Senior Legal Counsel

Brunel; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Brunel is partnering with an established organisation operating across the infrastructure, major projects and property sectors to appoint an experienced Senior Legal Counsel in Australia.

This role provides strategic legal advice across construction contracts, procurement, property matters and commercial transactions, supporting commercial negotiations and risk management to enable successful delivery of major infrastructure investments.

Qualifications

• 7+ years PQE in construction, infrastructure, or property law.
• Experience drafting and negotiating complex project agreements.
• Familiarity with Australian contracting frameworks and AS-form contracts.

Responsibilities

• Provide commercially focused legal advice across infrastructure, construction, and property activities.
• Draft, review and negotiate project contracts, procurement and service agreements.
• Advise on contracting structures, risk allocation, warranties, indemnities and remedies.
• Support property transactions including land, leasing, and easements.
• Partner with commercial and project teams to identify and manage legal risks.
• Provide legal support through development, procurement, construction and operations.
• Assist with disputes, claims management, variations and negotiations.
• Coordinate external advisers to ensure practical, commercially aligned advice.
• Contribute to internal processes, governance and contract frameworks.
• Advise senior stakeholders on complex legal issues balancing risk and commercial objectives.

Skills

Construction law

Infrastructure law

Commercial negotiations

Contract drafting

Education

Admitted to practise law in Australia

Job description

Senior Legal Counsel | Projects, Construction & Property

Location: Melbourne, NSW

Experience: 7+ years PQE

Sector: Infrastructure | Major Projects | Property

The Opportunity

Brunel is partnering with an established organisation operating across the infrastructure and major projects sector to appoint an experienced Senior Legal Counsel to its Australian business.

This is an opportunity for a commercially minded legal professional to take on a broad and engaging role, providing strategic legal advice across complex projects, construction activities, property matters and commercial transactions.

Working closely with senior business stakeholders and multidisciplinary project teams, the successful candidate will play an important role in supporting commercial negotiations, managing contractual risk and facilitating the successful execution of significant infrastructure investments.

The position offers meaningful exposure to commercial decision-making, with the opportunity to contribute across the full project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide commercially focused legal advice across infrastructure development, construction, property and related commercial activities.
• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of project agreements, including construction contracts, consultancy agreements, procurement arrangements and service contracts.
• Advise on construction contracting structures, risk allocation, performance obligations, warranties, indemnities and contractual remedies.
• Support property-related transactions, including land acquisition, leasing, easements, access arrangements and other tenure-related matters.
• Partner with commercial, development and project delivery teams to identify and manage legal and contractual risks.
• Provide legal support throughout project development, procurement, construction and operational phases.
• Assist with contractual disputes, claims management, variations and negotiations with external counterparties.
• Coordinate external legal advisers on specialist matters, ensuring advice is practical, commercially appropriate and aligned with business objectives.
• Contribute to the development of internal legal processes, contractual frameworks and governance standards.
• Advise senior stakeholders on complex legal issues, balancing commercial objectives with appropriate risk management.

About You

• Admitted to practise law in Australia, with a minimum of 7 years' post-qualification experience.
• Strong experience across construction, major projects, infrastructure or property law, ideally with exposure to several of these disciplines.
• Demonstrated capability drafting and negotiating complex commercial and construction agreements.
• Familiarity with Australian construction contracting frameworks, including relevant experience with AS-form contracts, design and construct arrangements or other major project delivery models.
• Exposure to property transactions, land access arrangements, leasing or infrastructure-related real estate matters would be advantageous.
• Experience gained within a reputable law firm, major infrastructure organisation, developer, contractor or asset-intensive business.
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to provide pragmatic, solutions-oriented legal advice.
• Confident stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior executives, commercial teams and external advisers.
• Comfortable operating autonomously and managing competing priorities in a dynamic commercial environment.