Senior Construction Lawyer

Play a key role in a young team doing challenging work for fantastic clients. And allow yourself to have a little fun while you’re doing it.

Established in 1911, Turtons is one of Sydney's premier small law firms. Partly because of the work it does, partly because of the clients it attracts. But mainly because of what it's like working there.

You can listen to us talking about both the firm, and the role, in the Beyond Billables podcast below.

And in case you hadn’t seen it, you can learn a little more about the firm’s culture by watching this short video.

Here are some of the companies you could work with.

Join the team and you will have the opportunity to work with the companies below, among others. Each of these companies is privately owned and, without exception, a joy to work with.

They each have an annual turnover of between $20m and about $500m. You would tend to get involved in contracts with a value of between $5-25m, doing front-end work, back-end work and everything in between. (Obviously there will be exceptions at both ends of this range.)

Here are some of the matters you could have worked on, had you joined the firm 12 months ago.

Refurbishment of a university building in Sydney (front end)
Payment/delay dispute involving a large retail project in Melbourne
Refurbishment of a hotel in Sydney (front end)
Rectification of a reservoir in far north Queensland (defects issue)
Defects dispute arising from a commercial project in regional NSW
Large ($20m+) office fitout in Melbourne (front end)
Creation of a suite of subcontracts for use and execution in a digital environment
Advice on builder's licensing requirements across the country

And this is just a small sample. Most of the work is for head contractors. We occasionally work for developers, subcontractors and consultants.

Most of the projects you will advise on are commercial or civil. You will encounter a variety of contracts, mostly modified standards (Australian Standards and ABIC) and bespoke contracts. Your advice will be sought on a variety of delivery methods.

Our clients - which could be your clients - tend to work for blue chip companies and governments. Consequently, the firms on the other side of our matters are firms you are already working with (or perhaps working for). Firms such as HWLE, Clayton Utz, HDY, Corrs, Dentons, Minter Ellison, Maddocks, CBP, Allens... the list goes on.

Most of the projects we get involved in fall in the range of $5-30m, but obviously there are exceptions (at both ends of the scale).

Here’s where we say nice things about ourselves.

Or not. You’ll make up your own mind, so we’ll just give you the objective facts instead.

We're a small team. Currently there are only about 10 of us in the office. We’re actively hiring and we’re aiming to grow. In a small office, every team member's contribution is critical. It's an opportunity where you can make a real difference.

We have two principals, Bill Henry and Greg Henry (father and son). Both play an actively role in mentoring all of our staff. Both graduated Sydney University law school, both hold MBAs and both hold degrees with first class honours (or equivalent). Bill has 40 years PQE; Greg has about 17. Bill is looking to transition into retirement. Greg is building a team for the future. Opportunities for equity are available for the right person.

We enjoy working with each other. We’ll often hang around for drinks on Friday and even catch up with each other occasionally on weekends. Not because we are required, but because we enjoy each other’s company.

There’s not much more we can add. You can read some testimonials from current and former employees here if you’re interested.

Other things you will like about Turtons.

Among other things, you will experience:

a culture where people are encouraged to take the initiative and work to their potential
a clear strategy on where the firm is headed
a variety of work within the construction space (and beyond, if that piques your interest)
an opportunity for equity if that is your goal
no bureaucracy or politics; decisions are made very quickly
the opportunity not just to participate in decisions, but to make them as well
a new (completed in 2017) light-filled office. It's part office, part open plan, with all the offices having clear glass walls and doors
sit-to-stand desks
sparkling water on tap (an unexpected win that came with the new fitout)
great IT systems, including seamless remote access, and a drive within the firm to use technology to its full potential
a building with fantastic end-of-trip facilities, which a number of us use

This is an environment where we want you to make a difference, both within our office and for the clients we work for.

If this sounds like you, we'd love for you to get in touch.