Senior Associate Property Law

Fortuna Advisory Group; Perth; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Fortuna Legal Australia seeks a Senior Associate Property Lawyer for West Perth to lead sophisticated WA property matters and help shape a growing practice.

The role requires a strong track record in property, planning and development, with the ability to manage complex matters independently and mentor junior team members. You will work closely with leadership to expand the firm’s national footprint and client base.

Qualifications

• Admitted Australian lawyer with unrestricted practising certificate (WA eligibility).
• At least 10 years post-admission WA property, planning and development experience.
• Proven ability to lead complex property matters and advise clients strategically.

Responsibilities

• Advise on complex acquisitions, disposals, land tenure and development agreements.
• Guide clients through planning schemes, approvals, subdivision and strata matters.
• Manage disputes before SAT and WA Supreme Court, briefing Counsel where needed.
• Act as trusted adviser to developers, landowners, investors and financiers.
• Supervise and mentor lawyers, graduates and paralegals to raise standards.
• Build personal client following and contribute to firm strategy and growth.

Skills

Property law

Leadership

Mentoring

Client management

Negotiation

Education

Admission as Australian lawyer with unrestricted practicing certificate (WA eligibility)

Job description

Senior Associate Property Law | West Perth

Fortuna Legal Australia is a fast-growing, future-focused law firm within a broader professional services group. We act for private clients, businesses, developers, investors, financiers and landowners, delivering legal and advisory work that is technically sharp and commercially grounded.

We're looking for an experienced property lawyer to join our senior leadership team and help build the next stage of our practice.

The opportunity

This is a senior role for a lawyer ready to lead. You'll take ownership of complex property and planning matters across Western Australia, working directly with our Managing Director and senior specialist property lawyer with scope to expand the practice nationally.

It suits a lawyer who wants more than a title: someone with the technical depth to lead sophisticated matters, the commercial instinct to advise on the whole picture, and the entrepreneurial appetite to help shape a firm rather than simply work in one.

What you'll do

• Advise on acquisitions and disposals, due diligence, development agreements, joint ventures, options and conditional contracts, easements, covenants, and property finance and security arrangements.
• Guide clients through planning schemes, development approvals, subdivision, strata and community title, and conditions imposed by local government, the WAPC and DAPs
• Manage disputes and reviews before SAT and the Supreme Court of WA, including briefing Counsel, managing expert evidence, and running negotiations and mediations
• Act as trusted adviser to developers, landowners, investors, financiers and other professional advisers
• Supervise and mentor lawyers, graduates and paralegals, and lift the standard of our precedents, systems and processes
• Build your own profile and client following and contribute to the firm's strategic and commercial direction.

What you'll bring

• Admission as an Australian lawyer with an unrestricted practising certificate (or eligibility to hold one in WA)
• At least 10 years' post-admission experience, with a strong track record in WA property, planning and development matters
• Experience acting for developers, landowners, investors, financiers or corporate clients
• Working knowledge of the Planning and Development Act 2005, Transfer of Land Act 1893, Land Administration Act 1997, Strata Titles Act 1985 and Community Titles Act 2018, plus Landgate, WAPC and SAT processes
• Confidence running complex matters independently and exercising sound professional judgment
• The ability to explain complicated issues in plain English, to sophisticated clients and stakeholders
• Demonstrated supervision experience and a collaborative approach to building a team
• A good sense of humour

Why join us

You’ll have real autonomy, direct access to leadership, and genuine influence over how this practice is built its clients, its systems and its market profile. We’re small enough that what you build is visible and established enough that you won’t be building it alone.

Confidential enquiries are welcome to Christopher Straughan at @fortunaadvisors.com.au