Principal Solicitor in Melbourne

Are you an experienced family lawyer ready to step into a Principal role where you can lead, grow, and shape the future of a practice – without the burden of running your own firm alone? This is your chance to join a firm that blends the best of both worlds: the personal touch of a family-run practice with the infrastructure and resources of a 300+ person national network. Here, you’ll enjoy the autonomy to build your practice, the support to deliver for your clients, and the opportunity to be part of a collaborative, growth-focused team.

Why this role stands out

• Principal-level opportunity: Step into a leadership role where your input genuinely shapes the Melbourne practice and its national expansion.
• Family-run culture: A close-knit, supportive environment that values collaboration, client care, and commercial results – without unnecessary hierarchy or bureaucracy.
• National resources: Enjoy the security of being part of a growing national firm with 300+ staff and established cross-referral streams in Wills & Estates, Employment, Commercial, and Litigation.
• Hybrid flexibility: Split your time between the Queen Street office and working from home, with genuine work-life balance built in.
• High-quality support: Dedicated admin and marketing assistance, allowing you to focus on client work and business development, not back-office tasks.
• Growth pathway: Opportunity to shape and eventually lead a national family law function, with expansion into Queensland and other states on the horizon.

Responsibilities

• Managing a diverse family law caseload, including property settlements, parenting matters, and family violence matters.
• Leading and mentoring a small Melbourne-based family law team, with scope to grow further.
• Driving business development: leveraging your own network, tapping into firm-wide referrals, and building the team’s profile in the market.
• Delivering commercially focused and empathetic solutions to clients navigating complex, often sensitive matters.
• Working with the leadership team to grow the family law practice as a core pillar of the firm’s national offering.

Qualifications

• 7+ years PAE in Family Law, ideally already at Principal or Senior Associate level.
• A modest client following or strong referral network – and the appetite to bring in and grow your own work.
• Commercially minded with a proven track record of hitting billable targets (approximately 5 hours per day).
• Eligible for inclusion on the BLSB register and family law legal aid panel (even if rarely used).
• Someone who thrives in a family-focused, yet commercially driven environment, with the confidence to lead and grow a team.

If you’re currently running your own practice or working in a smaller firm and want to step into a Principal role with the backing of a supportive, family-oriented team – this is the opportunity to do it without sacrificing autonomy or earnings potential. All enquiries are treated with the strictest confidentiality.