Solicitor, Environment, Planning and Communities

We have a unique opportunity for a Solicitor to join our market-leading Environment, Planning, and Communities team (EP&C) in Sydney.

In this role, you will work closely with Partner Peter Briggs. Peter is a Chambers Band 1 ranked lawyer who heads our Australian EP&C team advising corporate and government clients on complex environment, planning, native title, and cultural heritage issues.

Our EP&C team is part of our dynamic Projects, Energy and Infrastructure practice group, and acts on first in market and major projects, from concept to completion, for clients who are at the forefront of the energy transition and work in other key sectors.

You will be involved in advising clients large-scale, high stakes projects across energy, resources, infrastructure, mining, urban development, and real estate. You will work with our real estate, corporate, litigation and projects teams, and provide strategic environment and planning advice for Australia's largest corporate, real estate and M&A deals.

Our EP&C team has a full front-end and back-end environment and planning offering. You will be part of a team that advises across the entire spectrum of environment and planning issues, including climate change, ESG, biodiversity, land access and compulsory acquisition, pollution and contamination, heritage, native title, cultural heritage, waste, water, and valuation issues. You will also represent clients in regulatory investigations, complex prosecutions and high-profile disputes.

Our national EP&C team are thought leaders, and you will contribute to shaping regulatory reform, keeping a pulse on industry developments, and working with peak advocacy bodies such as the Clean Energy Investor Group.

Key responsibilities:

• Collaborate with national EP&C partners and other team members in advising clients on a range of climate change, environment, planning, native title, and cultural heritage matters.
• Assist in the management of, and response to, environmental crises, regulatory investigations, and environmental prosecutions and litigation, including closely working with counsel and technical expert teams.
• Advise clients at every stage of major energy, resource, infrastructure, mining, urban development, and real estate project lifecycles, including securing approvals, identifying and managing risk, and addressing stakeholder concerns.
• Act in environment, planning, compulsory acquisition, and other disputes in the Land and Environment Court of NSW, Supreme Court of NSW, Federal Court of Australia, and other courts.
• Assist in the preparation of legal documents, including environment and planning advice and contracts.
• Conduct legal research and analysis to support case strategies and client advice.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Admission to practice in Australia or New Zealand and between 1.5 to 5 years of demonstrated legal experience.
• Demonstrated interest in environment, planning, native title, and cultural heritage law through relevant work experience, coursework or internships.
• A strong academic record, coupled with excellent legal skills and a practical mindset.
• Excellent research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative team environment.
• An innovative mindset, curious about AI and emerging technologies.

What you can expect from us

• We're a world leading international law firm with a global team of over 6,000 professionals across 26 offices. As the market leader in Australia, we are committed to high performance, collaboration, diversity and digital innovation. We are client-centred, commercially driven, and renowned for our solution-focused expertise. We will align your growth with our ambitions.
• We make your personal and professional growth our business. And as part of the team, our ambition is yours too. Wherever you are in your career: grow and help the firm grow with you.
• We will provide opportunities to learn on the job as well as a mix of learning opportunities tailored to you. Daily experiences, supportive challenges, team collaboration, mentors, and structured learning opportunities help you to expand your knowledge and reach your goals.
• We value your wellbeing, both at home and work and we place a strong emphasis on mental health. If you need support, you'll have it and we'll empower you to harness your personal strengths, navigate uncertainty, embrace opportunities, and effectively manage things within your control.
• For more benefits on offer such as our holistic wellbeing fund or home office allowance please click here.
• Join us to be part of a human, bold and outstanding team at Australia's market leading law firm.

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values-Human, Bold, and Outstanding.

Apply now with your resume and academic transcript, or contact Tamara Salem, Recruitment Manager (tamara.salem@hsf.com) for a confidential discussion.