JOB DESCRIPTION
About Herbert Smith Freehills
As one of the world’s leading law firms, we advise many of the largest and most ambitious organisations across all major regions of the globe. With over 5,000 people, including 3,100 lawyers and over 2,000 business services professionals, operating from our global network of offices across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America, Herbert Smith Freehills is at the heart of the new global business landscape providing premium quality, full-service legal advice.
We recognise that the success of our business and our clients relies on the skills, knowledge and ideas of all our people. Our environment is one in which high performance is expected, in return, we will provide you with rewards and opportunities tailored to your personal and professional goals.
The Opportunity
We are seeking a skilled and motivated Senior lawyer or Senior Associate to join our leading Projects, Energy, and Infrastructure group, based in Brisbane.
In this role, you will work closely with leading Partner Peter G. Butler, as well as other partners and lawyers across our national team. Our Queensland and national teams continue to grow. We are seeking lawyers who wish to also grow their career with our market leading team working on some of the highest profile projects in Queensland and across Australia. If you are passionate about infrastructure and enjoy being challenged by a wide variety of work types and clients, we’d love to hear from you.
Peter is a senior infrastructure and projects partner with 30 years experience gained from working in the Australian market and internationally. His team is renowned for advising on some of the most complex and high-profile infrastructure projects as well as first in market/pathfinder commercial transactions in the State and elsewhere in Australia. The team advises a mix of private and public sector clients including Australian and international infrastructure funds, asset managers and investors, infrastructure owners and government clients.
Peter is consistently recognised in the Australian Financial Review’s Best Lawyers list, with accolades in multiple categories, including Construction/Infrastructure Law, Government Practice, and Project Finance. Peter was recently recognised as 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” in Project Finance and Development Practice in the Queensland market by “Best Lawyers”. Only one lawyer in each metropolitan region receives that recognition with the award based solely on the views of peers at HSF’s competitor firms.
The team has extensive experience advising on the procurement, acquisition, and divestment of major infrastructure assets, the development and construction of major projects, as well as complex government infrastructure transactions and privatisation processes, spanning sectors including transport, energy, water, health, education, telecommunications, forestry and real estate.
Your day could typically involve:
* Advising public and private sector clients on complex infrastructure projects, asset transactions, and major procurements.
* Supporting project structuring, risk assessments, and business case development.
* Assisting clients in navigating strategic procurement, including designing tender processes and supporting bidding consortia to frame successful bids.
* Providing legal and commercial advice on project delivery models, including construction agreements, equity arrangements, and operations and maintenance arrangements.
* Advising on government asset privatisations, restructures, sales and procurements, as well as broader government advisory work, often on sensitive and novel/pathfinder matters.
What you will bring:
* Demonstrated experience in infrastructure project delivery, procurement, and asset transactions in a private practice or in-house environment.
* An excellent academic record, coupled with strong legal skills and a practical mindset.
* First-class attention to detail and the ability to comprehend intricate legal matters.
* A proactive approach and a desire to be an integral member of our leading and supportive team.
* The ability to work effectively within tight timeframes, both collaboratively and autonomously.
* A hunger to learn, develop, and contribute to maintaining a market-leading practice.
What you can expect from us:
* We're a world leading international law firm with a global team of over 5,000 professionals. 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 26 weeks paid parental leave, holistic wellbeing fund or home office allowance please click here: https://marketing.hsf.com/20/29354/landing-pages/hsf-benefits.pdf
* Join us to be part of a human, bold and outstanding team at Australia's market leading law firm.
We encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to First Nations, LGBTIQA+ and neurodivergent individuals, as well as individuals of all ages, cultures, genders and abilities. We're a safe, inclusive and equitable workplace and celebrate the diversity of our people.
For more information, or a confidential discussion, please reach out to Ashley Irving, Recruitment Manager at ashley.irving@hsf.com.
Team
Projects, Energy & Infra
Working Pattern
Full time
Location
Brisbane
Contract type
Permanent Contract
Diversity & Inclusion
At Herbert Smith Freehills you will be part of a diverse, innovative culture where high performance, client focus and highly engaged people are our differentiator. People at our firm come from a range of backgrounds and bring a wide variety of experiences and perspectives to their work with us. We strive to ensure that our inclusive environment means you feel valued and able to perform at your best by being your authentic self at work. We know that our future success not only depends on being innovative and progressive in the changing legal market but, most importantly, on our people feeling highly engaged in meaningful work.
We understand that you have commitments and personal interests outside of work and we strive to create a working environment based on mutual trust and respect, in which you can perform at your best whilst maintaining sustainable balance across your life.