Lawyer - Construction Disputes

Location: Melbourne

Contract Type: Permanent

MinterEllison is one of Australia’s largest independent law and consulting firms. With a heritage of almost 200 years, we are known for our excellence, and our authentic and enduring relationships with our clients, our people and our communities. Clients seek out MinterEllison to help them solve complex problems every day. We do this by our full-service legal offering and complementary consulting offering.

We offer opportunities to work on industry-leading mandates for top-tier clients, while being part of a high-performing and collaborative team that values excellence, diversity of thought, curiosity, and inclusion. We value our people and empower them to achieve their ambitions - with the support, trust and autonomy to grow their careers in meaningful ways.

At MinterEllison, we're leading the way with AI and other emerging technologies, powering innovation right across our firm. You will have the opportunity to engage with AI tools we've built, and other external AI tools, to enhance efficiencies and excellence internally and with our clients.

We support sustainable ways of working regarding how, when and where you work and offer a wide range of social, financial and health benefits (see www.minterellison.com/-/media//Minter-Ellison/Files/Careers/MinterEllison-Employee-Benefits-2025.ashx)

Your Role

We have an exciting opportunity for a junior building disputes lawyer (PQE 1-2) to join a busy and dynamic construction disputes practice. This role is focussed on litigation and dispute resolution in Victoria.

To be successful in this role you will need to demonstrate experience in managing and defending building disputes, ideally in VCAT and/or the County Court. We are looking for a junior lawyer ready to step up and manage your own file load with the experience and confidence to engage with clients, be a team player and work with diligent senior lawyers. This role requires extensive advice work drawing upon your existing dispute resolution experience, a knowledge of technical building terminology, contractual and statutory interpretations skills. 

What you need

We welcome applications from lawyers with a minimum 1-2 years PQE looking to take the next step in your career in a Tier 1 practice. Ideally, you will have experience in domestic building disputes, a passion for the technicalities of building compliance and the ability to manage your own case load and competing deadlines. Lawyers with a background in construction insurance disputes work are also strongly encouraged to apply. Besides your technical and legal knowledge, you will have an ability to manage client relationships and work collaboratively with a friendly, high performing and energised team.

You will also have: 

• strong attention to detail
• a commitment and willingness to learn and grow
• the ability to work in a highly collaborative fast-paced environment
• excellent communication skills, both written and verbal and
• resilience and a commitment to excellence that matches our own.

Our Team

MinterEllison is one of very few firms in the Australian market with a comprehensive integrated Construction, Infrastructure and Project Finance capability capable of handling the complete range of work across the full lifecycle of a project from finance arrangements and business case development to project documentation, contract administration and dispute resolution. 

The team's Partners are recognised as leaders in the construction industry for their commerciality and their depth of knowledge and expertise. A position within the team therefore offers the opportunity to learn from the best.

Our client base is diverse and they come to us for innovative solutions delivered by some of the most prominent lawyers in the sector. MinterEllison is an undoubtedly Tier 1 construction firm, with a proven and ongoing track-record of providing top-tier counsel on litigation and arbitration. The Minters team is consistently engaged for the most demanding matters in the market.

How to apply

We encourage applications from people of all ages, abilities, cultural backgrounds, genders (including trans or gender diverse), LGBTQ+ people and those with carer responsibilities. We particularly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to apply.

We prefer to connect with people directly, so please submit your CV by clicking on the 'Apply' button. We encourage all applications, including if you do not meet all the criteria listed for the role. Your application will also enable us to consider you for other opportunities that may be available at MinterEllison.

If you are currently a MinterEllison employee, please apply through the internal careers page.

If you would like further information, require any adjustments throughout the recruitment process or for a confidential discussion, please contact lisa.fleming@minterellison.com.