Employment Counsel

Overview

A well-respected university is seeking a Legal Counsel to join their legal team. This role serves as a service-focused first point of contact, supporting senior counsel by delivering timely, high-quality legal advice across employment, disputes, complaints, and investigations. The position also involves providing legal oversight of complex investigations involving students, staff, and third parties, particularly in cases of serious misconduct and elevated legal risk.

Responsibilities

• Act as a proactive, service-focused point of contact for internal clients and external parties across areas including people/HR, workplace relations, student conduct, dispute matters, and other portfolios as required.
• Provide legal and strategic advice on staff and student disputes, including negotiation, mediation, resolution strategies, and management of court and tribunal proceedings, including briefing and managing external counsel.
• Build and maintain productive working relationships with key stakeholders and their teams.
• Deliver business-focused legal training on contemporary issues relevant to stakeholders.
• Develop, maintain, and enhance template documents and legal resources.
• Prepare regular legal updates for internal communication channels.
• Manage the engagement of external legal advisers where appropriate, ensuring compliance with relevant organizational policies and procedures.

Requirements

• Substantial experience as a lawyer in workplace relations (employment, industrial relations, safety, discrimination) and administrative law.
• Experience in the higher education sector (in-house or private practice) is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to deliver timely, business-relevant legal advice while collaborating with multiple stakeholders at different levels.
• Demonstrated capacity to operate with a high level of confidentiality, diplomacy, and influence.
• Excellent interpersonal and time management skills.
• Ability to work autonomously in a fast-paced team environment with a positive, can-do attitude.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing complex investigations involving serious misconduct and elevated legal risk.
• Strong negotiation and mediation skills.

Compensation & Benefits

• Opportunities to work with world-class clients, including premier companies and listed organizations.
• Flexible work arrangements tailored to individual preferences, including remote work options.
• Support from a dedicated talent partner throughout the engagement process.
• Referral bonus program for recommending legal peers.

Location

This role is based within the legal team of a university; specific location details are not provided.

This position offers the opportunity to contribute legal expertise in a dynamic higher education environment, supporting a broad range of employment and dispute matters with a focus on service and collaboration.