Senior Associate/Special Counsel - Restructuring & Insolvency

About the Role

An opportunity exists for an experienced Senior Associate and/or Special Counsel (7+ PQE) to join our Restructuring & Insolvency team in our Sydney office.

This role will see you play a key part on high-profile, complex advisory and corporate insolvency matters as well as insolvency-related litigation for insolvency practitioners, ASX listed corporations, investment banks, private equity and funders. 

This role provides a mix of high calibre cutting edge matters, hands on matter management and strategic input alongside the Partners. You will also have the opportunity to train and mentor junior lawyers.

About the Team

Our Restructuring and Insolvency team is regarded by the market and competitors as a top tier offering.  We secured and unsecured creditors, liquidators, voluntary administrators and receivers throughout Australia and overseas on corporate workouts, reconstructions and corporate insolvency. Our expertise is sought after in high profile insolvency administrations and in particular because we are free from banking panel restrictions.

Our lawyers are skilled at balancing the technical solution with the unique circumstances surrounding our clients’ business objectives.

About You

You bring strong technical expertise and relevant experience, but there is much more to you. You:

• deliver legal advice with a commercial and client focused outlook, always;
• work well under pressure, meet your deadlines and excel working in a team;
• have strong communication and stakeholder management skills and you use them effectively, internally and externally; and
• take a collaborative, positive and energetic approach to everything you do;
• are comfortable and experienced mentoring and training junior lawyers; and
• will have 7+ years’ experience in Restructuring & Insolvency within a private practice environment

Working at JWS

We value collaboration and our teams work together to achieve shared outcomes. We care about the wellbeing of our people and will invest time in understanding your objectives so we can support you throughout your career. We believe it’s this focus on our people that has seen our firm grow rapidly to become one of Australia’s leading independent law firms.

We pride ourselves on being down-to-earth, approachable, and always high-performing. We have worked hard to create a culture where people look out for each other.

We offer:

• A collegiate environment with a collaborative culture across offices and practice groups
• High-quality work with committed mentors supporting your career development
• Comprehensive benefits including competitive remuneration, flexible working, and extensive social and wellbeing initiatives
• Opportunities for professional growth through structured learning and development programs, pro bono work, and employee recognition initiatives

If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity to take your career to the next level, then we would love to hear from you.

Who we are

Johnson Winter Slattery (JWS) is a leading Australian law firm known for advising corporates and funds on their most complex transactions, disputes and regulatory matters.

At JWS, we build authentic, long-term relationships and have a deep understanding of our clients and their industries. Our clients say we are pragmatic, strategic, commercial and easy to work with.

Our firm is comprised of more than 450 highly talented people, including 80+ partners, across Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra. We are globally connected and have strong relationships with major independent law firms around the world.

JWS was recognised as Technology, Media and Telecom M&A Legal Adviser of the Year (Mergermarket M&A Awards Australia 2023), Energy Law Firm of the Year (Best Lawyers 2023) and Australian Law Firm of the Year (Beaton Client Choice Awards 2025). Our lawyers are highly ranked in Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 and Lexology Index (formerly Who's Who Legal).

We are strongly committed to social justice, responsible business and our diverse communities. We are proud of our pro bono program which focuses on supporting low income, disadvantaged and marginalised people in the Australian community.

We are committed to promoting a workplace that is diverse and inclusive. We encourage the best people - regardless of race, religion, or belief if any, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, or age - to fulfil their professional aspirations with us. In particular we would welcome applications from First Nations candidates.

Johnson Winter Slattery pays respect to Elders past and present of our nation’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We honour the deep spiritual, cultural and customary connections of Traditional Owners to the Australian landscape, including Australia’s waterways, land, and sea country.