Associate - Commercial Real Estate (Environment & Planning)
Think Opportunity, Think Baker McKenzie!
We have an exciting opportunity for an Associate to join our Commercial Real Estate practice group (Environment & Planning) in Sydney. This full-time role is based in Sydney, Australia, and is suited for candidates with 1 - 4 years' post-qualification experience (PQE).
Our practice
This role involves working as an Associate within the Environment and Planning team which sits within the Commercial Real Estate practice group, contributing to high-impact legal matters that support Australia's renewable energy transition. You will be part of a nationally and globally integrated team, engaging in a dynamic mix of advisory, transactional and strategic litigation work.
About you:
You will have:
- 1-4 years’ PQE in environment, climate change, and major projects for the energy and tech transitions such as wind farms, solar farms, pumped hydro, data centres, and automated warehousing.
- Preferably have worked in other top-tier or leading global teams (ideally with tipstaff experience in the Land and Environment Court or equivalent).
- Qualifications from a leading university, with an impressive academic record (i.e. distinction average and above) and electives focussed on environment, sustainability, administrative and private international law considered favourably.
- Exceptional written and verbal advocacy skills, demonstrated by the ability to communicate clearly, persuasively and with emotional intelligence.
- Fondness for a mixed advisory, transactional and strategic litigation practice, noting the team has previously run and is currently running some of the most important cases in Australia to support the renewable energy transition.
- Relative fluency in and commitment to learning the full scope of environment legislation and case law, including on planning and environmental approvals, contaminated land, environmental prosecutions, climate change risks (sustainability reporting, directors’ duties, and greenwashing), environmental markets (carbon credits and nature repair), and compulsory acquisition.
- Familiarity with policy and political positions on environmental matters, required for leading negotiations with regulators and key decision-makers.
- Love of law and curiosity for work in jurisdictions outside NSW.
- Appetite for working in an elite team (integrated across Australian offices and globally) and a commitment to building the leading environment law practice in Sydney.
- Enthusiastic networking and relationship-building capabilities.
- Courage to think independently and determination to be part of revolutionising how environment law is practised in the Australian legal market.