Litigation & Disputes
Litigation and disputes work in Queensland can look very different from one firm to the next. The title may be similar, but the day-to-day work, client base, team structure and level of responsibility can vary significantly.
For some lawyers, the right move is about larger disputes and more complex clients. For others, it is about earlier carriage of matters, stronger mentoring, broader exposure or a clearer path into a particular specialisation.
At Alex Correa Executive, we work with lawyers across commercial litigation, defendant insurance and insolvency. We act for firms from specialist and boutique practices through to national and top tier firms, and we take the time to understand what each role is really offering, not just how it appears on paper.
Good litigation recruitment depends on context. We look at the matters you have worked on, the clients you have acted for, the level of responsibility you have held, and the kind of advocate, adviser or specialist you want to become.
Commercial litigation
Commercial litigation covers a wide range of disputes, including property and partnership disputes, professional negligence claims, shareholder conflicts, contract breaches, regulatory matters and complex commercial disputes.
Firm size often shapes the nature of the work. Larger firms tend to act on larger disputes for major corporate, government or institutional clients. Smaller and boutique firms may offer broader exposure, closer client contact and earlier responsibility. Neither is automatically better. The right environment depends on what you want more of, and what kind of experience will strengthen your next stage.
In some firms, commercial litigation sits alongside construction disputes or insolvency. In others, it operates as a distinct and highly specialised team. This structure affects the breadth of work you will see, the skills you will build and the pathways available to you later.
We help commercial litigation lawyers understand those differences before they move.
Defendant insurance
Defendant insurance is a specialist part of the disputes market. The work can include CTP, public and product liability, professional indemnity, medical negligence, property liability, workers compensation and employers liability.
It is a smaller area of practice overall, and the most sought-after experience often sits in policy drafting, coverage and advisory work. That experience is not available everywhere, so knowing which firms genuinely operate in this space is important.
We work with lawyers across defendant insurance, from those building their foundations through to established specialists. For some, the question is whether to deepen within defendant insurance. For others, it may be whether their experience can translate into broader litigation, advisory, in-house or insurance-related roles.
We can help you understand how your experience is likely to be read by the market.
Insolvency
Insolvency is a distinct specialisation within litigation and disputes. It can involve contentious work, restructuring, advisory work and transactional elements connected to the winding up or restructuring of companies.
The work cuts across firms of different sizes, from smaller practices through to top tier firms. As with commercial litigation, firm structure affects what you will actually do. Some roles offer broad exposure across insolvency, restructuring and disputes. Others are more narrowly specialised.
For lawyers drawn to insolvency, part of the appeal is often the blend of commercial pressure, technical complexity and practical problem-solving. It can also build strong judgement around risk, financial distress, negotiation and commercial outcomes.
We work with insolvency lawyers at different career stages and help them understand where their experience is most likely to be valued, and what kind of move will support the practice they want to build.
Relevant case studies
1. Senior Legal Counsel, Commercial Litigation - In-house, Infrastructure
The situation
A global transportation company exclusively engaged us to recruit a Senior Legal Counsel for their disputes team. The brief was specific: top-tier trained, construction disputes experience, and based in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.
What almost got in the way
A brief this specific narrows the market considerably, and the right person is unlikely to be actively looking.
What mattered here
We went directly to the market through targeted headhunting rather than waiting for the right candidate to come to us.
Where they ended up
The successful candidate was identified and approached through LinkedIn and appointed to the role, proof that a tightly defined brief calls for an equally targeted search.
Frequently asked questions
Working with Alex Correa Executive is straightforward, honest and built on trust. We ask questions because we want to represent you properly, not to catch you out, and we will always tell you where we stand.
Does firm size determine the size and type of disputes I will work on?
Generally, yes. Larger firms tend to run larger disputes for bigger clients, while smaller and boutique firms may offer earlier responsibility and broader exposure. The better question is which environment suits the experience you want to build next.
Are litigation, insolvency and construction disputes handled by the same team or separately?
It depends on the firm. Some firms keep these practice groups together, which can broaden your exposure. Larger firms often separate them into more specialised teams. Neither structure is automatically better, but it is worth understanding before you accept a role.
Can litigation lawyers move in-house?
Yes. We see lawyers move in-house from both general commercial litigation and construction disputes backgrounds. Experience with contracts, risk, corporate clients and complex commercial problems can translate well. Insolvency lawyers may move in-house less often, but it is not impossible depending on the role and broader experience.
What is the most sought-after work within defendant insurance?
Policy drafting, coverage and advisory work tend to be particularly sought after, although this work is only available at a limited number of firms. We can help you understand which firms offer that exposure and how it may shape your options.
Does insolvency work give me transactional experience, or is it purely contentious?
It can offer both. Insolvency often extends into restructuring and other commercial work connected to the winding up or restructuring of companies. The mix depends on the firm, team and role.
