Watson St Claire Family Law is a specialist family law firm based in Brisbane. We provide clear, practical and honest advice to people navigating separation and family law disputes. Our work includes parenting matters, property settlements, financial agreements, divorce, domestic violence matters and litigation where necessary.

We don't create conflict where it isn't needed or overcomplicate straightforward issues. Our job is to help clients understand what matters, what doesn't, and what to do next.

We're a small practice that is growing, and this is a newly created role.

We're looking for someone who wants to grow with us.

The Role

Senior Family Lawyer / Senior Associate – Family Law - Brisbane

We're looking for an experienced family lawyer with a minimum of five years' PAE. The title and remuneration will reflect the successful candidate's experience and capability.

The position is initially part-time, working four days per week, Tuesday to Friday.

You'll work closely with the Principal while taking over an established file load and learning how we work, our clients and our approach to family law.

As we get to know and trust each other, you'll have increasing autonomy, greater responsibility and genuine influence over how the practice develops.

You'll have carriage of your own family law matters, including parenting, property, divorce, de facto, domestic violence and financial matters.

Your responsibilities will include:

managing files from commencement through to resolution;

providing clients with clear, honest and practical advice;

drafting high-quality correspondence, court documents and agreements;

appearing in the Magistrates Court and Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia for first returns, directions, mentions and appropriate interim matters;

briefing and working with counsel for significant interim and final hearings, complex matters and where specialist advice is appropriate;

contributing to precedents, SOPs, systems and continuous improvement within the practice;

contributing appropriately to the firm's business development and reputation; and

as the practice grows, mentoring and supervising junior lawyers and support staff.

As a small and growing practice, initially there will be times when you'll need to roll up your sleeves and do work that wouldn't ordinarily sit with an experienced lawyer in a larger firm.

That will change as the team grows, but we're looking for someone who sees what needs doing and gets it done rather than saying, "that's not my job".

About You

You're already a capable family lawyer with sound technical knowledge and experience.

More importantly, you're the sort of person who naturally takes ownership.

If you encounter something unfamiliar, your first instinct isn't to ask someone else to solve it. You check resources, research, think it through and then ask thoughtful questions if you still need guidance.

When your work is under control, you don't wait to be told what to do next. You might improve a precedent, document a better process, identify a useful CPD session, write a client resource or suggest a better way of doing something.

You leave the practice better than you found it.

You understand that practising law is also a commercial enterprise. Clients need to receive value, work needs to be done efficiently and a sustainable practice needs lawyers who take responsibility for progressing their matters.

You have good judgement, communicate well and are comfortable respectfully expressing a different view when you have a sound reason for doing so.

You also have a sense of humour and don't take yourself too seriously.

What You'll Need

You must:

be admitted to practise in Australia, hold a current practising certificate and be registered to practise in the Federal courts;

have at least 5 years' post-admission experience in family law;

be capable of independently managing a family law file load;

be confident appearing in court for procedural and appropriate interlocutory matters;

have strong drafting skills and excellent written English and grammar;

demonstrate sound judgement, initiative and problem-solving skills;

be able to manage competing priorities and deadlines;

be proficient in Smokeball and Microsoft Office; and

demonstrate a commitment to ethical practice, confidentiality and high-quality client service.

Experience mentoring or supervising junior lawyers or support staff is desirable, as is an interest in contributing to the growth of the practice.

Flexible and Remote Work

We support flexible working arrangements, including the possibility of fully remote work for the right person.

Remote work needs to work for our clients and the practice, not simply be convenient. If you're seeking a predominantly or fully remote arrangement, we'd like you to tell us how you propose to make it work.

In particular, we'd like to understand how you'll:

manage in-person court appearances, particularly given that most of our work is in Brisbane;

manage other in-person professional commitments when required;

maintain responsive client service;

communicate and collaborate effectively with the Principal and, as we grow, other team members; and

maintain a professional, secure and confidential working environment.

We're open to different arrangements if they work.

What We Offer

A genuine four-day working week – Tuesday to Friday.

Competitive remuneration package (inclusive of superannuation), pro-rated for the four-day week and negotiated according to experience, capability and the value you bring.

Performance bonus opportunity linked to agreed KPIs.

Flexible working arrangements, including WFH, hybrid and potentially fully remote arrangements for the right person.

CPD support to meet annual mandatory requirements.

Direct mentoring and collaboration with the Principal.

Increasing autonomy and responsibility as trust develops.

The opportunity to influence the systems, processes and direction of a growing practice.

A genuine pathway to mentoring and leading a team as the firm grows.

Most importantly, this is an opportunity to learn not only how to practise family law well, but how to build and run a family law practice.

This isn't intended to be a role that looks exactly the same in five years.

As the practice grows, the role can grow with it. For the right person, there is genuine scope to take on significant leadership responsibility and participate in the longer-term development of the practice.

We'd Particularly Like to Hear From You If...

You're looking for more than your next job.

You want to practise family law well without creating unnecessary conflict.

You enjoy helping people through one of the hardest periods of their lives.

You're commercially aware without compromising your integrity.

You're resourceful and prefer solving problems to simply identifying them.

You're prepared to roll up your sleeves while we're growing.

You're comfortable admitting when you don't know something – and capable of working out how to find the answer.

You're low ego, take ownership and can crack a joke.

And you're excited by the idea of helping build something that will be better in five years than it is today.

How to Apply

Please provide:

your resumé; and

a covering letter.

Your covering letter matters. Tell us a little about why this particular role appeals to you, rather than simply telling us that you meet the selection criteria.

If you're seeking a remote working arrangement, also tell us how you propose to make that arrangement work for our clients and the practice.

Professional referees will be requested from shortlisted candidates at the appropriate stage.

Please send your application to ••••@watsonstclaire.com.au.