Associate - General Insurance & Commercial Disputes

About the Role and Team

Our Melbourne practice is broad and will involve you working across a range of commercial disputes and contentious insurance matters including in casualty, professional indemnity, and directors’ and officers’ insurance coverage and defence work, with a particular focus on high-value, strategic claims, claims involving significant stakeholder involvement, and claims arising from emerging risks, including AI. The client base is wide and encompasses major Australian and London Market underwriters and large corporations.

Partners Darryl Smith (Australia Co-Lead for AI & Legal Technology), Ross Donaldson and Kelly MacDonald foster a culture which is collegiate and positive, and you will be exposed to an excellent depth of mentoring together with career development opportunities.

We are open to hearing from people from general disputes and insurance litigation backgrounds. You will be joining a supportive and collaborative team environment, and you will work closely with other offices across the globe, therefore sharing of knowledge, team inclusion, accountability and a track record of success as a team player are key requirements.

Key responsibilities

• Legal Expertise: Assisting the Partners and other team members on a range of complex and large-scale matters, including but not limited to:
  • Defence of directors’ and officers’ liability and professional indemnity insurance claims, defending claims involving large construction projects, product and public liability claims and multi-party litigation.

• Team: Working with and delegating to junior lawyers and willingness to help partners/special counsel manage the team and foster teamwork.
• Client Management: Liaising directly with regional and global clients and ability to build a trusted adviser relationship. We will support you to be actively involved in business development work.
• Supervising Discovery: Superior skills related to managing e-discovery and electronic data collection in the context of litigation.
• Communication: Clear and effective communication is essential, both in conveying legal advice to clients and in negotiating with opposing parties.

Candidate profile

• Suitable candidates will be Australian or dual qualified and have experience gained in an international or leading national firm.
• Prior experience working on litigation matters and defending claims in courts and tribunals in Australia, and a commitment to technical excellence.
• Commercial awareness and confidence in building a rapport with clients to gain a better understanding of their needs and with the assistance of the partner, actively developing client relationships.
• A keen interest in professional development, and confidence to assist develop client relationships.
• The desire to contribute and thrive in a high performing team environment.

Why Join Us?

At Clyde & Co, we believe in supporting your professional growth while ensuring you have the flexibility and benefits you need to thrive. Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Hybrid Work Flexibility – Enjoy a perfect balance between remote and in-office work.
• Additional leave benefit – Senior lawyers receive an additional paid 5 day leave allowance annually.
• Performance Bonuses – Structured and generous bonus schemes in place, to ensure our lawyers feel rewarded for their contributions.
• Referral Rewards – Earn generous bonuses for introducing talented colleagues to our team.
• Mentorship & Career Growth – Access strong mentorship, global training programs, and career development support.
• Engaging Culture – Participate in exciting social events, volunteer and community service initiatives, and professional development opportunities.
• Wellbeing Benefits – $750 per calendar year for a variety of wellness activities as well as a Wellbeing Day dedicated to you, free from work, to focus on your mental, physical, and emotional health.
• Inclusive Parental Leave – Six months fully paid, for all parents regardless of gender or path to parenthood.
• Global Mobility Program – Participate in client-facing events across Australia and abroad with opportunities to explore our international offices.

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The Firm

When you work at Clyde & Co, you join a team of 500 partners, 2,400 lawyers, 3,200 legal professionals and 5,500 people in nearly 70 offices and associated offices worldwide. Our values are the principles that guide the decisions we make, unite us in our endeavours and strengthen our delivery, for both our clients and our firm. We work as one, excel with clients, celebrate difference and act boldly. We are committed to operating in a responsible way by progressing towards a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities and clients it serves. We are devoted to providing an environment in which everyone can realise their potential, using its legal and professional skills to support its communities. We do this through pro bono work, volunteering and charitable partnerships, and minimising the impact it has on the environment, including through our commitment to the SBTi Net-Zero standard and the setting of ambitious emissions reduction targets.

Our Commitment

Clyde & Co is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. Our values encourage us to support fairness, celebrate diversity and prohibit all forms of discrimination in the workplace to allow everyone to excel at work. Therefore, we welcome and encourage all applications from suitably qualified individuals, regardless of background or identity. Learn more about our interview process.

A Note on Privacy

Please take a moment to read our privacy notice. This describes what personal information Clyde & Co (we) may hold about you, what it’s used for, how it’s obtained, your rights and how to contact us as a data subject.

If you are submitting a candidate as a Recruitment Agency Partner, it is an essential requirement and your responsibility to ensure that candidates applying to Clyde & Co are aware of this privacy notice.

This is the job description as constituted at present; however, Clyde & Co reserves the right to reasonably amend it in accordance with the changing needs of the business.