Senior Associate/Special Counsel - Construction & Infrastructure - Adelaide

HWL Ebsworth Lawyers Pty Ltd.; Adelaide; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements

Direct access to partners and clients

Merit-based progression

National platform

Job summary

HWL Ebsworth Lawyers Pty Ltd. in Adelaide seeks a Senior Associate or Special Counsel to join our growing Construction & Infrastructure team.

You will work on major projects, front-end delivery, and complex disputes for contractors, consultants, developers and government agencies. You will provide leadership, take ownership of significant matters, and develop expertise across construction and infrastructure.

Qualifications

• 5+ years post-admission experience.
• Proven construction law expertise.
• Strong drafting and communication skills.
• Commercial acumen and analytical ability.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex construction & infrastructure matters.
• Direct client engagement with partners and clients.
• Mentor junior lawyers and supervise matters.
• Deliver high-quality drafting and strategic advice on projects and disputes.

Skills

Communication

Drafting

Construction law

Commercial acumen

Analytical ability

Mentoring

Client relationships

Matter management

Education

Legal practitioner/admission

Job description

• Leading construction team working across infrastructure, civil, energy, commercial and residential sectors
• Front‑end and back‑end construction, engineering and infrastructure work
• Merit‑based progression with clear career pathways

About us

HWLE is Australia’s largest legal partnership, delivering high‑quality advice to government and commercial clients nationwide. We have over 270 Partners and 1,900 people across all states and territories. We are one of South Australia's leading legal practices.

The opportunity

We're looking for a Senior Associate or Special Counsel to join our growing Construction & Infrastructure team in Adelaide.

Since establishing the team in 2022, we've developed a substantial practice advising on major projects and complex disputes across the infrastructure, energy, property and development sectors.

We act for contractors, consultants, developers and government agencies on front‑end, project delivery and contentious matters. We have advised on many of South Australia's most significant infrastructure, defence, energy, health and development projects.

The role offers the quality and scale of work associated with a leading national practice, combined with the autonomy, direct client involvement and accessibility of a closely integrated team. You'll work directly with partners and clients, take ownership of significant matters and have the opportunity to develop your expertise across a broad range of construction and infrastructure matters.

We're looking for a commercially minded construction lawyer with strong technical skills, commercial judgment, and the confidence to take responsibility for complex work. You'll enjoy working collaboratively, building trusted client relationships and contributing to a busy, ambitious practice.

For the right candidate, this is an opportunity to become a key member of a high-performing team, take on significant responsibility and play an important role in shaping the next stage of the practice's development.

What you will bring

• 5+ years post‑admission experience
• Strong communication and drafting skills
• Proven construction law expertise
• Commercial acumen and analytical ability
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex matters and deliver high-quality drafting and advice
• Ability to supervise and mentor more junior lawyers
• Collaborative approach and ability to build trusted client relationships

What we offer

• High-quality construction and infrastructure work
• Direct access to partners and clients
• Genuine merit-based progression
• Flexible working arrangements
• A collaborative and high-performing team
• National platform with a leading South Australian presence

HWLE strives to create an inclusive environment where our people want and feel comfortable to bring their entire selves to work. Varied perspectives contribute to our collective success so whatever your background, we'd love to hear from you and encourage you to apply. If you have reasonable accessibility requirements that will enable you to participate equitably in our recruitment process, please reach out to Anthony Gosti - [e-mail] for a confidential discussion.