Planning & Environment Senior Associate (Brisbane)

What makes Ashurst a great place to work?

• Flexible work options
• Market leading parental leave of 26 weeks paid leave irrespective of gender
• Health and wellbeing benefits, gym membership and corporate health plans
• Genuine opportunities to grow your career through secondments or global opportunities,
• Extensive Learning & Development opportunities including tailored professional development for all employees, coaching, mentoring and study support for further education.
• We have a strong commitment to social impact, demonstrated by our extensive volunteering and pro-bono opportunities, as well as our award-winning social inclusion and mobility programs.
• We are committed to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The Opportunity

Ashurst's Environment & Planning Team in Brisbane is expanding and looking for a Senior Associate who is keen to join one of Australia's leading practices and work on the full range of Environment & Planning matters. Our team advises on a broad range of complex matters including regulatory approvals, compliance, incident management, environmental prosecutions and litigation. Recent matters we have advised on include:

• Lendlease: Advising on planning, environment and heritage matters associated with the proposed development of the Brisbane Athlete Village at the Brisbane Showgrounds, including advising on the effect of the streamlining amendments to the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games Arrangements Act 2021 and the development of an alternate, bespoke planning framework.
• Queensland Alumina Limited: Acted in defence of a prosecution by the State regulator for environmental offences including responding to major statutory notices, negotiating with the regulator, and advising on and appearing at the matter's sentencing hearing.
• X-Elio: Acted for a solar farm proponent in a complex Planning and Environment Court appeal against refusal of the key development approval for the Sixteen Mile Solar Farm.
• Major international resources client: Advising on the effect of sweeping proposed reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth).

The role will work closely with the broader Planning, Access & Environment and Projects teams nationally on a range of market leading work while receiving guidance and mentorship from experienced and highly skilled Partners.

A full job description including a breakdown of responsibilities can be found attached to the role on our careers page

About you

Our ideal candidate will have:

• A Bachelor of Laws, coupled with 5 years or more planning and environment experience gained within a reputable law firm;
• Experience managing a range of front and back-end matters including planning and environment approvals and compliance, environmental incident management, planning and environment issues in major transactions, and litigious processes arising from each of these;
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal;
• A commercial approach and an ability to negotiate contracts;
• Ability to supervise and nurture junior lawyers; and
• A proactive, positive and energetic approach with a commitment to providing excellent service and a desire to interact with the market and build client relationships.

For more information or if you require any support and adjustments to participate equitably in our recruitment process or in the workplace, we encourage you to contact: for a confidential conversation.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply directly to Ashurst. We prefer to talk with you personally and are not accepting applications from recruitment agencies.