Senior Associate, Corporate Tmt (focus On Cyber)

Senior Associate, Corporate TMT (focus on Cyber)

Melbourne – CBD

The opportunity

We are seeking a Senior Associate to join our premier Band 1 TMT Corporate team in Melbourne.

In this role you will work with our leading cyber specialists, Cameron Whittfield, Phillip Magness and Peter Jones. You will also get the opportunity to work with other leading Partners across head office advisory, TMT, regulatory, disputes and corporate (including Julian Lincoln and Katherine Gregor).

As Cyber technology is a key focus, you will primarily work alongside Cameron Whittfield, who is one the country’s most experienced cyber lawyers, specialises in cyber / information security (and incident response), emerging technologies (including blockchain and AI solutions) and technology transactions.

Your day could typically involve:

• Acting as lead associate on client matters, including drafting and negotiating the preparation of proposals, estimates and pitches.

• Being part of the cyber leadership team, developing firm strategies and client support programs, advising legal teams, commercial clients, C-suite and directors.

• Advising on data security, cyber and technology transactions, including managing cyber incidents and cyber resilience, as well as supporting all practice groups and industries on “all things cyber”.

• Working closely with other legal teams across the firm to deliver an integrated service to our clients.

• Project managing client matters to ensure that key deadlines are met, including working closely with other legal teams across the firm to deliver an integrated service to our clients.

• Managing and building external client relationships, including assisting with business development activities for key existing clients and new clients.

• Mentoring junior associates in the team, and assisting with providing training to junior associates both in the team and across the firm.

Skills, experience and qualifications

To be successful in this role, you will:

• Have an unrestricted Australian or New Zealand practicing certificate.

• 5/6 years’ private practice or similar experience in technology law, including data security, cyber security and / or technology transactions. We are very open to considering candidates with more or less experience and a passion for these areas.

• Interest the intersection of emerging technologies, the digital economy and the law.

• Excellent attention to detail and drafting and negotiation skills.

• The ability to adapt to a dynamic work environment and the willingness to advise companies at senior levels.

• Advanced legal skills, including complex drafting, negotiation and project management skills; good people management and business development skills and a track record of leading transactions.

• Full understanding of law firm profitability and key drivers for financial efficiency; and ability to manage costs and budgets.

• An eagerness to create an exceptional experience for our clients and value empathy, simplicity and commerciality as we do.

Group / Team

Corporate

Group / Team description

We have one of the largest TMT practices in Australia, bringing together lawyers who advise on matters relating to telecommunications, technology, commercial intellectual property, outsourcing, media and broadcasting, privacy, e-commerce and transitional services. The team also advises on related M&A matters. Our experience and advice spans TMT in its widest sense.

We are one of the few elite firms with a full-service international TMT practice. HSF places TMT at the heart of its strategy: we want to invest in our TMT team to consolidate on its recent success and to build for the coming years’ successes. Our TMT team works hard to originate the majority of its work, as well as supporting other practice groups.

Herbert Smith Freehills is proud to be awarded Number 1 ‘Attraction Firm’ (Lawyers Weekly Legal Firm of Choice 2022-23), Law Firm of the Year (Australasian Law Awards, 2021) and Most Innovative International Law Firm, Asia Pacific (Financial Times Awards 2020).

What we offer:

• The opportunity to partner with prestigious clients based in Australia and globally on some of the largest, most strategic and most complex matters, and develop deep expertise across a range of sectors, as well as opportunities to collaborate on cross-border matters with our global network. We also encourage your involvement in our various networks, pro-bono legal offerings, learning and development initiatives and innovation groups such as the Digital Law Group and our Alternative Legal Services (ALT) practice group. 

• At Herbert Smith Freehills we value flexibility. For most roles, we work an average of 60% of the time in the office, taking into consideration individual, team, client and learning needs.

• To continue to support our staff working from home as a part of Agile 60, we offer an allowance for home office furniture as well as IT equipment.

• We recognise that the success of our business and our clients relies on the skills, knowledge and ideas of all our people. We are dedicated to creating an exceptional experience for our clients and we value empathy, simplicity and commerciality.

• We aim to support our people through their career and life milestones. We offer 26 weeks paid parental leave, which includes superannuation on both paid and unpaid parental leave up to 52 weeks. Our policy applies to parents regardless of gender, subject to six months of continuous employment at HSF.

• At Herbert Smith Freehills you will be part of a diverse, innovative culture where high performance, client focus and highly engaged people are our differentiator. People at our firm come from a range of backgrounds and bring a wide variety of experiences and perspectives to their work with us. We strive to ensure that our inclusive environment means you feel valued and able to perform at your best by being your authentic self at work. We know that our future success not only depends on being innovative and progressive in the changing legal market but, most importantly, on our people feeling highly engaged in meaningful work.

• People join us to develop their careers and themselves. To support this we provide contemporary tailored learning programs, regular career conversations and a culture of feedback.

• To view our benefits in Australia, please copy this link into your browser – https://sites-herbertsmithfreehills.vuturevx.com/20/21553/landing-pages/benefits-in-australia.pdf

Role type

Legal professionals/Practice Group

Contract type

Permanent

Working pattern

Full Time

Diversity & Inclusion

At Herbert Smith Freehills you will be part of a diverse, innovative culture where high performance, client focus and highly engaged people are our differentiator. People at our firm come from a range of backgrounds and bring a wide variety of experiences and perspectives to their work with us. We strive to ensure that our inclusive environment means you feel valued and able to perform at your best by being your authentic self at work. We know that our future success not only depends on being innovative and progressive in the changing legal market but, most importantly, on our people feeling highly engaged in meaningful work.

We understand that you have commitments and personal interests outside of work and we strive to create a working environment based on mutual trust and respect, in which you can perform at your best whilst maintaining sustainable balance across your life.

–

Herbert Smith Freehills