Practice Assistant – Construction Litigation

Practice Assistant – Construction Litigation

• 12-month FTC to cover parental leave and support a Partner as a trusted Practice Assistant in our Construction Litigation practice

• High-impact role for someone proactive, organised, confident using initiative and invested in clients, matters and team success

• Help a busy, high-performing team stay aligned, meet deadlines and thrive in a genuinely positive team culture

About the Role

We are seeking an exceptional, highly organised and proactive Practice Assistant to join our Melbourne Construction Litigation team. In this role, you will provide dedicated support to Partner, Amy Munro, and act as a trusted member across her busy practice, taking a real interest in clients, matters and the way the team works.

This is a full-time, 12-month contract opportunity to cover parental leave. This role would be suitable for someone who thrives on using initiative, anticipating needs and bringing structure to a high-volume practice with multiple clients and matters on the go. Alongside excellent executive support, you will help keep the team connected, accountable and operating at a consistently high standard, with a clear view of what is happening across the practice.

This is more than a traditional legal secretarial role. You will be a calm, trusted point of coordination who helps drive follow-through on deadlines, keeps work moving, tracks the different clients and matters, and looks after the team in a fast-paced environment.

The key responsibilities for this role include but are not limited to the following:

• Taking an active interest in clients and matters so you can track the status of work, key stakeholders and the different arrangements in place across the practice

• Actively managing and triaging inboxes, prioritising urgent and high‑risk matters, escalating where appropriate and proactively bringing key issues to attention

• Acting as the operational anchor of the team, keeping work moving and helping the team stay aligned, grounded and accountable

• Monitoring deadlines, anticipating bottlenecks and driving follow-through on key actions and deliverables

• Handling billing, expenses, WIP reporting and other practice management requirements

• Matter management, including conflict searches, appointment letters, opening and closing files, archiving, filing and maintaining accurate matter records and key client arrangements

• Looking after the team day to day with care and compassion, helping create a positive culture and supporting a high-performing environment

• Harnessing the resources of the firm to deliver the outcome for the team

This role is ideal for someone who wants to do more than traditional legal secretarial support and is energised by helping a busy practice and small team operate at their best, while staying calm, steady and solutions-focused when pressure rises.

About You

To succeed in this role, you will bring:

• A strong legal support background is essential; experience in transactional or litigation practices will both be considered, noting this role involves limited formal court work

• Strong practice management capability, including billing and WIP discipline, confidence using legal systems and processes (Elite 3E experience is highly regarded), and the ability to keep track of client-specific arrangements and matter requirements

• Exceptional organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple competing priorities across clients, matters and stakeholders

• Comfortable working at pace in a highly demanding practice, with the confidence to operate autonomously, make sound decisions and progress work without constant direction

• Strong judgment, initiative and a genuine interest in understanding the clients, matters and commercial context behind the work

• The confidence and maturity to coordinate others, drive follow-through and keep work moving without formal authority

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships at all levels

• A calm, resilient and unflappable approach, with strong attention to detail and sound judgment under pressure

• A caring, compassionate and grounded approach, with a genuine interest in looking after the team, contributing to culture and helping others perform at a high standard

Who are we?

We are Mallesons. The top-tier independent firm from Australia, a full-service firm trusted on the most complex and consequential matters across our region and around the world. We’ve been part of Australia’s story for almost 200 years and acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional owners and custodians of these lands and waters.

Our independence gives us the flexibility to combine our extensive top tier full-service capability with the best advisers in every market. With deep expertise, collective judgment and genuine collaboration, we cut through complexity so our clients can move forward with confidence and make more happen.

Why work with us?

We build careers that go everywhere. Mallesons is a special place to work where anything is possible, ambitions are limitless and diversity and inclusion play an important role. It’s a place where you will collaborate with exceptional colleagues and clients, where you will sharpen your edge and support others to do the same, where you will make a difference you can be proud of. You will have access to a suite of wellbeing initiatives, benefits, policies and process that will support you to achieve your career goals.

Together we learn. Together we master. Together we lead.

Next Steps

Please click ‘Apply Now’ to apply online with your cover letter summarising why you’re applying and your resume to support your experience.

If you have any questions or need any further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Sophie Larrett at sophie.larrett@mallesons.com

If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you must hold all visas and other approvals necessary for you to work for the firm in Australia.

Diversity and Inclusion

Mallesons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people from diverse backgrounds. We welcome, value, support and harness the positive benefits that people’s different life experiences bring, especially as they relate to gender, sexual identity, culture, faith, disability and life stages. 

If you are unsure if you meet all criteria for this role, but have a passion for delivering high quality work, developing your skills and realising your full potential, then we encourage you to apply and have a further conversation about how you could fit at Mallesons.

We have a range of inclusive hiring practices – if you would like to seek workplace adjustments to complete your application please contact the Recruitment contact for this role or email careers@mallesons.com