Senior Associate, Employment, Sydney

Who We Are

As a global law firm our work spans jurisdictions, cultures, and languages – and so do our people.

Our culture is collaborative and inclusive— where diverse perspectives are recognised and valued. Where performing to your highest ability, unlocks equal access to opportunities to learn, thrive and grow.

We combine deep legal expertise and commercial intelligence to grow, transform, protect, and defend our clients' businesses, across every critical moment.

We operate in the sectors and regions that matter to our clients. With forward-thinking insights and innovative, tech-enabled solutions that combine deep knowledge of their sectors and markets.

You’ll build connections and work with colleagues as one global team. You’ll unlock opportunities for clients, across borders, cultures, legal and commercial disciplines.

Join us to work with colleagues as one global team – empowering each other to be exceptional and create advantage for our clients.

We deliver coordinated, cross border support on advisory, transactional and contentious employment matters. Our lawyers combine deep technical expertise with strong commercial and sector insight. Working closely with corporate, finance, restructuring and disputes teams across jurisdictions, we provide pragmatic, solution focused advice on complex, multi jurisdictional and high risk issues. We act for a diverse international client base, including private capital sponsors, corporate enterprises, asset managers, multinational groups, financial institutions and insurers.

The Role

We are seeking an outstanding Senior Associate to join our growing Employment group in Sydney. This role presents an unparalleled opportunity to be part of a team with significant growth potential and strong links across our regional and global Employment practice, working on complex, cutting-edge legal challenges on a national and global scale for our clients.

You will be expected to advise on all employment issues including but not limited to:

• Employment litigation, mediation and dispute resolution
• Employment contracts and policies
• Appointment and severance of senior executives
• Outsourcing of services
• Discrimination and equal opportunities
• New and proposed employment legislation
• Downsizing and dismissals
• Protecting confidentiality and goodwill
• Employment aspects of M&A transactions
• Employee/Regulatory investigations

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work as part of a team to deliver commercial and practical legal solutions to our clients.
• Draft legal documents clearly and concisely.
• Create solutions using your legal knowledge, applying effective research techniques. 
• Challenge and test advice against legal compliance and risks.  
• Be proactive to pursue and expand legal knowledge to ensure legal knowledge and technical expertise up to date.  
• Utilise client focus initiatives in terms of driving understanding and monitoring service levels of their individual client needs. 
• Engage with knowledge resources effectively and collaborate in knowledge initiatives for the Firm. 
• Contribute to practice growth and business development.
• Manage matters with strong commercial discipline - including client and team communication, timely timesheet submission, and adhering to matter opening and conflicts clearance processes. 
• Adopt best delivery tools including innovative technologies, Legal Support Centre, Resource Management, Legal Project Managers, Matter Balance Reports. 

Your Experience

• You should be 4+ PQE.
• Australian qualification preferred. Candidates with England & Wales or other Commonwealth qualifications will be considered.
• You will have gained strong experience in both contentious and non-contentious employment matters from a top tier practice.
• You will be a self-starter with an aptitude for and experience in client engagement and development and interest in being part of a growing practice.

How we will support you

From your first day with us, you will have varied opportunities to continuously grow and development your skills and knowledge. From formal training, informal coaching and mentoring through to skills-based and technical training and on the job learning.

Equal Opportunities

At Clifford Chance, we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society.

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age.  This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.

We have a variety of flourishing employee networks. These networks are a place for colleagues to share experiences and advocate for change wherever they see an opportunity for improvement.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm. 

Find out more about our inclusive culture here.

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