Senior Solicitor

Penrith City Council; Penrith City Council; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Genuine development opportunities

Job summary

Penrith City Council is seeking a skilled Solicitor to deliver high-quality legal services across local government, planning, environmental and commercial matters. The role involves advocacy, contract drafting and complex advisory work within a supportive Legal Services team.

You will collaborate with internal stakeholders, manage litigation, and contribute to public‑service objectives while benefiting from flexible work arrangements and ongoing professional development.

Qualifications

• Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW with relevant experience in local government, planning, environmental and/or regulatory law.
• Advocacy, litigation and dispute resolution skills, or a demonstrated willingness to appear in Courts and Tribunals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to provide clear, practical and concise legal advice.
• Proven ability to manage complex legal matters, balance competing priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes in a timely manner.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships and work collaboratively across the organisation.
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset, sound judgement and a commitment to public service, integrity and professional excellence.
• Demonstrated understanding of the role of local government in NSW and the legal frameworks that govern Council functions.
• Experience in advising on procurement, contract review and drafting, and providing commercially focused legal advice.

Responsibilities

• Providing practical, high-quality legal advice across a broad range of local government, planning, environmental, regulatory and commercial matters.
• Managing litigation and enforcement matters, including preparing evidence, appearing as an advocate in Courts and Tribunals, and briefing external counsel where required.
• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts, legal documents and precedents to support Council's operations and strategic objectives.
• Partnering with stakeholders across the organisation to identify legal risks, solve complex problems and deliver outcomes that benefit the community.

Skills

Legal advisory

Advocacy

Contract drafting

Stakeholder engagement

Written and verbal communication

Education

Bachelor of Law (or equivalent)

Admission as NSW Solicitor

Job description

Application Close Date: 11:59pm on 4/10/26

At Penrith City Council, it's not about having to choose.

Life with us is the best of both worlds.

What we offer you

• Hybrid work environment


• Genuine development opportunities

Here's what you'll be up to...

• Providing practical, high-quality legal advice across a broad range of local government, planning, environmental, regulatory and commercial matters.


• Managing litigation and enforcement matters, including preparing evidence, appearing as an advocate in Courts and Tribunals, and briefing external counsel where required.


• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts, legal documents and precedents to support Council's operations and strategic objectives.


• Partnering with stakeholders across the organisation to identify legal risks, solve complex problems and deliver outcomes that benefit the community.

Who we are (And why you'll love us)

• Meet our Workforce Areas - Penrith City Council


• Join a collaborative and high-performing Legal Services team where knowledge sharing, mentoring and professional support are part of our everyday culture.


• Work on a diverse mix of planning, environmental, regulatory, commercial and litigation matters that will continually challenge and develop your legal skills.


• Enjoy meaningful work that directly impacts the community and helps shape the future of the Penrith City Council area through high-profile and complex legal matters.


• Benefit from strong professional development opportunities, including advocacy experience, exposure to senior stakeholders and ongoing learning across multiple areas of law.


• Be part of a team that values integrity, collaboration, accountability, practical problem-solving and delivering excellent outcomes for our clients and community.


• Thrive in a supportive environment that promotes wellbeing, flexibility, work-life balance and celebrates success through shared achievements, team connection and recognition of individual contributions.

What are we looking for?

• Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW with relevant experience in local government, planning, environmental and/or regulatory law.


• Advocacy, litigation and dispute resolution skills, or a demonstrated willingness to appear in Courts and Tribunals.


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to provide clear, practical and concise legal advice.


• Proven ability to manage complex legal matters, balance competing priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes in a timely manner.


• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships and work collaboratively across the organisation.


• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset, sound judgement and a commitment to public service, integrity and professional excellence.


• Demonstrated understanding of the role of local government in NSW and the legal frameworks that govern Council functions.


• Experience in advising on procurement, contract review and drafting, and providing commercially focused legal advice.

Check out our Position Description to learn more about this role.

The must-know bits

You will be required to undertake employment checks, which may include a Criminal History Check, Qualification Check, Working with Children Check, Medical Declaration and/or a Functional Test, as relevant to the position for which you have applied.

Where a Criminal History Check is required and has returned a result that indicates disclosable court outcomes, you will be required to provide a copy of the report to Penrith City Council, for review, to progress through the recruitment process.

For more information, contact Andrew Avery on 02 4732 7599.

Applicants must have the right to live and work in Australia to apply for this position.

Council is a Child Safe Organisation. For more information about this, please see our website.

At Penrith City Council, we believe the best of both worlds means embracing the unique perspectives, backgrounds and experiences that make our City and our organisation vibrant. We are committed to building a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and supported and welcome applicants from people of all backgrounds, abilities and identities.