Lawyer/Associate, Construction

An established construction and engineering practice is offering a rare opportunity for a Lawyer or Associate to join its Sydney team — with a genuine pathway to build a broader, more strategically engaged legal practice across both construction disputes and advisory work.

While the role sits within a construction practice, it is not restricted to construction specialists. The team is actively open to lawyers from broader litigation backgrounds — including commercial or insurance litigation — who are looking to transition into construction and diversify their experience.

This is particularly well suited to a back-end focused lawyer who is ready to expand into front-end construction and advisory work, rather than remain confined to disputes alone.

A standout feature of this role is the level of direct client exposure and involvement. Lawyers are trusted early to engage with clients, contribute to strategy, and take real ownership of matters — not just assist from the sidelines. This is a genuinely client-facing role where relationships are built, not delegated.

The practice operates across both front-end and back-end construction matters, with a diverse client base spanning developers, contractors, corporates and private clients.

With a lean structure and highly collaborative environment, lawyers benefit from direct access to partners, clients and live matters from day one, creating a level of responsibility and visibility that is often difficult to find in larger teams.

The Practice

The team advises across a wide range of construction and engineering matters, with a genuine mix of front-end and back-end work, including:

• Drafting and negotiating construction and project agreements

• Procurement and project advisory work

• Construction and infrastructure disputes

• Claims involving delay, defects, variations and termination

• Broader commercial and project-related disputes

Lawyers are not siloed — you will work across both advisory and contentious matters, enabling you to build a well-rounded and commercially grounded construction practice.

The Role

This role has been created due to continued growth in workflow and offers a strong opportunity for a litigation-focused Lawyer or Associate to step into a busy, hands-on environment.

You will work closely with experienced practitioners across both front-end and back-end matters, with genuine scope to develop into advisory work if that is a direction you want to pursue.

For disputes lawyers, this is a clear opportunity to broaden your practice beyond pure litigation and gain exposure to front-end construction work, while still maintaining a strong contentious base.

There is a strong emphasis on autonomy, client ownership and accountability, supported by close mentoring from senior practitioners.

About You

You may come from a range of backgrounds, including:

• Construction law (front-end, back-end or mixed)

• Commercial litigation

• Insurance litigation

In addition, you will likely have:

• Approximately 1–4 years’ PQE (flexible)

• Strong drafting and analytical skills

• A commercial, solutions-focused approach

• Confidence engaging directly with clients and stakeholders

• A genuine interest in developing across both disputes and advisory work

What’s on Offer

• Competitive remuneration aligned to experience

• High level of direct client engagement and responsibility

• Direct access to partners and senior lawyers

• Broad, high-quality work across varied matters

• A collaborative, down-to-earth team environment

• The opportunity to build a genuinely dual-skilled (front-end and back-end) construction practice

Interested in a confidential discussion? Please reach out to joseph.germano@jlegal.com.au or hit apply!

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