Kennedys is looking for a Senior Associate or Special Counsel to join its Melbourne employment team. The role will involve working in a team based environment on an exciting mix of industrial relations, health and safety, discrimination and employment law matters, covering both litigation and advisory services. This role will also include EPL work for the insurers to the clients. We are looking for a candidate who is a team player, and is an excellent lawyer who can develop and maintain excellent client relationships. The candidate will have a significant role in client business development activities. Team Kennedys is a global firm and has had a presence in Australia since 2006. In 2017, Kennedys Melbourne opened to reinforce the firm’s commitment to the Australian market. In May 2021, Kennedys opened an office in Perth and in July last year we also have a Brisbane office. The Melbourne office advises on employment, healthcare, dispute resolution and casualty and liability. The Melbourne office is an inclusive and friendly team of about 40 people. Our Melbourne employment partner, Chris Molnar, has over 25 years practising experience and is one of only a few practitioners to be accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria as a specialist in workplace relations. Clients Global and national insurers and underwriters SMEs Health sector agencies Private clients Public owned entities Cases Fair Work Commission, health & safety prosecutions, discrimination, wrongful dismissal, EO and human rights. Required experience 6-10 years’ experience*, with workplace relations’ experience Knowledge and understanding of Australian employment law Experience and knowledge of Fair Work Commission and Federal Court processes and procedures Non-contentious employment experience Running own caseload * where a level of experience is indicated, this is a guideline only and represents the amount of time we would usually expect a candidate to accumulate the requisite level of experience. This does not preclude applications from candidates with more or less experience. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments or additional support in order to submit your application to Kennedys. *where a level of experience is indicated, this is a guideline only and represents the amount of time we would usually expect a candidate to accumulate the requisite level of experience. This does not preclude applications from candidates with more or less experience. About Kennedys Kennedys is a global law firm with expertise in dispute resolution and advisory services. With over 2,500 people worldwide across 45 offices in the UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and America we have some of the most respected legal minds in their field. Our lawyers handle both contentious and non-contentious matters, and provide a range of specialist legal services, for many industry sectors but we have particular expertise in litigation and dispute resolution, especially in defending insurance and liability claims. We’re a fresh-thinking firm, and we’re not afraid to bring challenging new perspectives to the table way beyond the traditional realm of legal services. We empower our clients with a diverse range of ideas, tools and technology to make their lives easier, as well as delivering exceptional results, every time. What do we have to offer? We welcome high-performing lawyers, business services professionals, secretaries, graduates and apprentices to join our rapidly expanding global firm. Whatever your role at Kennedys, you’ll be involved in exciting and stimulating work, where your input will make a difference. Our culture and values form a big part of who we are and we take them seriously. We make a difference by being approachable, straightforward, supportive and distinctive. Our values are at the core of who we are and what make us a great firm to work with and for. At Kennedys, we develop careers in an innovative global environment. Life at Kennedys is exciting, fast paced and varied and we believe that supporting individual growth and development puts us in the best position to attract and retain talented individuals. Regardless of role or level, everyone has access to virtual learning to help you develop your skills, wherever you are in the world. A variety of other opportunities are available including secondments to clients and our global offices. We strive to celebrate diversity, empower our people and ensure everyone can bring their authentic selves to work. We’ve created a culture based on client service, professional excellence, hard work and trust, where diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) is a key priority. We recognise that many of our people want to work for an employer that is aligned to their values, which is why we are building an inclusive culture, decarbonising our operations and supporting our people to thrive at work. Our people are the key to driving this change and helping us to make a difference to our clients, our people and the communities in which we live and work. Kennedys is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. We expect all employees to be aware of and comply with all relevant policies and procedures within their jurisdiction, including those relating to Information Security, Data Protection and Quality Management, refer any breach promptly to Risk & Compliance and to complete all mandatory training when requested.