Associate - Dispute Resolution

We are seeking to appoint an Associate to join our Dispute Resolution practice group. This is an excellent opportunity to join a dynamic, collaborative team and work alongside industry experts.

As an Associate, you will engage in diverse and stimulating work alongside our Principals, addressing a variety of disputes across multiple jurisdictions. You will enjoy direct client interaction within a supportive team environment that fosters professional growth.

**Primary Duties and Responsibilities**
- Conducting litigation and dispute resolution matters.
- Appearing at pre-hearing conferences and directions hearings.
- Drafting Statement of Claims for proceedings.
- Drafting briefs to Counsel and liaising with Counsel.
- Legal research and advice.
- Preparing cost estimates and calculating costs according to scale.
- Preparing and attending mediation in Supreme and County Court proceedings.
- Management of own files in relation to Court timetable.
- Time recording and billing.
- Involvement in the supervision and mentoring of both junior lawyers and law graduates, fostering their professional development and growth within our team.
- Contributing to business development and marketing activities, as well as legal precedents in Russell Kennedy’s sectors of focus.

**Skills/Knowledge**
- ** **2-3 years PAE in litigation or dispute resolution.
- Excellent drafting skills with a strong attention to detail.
- Effective communication and relationship-building abilities.
- Strong time management skills to prioritise and meet deadlines.
- Commitment to financial discipline and accountability.
- Commercially minded with a willingness to work on a diverse range of matters.
- A self-starter, capable of working independently with appropriate supervision.

**Our Firm and Culture**

Russell Kennedy is a commercial law firm with more than 320 people in Melbourne and Sydney. We are committed to providing exceptional legal strategies and solutions to our clients, guided by market-leading expertise across our key sectors of focus.

As part of our team, you’ll receive hands-on experience, quality mentoring and access to valuable learning opportunities. We encourage a professional and committed work ethic, while recognising the importance of an enjoyable working environment and balanced lifestyle. We believe we have a culture where individuals of all backgrounds and abilities feel included and confident in bringing their whole selves to work, and where your talents are fostered, empowering you to contribute to the success of the firm.

Russell Kennedy is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is certified as a WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality, as well as being certified as a gold employer in the Australian Workplace Equality Index for employers with 500 or less employees. We respect and celebrate the things that make each of us different. The firm supports and promotes a range of initiatives to create an environment that is characterised by equal access and respected participation of all groups and individuals. There is a particular focus and emphasis on gender equality, inclusion of First Nations peoples, accessibility for people with disability, LGBTIQ+ inclusion, and cultural diversity. Russell Kennedy is recognised by Australian Disability Network as a Disability Confident Recruiter employer.

**Further Information**

Russell Kennedy Lawyers acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we meet and work. Our offices are situated on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri and Gadigal peoples. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, to their emerging leaders and to the resilience, creativity and vitality of their cultures including their laws and systems of governance.