Special Counsel / Partner – Employment Law

Hooker & Heijden; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 250,000 - 420,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Hybrid work model

Wellness initiatives

Paid parental leave

Annual team retreat

Job summary

Hooker & Heijden in Melbourne seeks a seasoned Employment Lawyer at Special Counsel or Partner level to lead an established practice. You will bring an existing client base, autonomy over matters, and contribute to cross-referrals within a strong commercial team.

The role focuses on advising employers on contracts, policies, restructures and strategic workforce issues, with opportunities to build the practice and mentor junior lawyers.

Qualifications

• Senior employment lawyer with established client following
• Strong knowledge of the Fair Work Act and workplace relations framework
• Experience managing sophisticated employment matters with autonomy
• Ability to supervise and mentor junior practitioners
• Proven ability to build cross-referral relationships and contribute to practice growth

Responsibilities

• Advising employers on employment contracts, executive arrangements and workplace policies
• Managing complex terminations, performance management and disciplinary processes
• Advising on restructures, redundancies and workforce change
• Conducting and advising on workplace investigations
• Advising on restraints of trade, confidentiality obligations and protection of business interests
• Managing unfair dismissal and general protections claims
• Advising on workplace bullying, discrimination, and harassment matters
• Representing employers in Fair Work Commission proceedings and related litigation
• Providing strategic workplace advice to boards, owners and senior management

Skills

Employment law

Client development

People management

Strategic advising

Job description

Job Description

Special Counsel / Partner – Employment Law

Melbourne | Senior Leadership Opportunity

About the Firm

Our client is a highly regarded Melbourne commercial law firm specialising in the legal needs of private businesses, business owners and family groups.

The firm has built a strong reputation for providing sophisticated but practical commercial advice across employment, commercial, tax, disputes, insolvency, property and private client matters.

Its employment practice acts predominantly for employers, business owners and HR professionals, advising on both day-to-day workplace issues and more complex strategic, contentious and sensitive employment matters.

The firm's broader private business focus creates genuine opportunities for collaboration and cross-referral, with employment issues regularly intersecting with commercial transactions, restructures, disputes and succession matters.

This opportunity forms part of the continued growth of the Melbourne employment practice.

About the Role

The firm is seeking an experienced Employment Lawyer at Special Counsel or Partner level who brings an established client base and transferable practice.

This is a genuine practice-building opportunity rather than simply a senior technical role.

You will have autonomy over your clients and matters while benefiting from the infrastructure, cross-referral opportunities and support of a broader high-performing commercial practice.

Your work may include:

• Advising employers on employment contracts, executive arrangements and workplace policies;
• Managing complex terminations, performance management and disciplinary processes;
• Advising on organisational restructures, redundancies and workforce change;
• Conducting and advising on workplace investigations;
• Advising on restraints of trade, confidentiality obligations and protection of business interests;
• Managing unfair dismissal and general protections claims;
• Advising on workplace bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment matters;
• Representing employers in Fair Work Commission proceedings and employment-related litigation;
• Advising on senior executive exits and negotiated separations;
• Employment aspects of business acquisitions, disposals and restructures;
• Advising on employment-related risk and compliance;
• Conducting negotiations, mediations and settlement discussions; and
• Providing strategic workplace advice directly to boards, business owners and senior management.

At this level, you will also play an important role in developing client relationships, generating work, mentoring other lawyers and contributing to the continued growth of the employment practice.

About You

You will be an established senior employment lawyer with strong technical expertise and an existing client following.

Ideally, you will have:

• Significant experience practising in employment and workplace relations law;
• A strong employer-side practice;
• An existing and genuinely transferable client base;
• Experience managing sophisticated employment matters with a high degree of autonomy;
• Strong knowledge of the Fair Work Act and broader workplace relations framework;
• Experience across both advisory and contentious employment matters;
• Strong commercial judgement and an ability to provide pragmatic advice to business owners and senior executives;
• Established client relationship and business-development capability;
• The ability to supervise and mentor more junior practitioners; and
• A stable career history and genuine interest in building a long-term practice within the firm.

The appointment can be made at Special Counsel or Partner level, depending on the size and strength of the transferable practice.

For candidates joining at Special Counsel level, there is a defined pathway to partnership as the practice develops.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This opportunity offers more than simply moving an existing practice from one firm to another.

You will have the opportunity to build within a commercial practice that already has strong relationships with private businesses, family groups and professional advisers, creating meaningful scope for internal referral and collaboration.

The firm also offers:

• A genuine senior leadership and practice-building opportunity;
• Access to an established private business client base;
• Strong cross-referral opportunities across commercial, tax, disputes, insolvency and property;
• Autonomy over your own clients and practice;
• A highly collaborative rather than internally competitive culture;
• A clear pathway from Special Counsel to partnership;
• Up to $5,000 annually for professional development;
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements;
• Wellness initiatives;
• Paid parental leave;
• Additional firm leave initiatives;
• An annual team retreat; and
• The infrastructure and support required to continue growing an established employment practice.

This is a particularly strong opportunity for a senior employment lawyer who has already developed a client following but wants greater support, stronger cross-referral opportunities and a genuine platform from which to build the next stage of their practice.