. We’re known forSmarter Law: smarter thinking to create smarter solutions. We embrace innovative thinking and technology. We listen. We partner. We solve.

We are also known for having a great culture that values people and that lives ourHallmarks.

Hall & Wilcox is a successful independent Australian law firm; a place to belong, with the freedom to learn and grow. We thrive together. We are diverse and inclusive - everyone is welcome and respected. We encourage applications from candidates of all cultural backgrounds (including First Nations), abilities, sexual orientation and gender identities.

Hear from our people about what it’s like to thrive at Hall & Wilcox: bit.ly/HWpeople

To learn more about Hall & Wilcox visit ourwebsite.

We are committed to supporting candidates with disability so that every candidate is offered a fair, equitable and supportive recruitment experience.

This vacancy is being managed directly by the Hall & Wilcox Talent Acquisition team. We will contact our preferred agency partners should we require any assistance.