Careers
Associate/Senior Associate - Corporate & Commercial - Sydney
- 492729
- Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Permanent Full time
- A true meritocracy model - be promoted by your contribution and not held back by outdated structures
- Flexible 3:2 work arrangements
- Generous leave policies including purchased, parental and performance reward leave
About us
HWLE is not your typical law firm. Our rapid rise to become the largest legal partnership in Australia shows that in our case, the differences are real. We deliver first class legal advice to our government and commercial clients in every state and territory across Australia. Firm wide, we have over 270 Partners and 1700 people
The opportunity
Join our Corporate & Commercial team in Sydney, working closely with Partner Amber Cerny, a recognised specialist in private M&A, government and public sector transactions, foreign investment, and privacy/data compliance.
In this role, you will support a broad mix of Australian and international clients across the health, transport, technology, and government sectors. You will gain hands‑on experience in sophisticated commercial matters and work alongside senior lawyers who are leaders in their fields.
This position is ideal for candidates interested in complex transactional, regulatory and advisory work, with exposure to high‑profile clients and cross‑border matters.
You'll be busy with
- assisting with private M&A transactions, including due diligence, drafting and negotiating transaction documents
- supporting matters involving government procurement, public sector transactions and regulatory compliance
- preparing FIRB applications and advising on foreign investment and critical infrastructure requirements
- drafting commercial contracts, privacy notices, and assisting with privacy and data compliance projects
- conducting legal research, preparing advice and assisting with client management
- supporting legislative compliance reviews, policy development and corporate governance projects
To succeed in this role, ideally you'll have
- experience or strong interest in corporate/commercial law, including M&A, privacy, regulatory or government work
- strong drafting and analytical skills with high attention to detail
- ability to manage competing deadlines within a fast‑paced transactional environment
- excellent communication skills and a proactive, commercially‑minded approach
- a willingness to learn and work with evolving technologies and regulatory frameworks
What we offer
- Unrivalled career pathways: Our unique meritocracy model proudly offers our staff career development, promoting talent based solely on merit. Our size, range of experience and competitive pricing model will provide you with everything you need to succeed. Unlike our competitors, our Solicitor to Partner ratio enables greater mentoring and client engagement compared to our competitors. Our 180 day career forecasting sessions provide the platform to fast-track your progression.
- Location: Our cutting-edge office is conveniently located in the heart of the Sydney CBD amidst a fast-pace, high-networking legal community. Enjoy working in a state-of-the-art office environment with access to modern end of trip facilities.
- Great culture and a huge networking platform: Be part of a firm renowned for its friendly and down-to-earth culture. We also have sports clubs, social club and monthly firmwide drinks.
- Impact: Join a firm consistently ranked at the forefront of the Australian legal market, where your work is recognised nationally.
To apply, please submit your CV via the 'Apply' function. Applicants must have full working rights in Australia and a valid practising certificate to apply. HWLE also strongly encourages applications from the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community.
HWLE strives to create an inclusive environment where our people want and feel comfortable to bring their entire selves to work. Varied perspectives contribute to our collective success so whatever your background, we'd love to hear from you and encourage you to apply. If you have reasonable accessibility requirements that will enable you to participate equitably in our recruitment process, please reach out to Laura Harrison for a confidential discussion.
