Lawyer or Senior Associate - Employment Relations and Safety

Good people. Good work. Great opportunities.

McCullough Robertson is a commercially focused firm with a proud 100 year history, working with high-calibre national and international clients. We work on big matters in small teams, approaching each day with dedication and professionalism.      

We provide exceptional opportunities for our employees to perform, grow and succeed through extensive training and career development. Our teams work together and support one another to achieve individual, team and firm-wide goals.

Backed by a national team of over 400 staff located in Brisbane and Sydney, McCullough Robertson combines a century of experience with a modern, collaborative approach, making us a big firm, without the attitude.

The Team

Our Employment Relations and Safety group, comprising over 20 lawyers based in Brisbane and Sydney, is one of Australia's leading workplace practices. We partner with private sector clients with recognised brands and with government clients (State, Local and Federal), to navigate complex employment, industrial relations and work health and safety challenges.

From high-stakes litigation and enterprise bargaining negotiations to workplace investigations, discipline processes, organisational change projects and responding to major safety incidents, our team is trusted to advise on some of the most significant workplace matters in the market. We combine deep technical expertise with practical, commercial advice, helping clients achieve outcomes that work in the real world.

As part of a nationally growing practice, you will work alongside recognised leaders in the field and gain exposure to a diverse mix of clients, industries and matters that will accelerate your professional development.

The Role

Working in the Brisbane team, you will not be waiting long for interesting work to come your way.

From day one, you will be directly engaging with clients to solve problems and collaborating closely with partners, as well as lawyers in other teams.

One week you might be appearing in the Fair Work Commission, giving advice about an employee’s suspension or ill-health management, and drafting submissions in response to a discrimination claim. The next, you could be addressing psychological risks in a redundancy process, advising on steps to address a workplace conduct complaint, getting evidence for an underpayment dispute, negotiating with an industrial organisation about an agreement, and working with multiple teams across the firm for a major acquisition project. You will also have the opportunity to work on significant safety matters, including incident responses, regulator investigations, and some of the country’s largest WHS prosecutions and coronial inquests. 

Experience

We are looking for lawyers with at least three years' post-admission experience who are curious, commercially minded and genuinely passionate about employment, industrial relations and workplace safety. Our lawyers work with all four Partners, so excellent time management, matter management, and communication skills are critical.

You may be a lawyer ready for the next challenge, or a Senior Associate looking for greater responsibility and the opportunity to help shape a growing practice and mentoring others.

Most importantly, you will enjoy tackling complex problems, building strong client relationships and working as part of a collaborative, high-performing team.

If you're looking for challenging work, great clients, talented colleagues and a genuine opportunity to be part of something exciting, we would love to hear from you.

Benefits

At McCullough Robertson, we encourage a balanced work environment. Our teams enjoy having the opportunity to work in a supportive environment while having fun and achieving results.

We offer the following benefits for our employees:

• Dedicated Diversity committee with an innovative program focusing on all areas of diversity and inclusion;
• Attractive further education program and supportive learning and development opportunities throughout your whole career;
• Mentoring and sponsorship opportunities as well as coaching and leadership support;
• Holistic Health and Wellbeing program including subsidised gym membership and active social and sporting committees; and
• Inhouse barista and end-of-trip facilities.

Inclusion and Diversity

We are a leader in diversity and inclusion and are committed to creating an environment where our employees want to come to work.

An award-winning law firm, we have received the prestigious Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation for 15 consecutive year and been recognised as a Gold Tier Small Employer at the 2026 Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards.

To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply for Job" button, and submit your application on-line. Alternatively, please contact Sophie Sims on 07 3914 8462 for a confidential discussion.

We're an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.