Senior Associate

Who we are

Johnson Winter Slattery (JWS) is a leading Australian law firm known for advising corporates and funds on their most complex transactions, disputes and regulatory matters.

At JWS, we build authentic, long-term relationships and have a deep understanding of our clients and their industries. Our clients say we are pragmatic, strategic, commercial and easy to work with.

Our firm is comprised of more than 450 highly talented people, including 80+ partners, across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Brisbane and Perth. We are globally connected and have strong relationships with major independent law firms around the world.

JWS was recognised as Technology, Media and Telecom M&A Legal Adviser of the Year (Mergermarket M&A Awards Australia 2023), Energy Law Firm of the Year (Best Lawyers 2023) and Australian Law Firm of the Year (Beaton Client Choice Awards Our lawyers are highly ranked in Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 and Lexology Index (formerly Who's Who Legal).

We are strongly committed to social justice, responsible business and our diverse communities. We are proud of our pro bono program which focuses on supporting low income, disadvantaged and marginalised people in the Australian community.

About the Team

Our Environment and Planning team has extensive experience in advising on all aspects of planning and environmental law. The team also advises on ESG matters including climate change, modern slavery and nature positive.

We regularly advise and represent companies across all states and territories. Our team has extensive experience advising clients across a range of sectors on all aspects of planning approvals; environmental licences and approvals (state and federal); development contributions; contaminated land and pollution; compliance advice; biodiversity offsets; cultural heritage; native title; ESG (climate change, modern slavery and nature positive); and water licensing.

About the Role

An opportunity exists for an Environment & Planning Senior Associate to join our Sydney office.

This role will see you play a key role on high-profile environment & planning matters including drafting, reviewing and negotiating core transaction documents; drafting advices; undertaking legal research on complex issues; and representing clients in relevant state and federal courts.

You will receive training and mentoring from some of Australia's leading specialists in the environment & planning sector, as well as having the opportunity to train and mentor junior lawyers yourself.

This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate, energetic, and commercially-minded lawyer to play a meaningful role on interesting and complex matters.

About You

You obviously have plenty of technical aptitude and previous relevant experience, but there is much more to you. You:

• deliver legal advice with a commercial and client focused outlook, always;
• work well under pressure, meet your deadlines and excel working in a team;
• have strong communication and stakeholder management skills and you aren't afraid to use them, internally and externally; and
• take a collaborative, positive and energetic approach to everything you do;
• are comfortable and experienced mentoring and training junior lawyers; and
• have 7+ PQE Environment & Planning law experience gained within private practice.

Working at JWS

We value collaboration and our teams work together to achieve shared outcomes. We care about the wellbeing of our people and will invest time in understanding your objectives so we can support you throughout your career. We believe it's this focus on our people that has seen our firm grow rapidly to become one of Australia's leading independent law firms.

We pride ourselves on being down-to-earth, approachable, and always high-performing. We have worked hard to create a culture where people look out for each other.

We offer:

• A collegiate environment with a collaborative culture across offices and practice groups
• High-quality work with committed mentors supporting your career development
• Comprehensive benefits including competitive remuneration, flexible working, and extensive social and wellbeing initiatives
• Opportunities for professional growth through structured learning and development programs, pro bono work, and employee recognition initiatives

If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity to take your career to the next level, then we would love to hear from you.

We are committed to promoting a workplace that is diverse and inclusive. We encourage the best people - regardless of race, religion, or belief if any, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, or age - to fulfil their professional aspirations with us. In particular we would welcome applications from First Nations candidates.

Johnson Winter Slattery pays respect to Elders past and present of our nation's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We honour the deep spiritual, cultural and customary connections of Traditional Owners to the Australian landscape, including Australia's waterways, land, and sea country.