Special Counsel

Peppercorn Recruitment; City of Brisbane; Hybrid; AUD 190,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Top-of-market salary

Bonus structure

Hybrid working model

No billable hour targets

Job summary

A leading legal recruitment agency is seeking a Senior Associate or Special Counsel for a hybrid role in Brisbane. This position offers a top-of-market salary and no billable hour requirements while allowing you to engage directly with clients. Responsibilities include managing complex negligence claims and driving litigation strategy in a supportive team environment. Ideal candidates will have strong professional indemnity experience and a proactive approach to their work. Apply now for this unique opportunity!

Qualifications

• Experience as a Senior Associate or Special Counsel.
• Expertise in professional indemnity and public liability.
• A proactive approach and strong judgment.
• Direct client influence

Responsibilities

• Manage advisory and litigation oversight in professional indemnity.
• Handle complex negligence claims across diverse services.
• Directly influence clients and senior leaders in strategy.
• A genuine seat at the table with senior leaders

Skills

Strong professional indemnity experience

Commercial litigation

Client management

Litigation strategy

Job description

Senior Associate / Special Counsel

Brisbane | Boutique model | Work directly with the client (no billables)

Hands‑on advisory + claims + litigation strategy.

Top salary + bonus hybrid working.

The Opportunity

If you’ve spent years defending claims and quietly wondered what it would be like to sit closer to the decision‑makers (without giving up the law firm support structure) this is that role.

Our client is a specialist legal team with a hybrid operating model: part boutique practice, part embedded client‑side function. You work directly with the business you’re advising, with none of the grind that usually comes with private practice.

This will appeal to senior insurance litigators who enjoy complexity, want autonomy, and wouldn’t mind shedding targets.

The Role

You’ll take on a mature, high‑responsibility mix of advisory, claims management and litigation oversight across professional indemnity and general liability matters.

Expect:

• Complex negligence claims across a range of professional services
• Coverage analysis, policy interpretation, and input into new/refined products
• Early strategy work, reserving discussions, and direct contact with insureds
• Managing panel firms and driving litigation strategy (not churning billables)
• A genuine seat at the table with senior leaders

This is ideal for someone who enjoys the intellectual side of PI/GL work but wants to operate at a more strategic, less transactional level.

Who Will Suit This

You’ll likely be a:

• Senior Associate, Special Counsel or junior Partner
• With strong professional indemnity and/or public liability experience
• From defendant insurance, commercial litigation or financial lines
• Someone who backs their judgment and enjoys direct client influence

  What’s On Offer

  • Top‑of‑market salary (plus bonus)
  • No KPIs or billable hour requirements
  • Hybrid model: quality CBD office + 2 days WFH
  • Work with a deeply experienced team (ex‑top‑tier leaders, low‑ego, high‑support)
  • Strategic, advisory‑heavy work without the private practice grind
  • A chance to apply your insurance expertise in a far more commercial way

  Apply Now

  Send your CV (Word format only) to [e-mail] quoting Ref 3769764-BNE, or call Peter Liaw on 0422 805 803 for a confidential chat.