Associate/ Senior Associate - Employment & Safety

We are seeking a lawyer (3-8 years PAE) to join our Employment & Safety team based in our Brisbane office.

Thomsons is a leading national law firm with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Cairns and Canberra. The firm has approximately 900 partners and staff nationally, and offers a dynamic, friendly and professional work environment. We are passionate about constantly providing value to our clients - their success is our priority. This focus on client value is a key reason for our success. At Thomsons, we are looking for candidates who are client focused, commercially minded, and who work well in a team environment.    
 
The role  
 
We are seeking a lawyer (3-8 years PAE) who wants to take their advocacy, statutory interpretation and decision-making skills into private practice, working across administrative law, occupational regulation, tribunal proceedings and criminal practice & procedure.
This is an opportunity to build on prosecution or defence experience, develop a broader litigation & administrative practice and work directly with clients whose professional lives, reputations and livelihoods are at stake.
 
 
The work
 
You will work across a varied and intellectually challenging practice, including:

• Administrative law: statutory interpretation, merits review, judicial review and challenges to administrative decisions.
• Occupational regulation: disciplinary proceedings, investigations, professional registration and regulatory compliance.
• Tribunal advocacy: appearing in QCAT and other tribunals, preparing submissions and presenting evidence.
• Criminal law: procedural advice, court appearances and criminal matters connected with professional conduct and regulatory proceedings.
• Litigation and advocacy: preparing evidence, drafting submissions, advising on prospects and developing case strategy.

 
Why make the move?
 
Prosecution or defence work provides an excellent foundation for a career in private practice. You understand statutory frameworks, evidence, procedural fairness and the demands of contested proceedings. In private practice, you can apply those skills from a different perspective: advising and representing individuals facing regulatory action, professional discipline or other significant legal consequences. You will have the opportunity to take ownership of matters, develop client relationships, strengthen your advocacy skills and expand your expertise across complementary areas of law.
 
 
About you
 
You will be a lawyer with experience in a government prosecution, regulatory or litigation environment. You may currently be working in child safety litigation, public prosecutions or another state government legal agency.
You will bring:

• Strong legal analysis, statutory interpretation and written advocacy skills.
• Experience preparing cases, assessing evidence and appearing in contested proceedings, or briefing counsel.
• An understanding of procedural fairness, administrative decision-making and litigation processes.
• Confidence in dealing with complex and sensitive matters.
• A practical, client-focused approach and a genuine interest in developing your career in private practice.
• Experience in administrative law, occupational regulation, disciplinary proceedings or tribunal advocacy will be highly regarded. We are also interested in lawyers whose existing experience provides a strong foundation for developing these skills.

 
Life at Thomsons      
 
As a leading national firm, we offer an opportunity to work with a strong and established client base, genuine growth trajectories, and a variety of benefits including: interesting and challenging pro bono opportunities, flexible working, generous parental leave, flu vaccinations and skin checks annually, study assistance, sophisticated employee assistance program, corporate discounts, variety of social activities including EOFY and end of year functions, sporting teams and much more.                 
 
We have a collaborative approach to all we do, based fundamentally on openness, transparency, respect and accountability, so that our team is taken care and we get the best outcomes for our clients.