Senior Legal Counsel - Employment & IR focus

About our client...
Our client is a well established nationally registered employer association, supporting over 2,600 independent businesses nationwide. They are located in the beautiful inner south-eastern suburbs. An opportunity now exists for an experienced Employment / IR Lawyer to join their dedicated member engagement team and provide crucial employment law advice to its members.
 
About this role...
Reporting to the CEO (who is also a lawyer), you will play a pivotal role in their member engagement team. Here you will provide quality legal advisory and advocacy services across all aspects of employment law.
 
As such, your primary responsibilities will include (but are not limited to):-

• Advice to members (telephone and email) on wide range of employment relations matters such as: disciplinary matters, performance related issues, termination of employment, EEO, discrimination, WHS and award interpretation, health & safety, equal opportunity and diversity, industrial disputes, payment of entitlements, injury and return to work processes, workcover, recruitment and retention strategies and conflict resolution;
• Helping to mentor and coach members in having employee relation conversations;
• Provide consulting services to members which could involve regional and interstate travel from time to time; 
• Research and prepare draft submissions to Parliament and Regulators on a range of Federal and State Government issues
• Contribute to Industrial Relations projects and initiatives
• Participate in conciliation and/or mediation conferences
• Manage litigated matters (e.g. before Fair Work Commission)
• Write articles on relevant subject matter
• Attend industry events

• 6+ years post admission experience   in employment law at a law firm, an industry association or other in-house role
• Experience in Employment/IR/ER Law
• Interest in high level legislative matters
• Unrestricted current practising certificate (or ability to obtain one)
• Excellent negotiation / influencing / drafting skills
• Good communication and presentation skills
• Ability to embrace opportunities for change and facilitate new ways of working
• Experience in other legal areas such as commercial/contracts, planning and competition law advantageous but not essential.