Legal Counsel & Senior Legal Counsel, Chief Counsel & Integrity
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Legal Counsel & Senior Legal Counsel, Chief Counsel & Integrity
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Join to apply for the Legal Counsel & Senior Legal Counsel, Chief Counsel & Integrity role at Department of Industry, Science and Resources
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1. Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Darwin
2. Salary Range: $79,570 - $147,491
* Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Darwin
* Applications close22 June 2025
* Salary Range: $79,570 - $147,491
About the Department
The Department Of Industry, Science And Resources And Our Broader Portfolio Are Integral To The Australian Government's Economic Agenda. Our Purpose Is To Help The Government Build a Better Future For All Australians Through Enabling a Productive, Resilient And Sustainable Economy, Enriched By Science And Technology. We Do This By
* Growing innovative & competitive businesses, industries and regions
* Investing in science and technology
* Strengthening the resources sector.
The APS and the department offer a clear direction and meaningful work. You will be able to create positive impact in people's lives whilst contributing to improved outcomes for Australia and our people.
If you would like to feel a strong connection to your work and you are accountable, committed and open to change, join us in shaping Australia's future.
Please see the
About The Team
The Chief Counsel and Integrity Division (CCID) supports the Department of Industry, Science and Resources to achieve its objective of a productive economy lawfully and with integrity. Lawyers in CCID provide strategic, practical legal advice on high-profile, cutting-edge public policy issues including artificial intelligence, energy supply and security, science and manufacturing initiatives, space activities and technologies, and trade remedies.
Work in CCID is fast paced, intellectually challenging and rewarding. The team is made up of warm, collegiate, talented, legal professionals who are passionate about their role in government decision making and committed to providing high quality legal advice in a highly supportive culture.
The opportunity
As a lawyer at DISR, you will work in a dynamic and rewarding team environment.
As a Legal Counsel you will hone your legal research and writing skills while learning from experienced legal practitioners. You will work on routine to moderately complex matters with a degree of independence and contribute to more complex matters in collaboration with Senior Legal Counsel and a Principal Legal Counsel. Legal Counsel take responsibility for matters that they are allocated and work with clients and colleagues in the Legal Branch to support the department's management of legal risk.
A Legal Counsel works to a Senior Legal Counsel to provide legal advice that is practical, timely and accurate; engages with clients to understand priorities and projects and work cooperatively to solve problems with elements of legal risk.
As a Senior Legal Counsel you will have the opportunity to perform complex, sensitive and high-profile work with a degree of independence, and will have an important leadership role in the practice. Senior Legal Counsel will gain experience as a trusted advisor to government with a reputation for being solution-focused, proactive and collaborative.
A Senior Legal Counsel works to a Principal Legal Counsel and provides timely, accurate, practical and strategic legal advice to support the department achieve its policy and program objectives on a broad range of nationally significant issues. Senior Legal Counsels take responsibility for managing key priority matters or client areas to ensure early identification of legal risk.
Role
With roles available in both the Public Law and Dispute Resolution and Corporate and Information Law branches we are seeking talented, experienced lawyers who are interested in working in any of the following areas:
* Administrative law including decision making, regulatory powers, delegations and authorisations.
* Legislative compliance and complex statutory interpretation.
* Commercial legal issues surrounding grants administration.
* Procurement, contract drafting and negotiation and contractual issues.
* Intellectual property, data access and confidentiality issues.
* Privacy and freedom of information matters including in relation to privacy threshold and privacy impact assessments and privacy governance.
* Employment and workplace relations matters; public interest disclosure (PID) and integrity matters
* Merits and judicial review of administrative decisions relating to trade remedies, mining and resource activities, grants and other industry support programs.
What's in it for you?
Skills
In the role you will gain legal experience and skills that are highly sought after by both public and private legal sectors. You will have the opportunity to:
* work on interesting and complex legal aspects of contemporary public policy issues.
* apply your technical skills on a wide range of subject matters including technology, space, science, mining and resources, measurement and trade.
* work across all facets of public law from policy and legislative development, administrative and regulatory decision making, and administrative and judicial review.
* work in a team of exceptional, passionate lawyers.
* work in a team supportive of flexible and remote working arrangements.
* access training opportunities and professional networks to support your development.
Our ideal candidate
To be successful in this role, you will have skills and experience in:
* one or more areas of law relevant to in-house government practice (e.g. administrative law, regulatory law, commercial law, information and privacy law or litigation)
* complex problem solving focused on achieving outcomes
* providing concise legal advice that provides practical solutions and options and differentiates between legal requirements and legal risk
* conducting research and making decisions based on evidence, good judgement, technical expertise and legal knowledge
* building and maintaining productive stakeholder relationships using outstanding communication and interpersonal skills
* working collaboratively in a legal team and contributing to the strategic direction of the legal practice, and
* supervising and/or mentoring junior lawyers.
Does this sound like you but you don't quite meet all the criteria? We recognise a career in the law looks different for different people. If you are an experienced legal professional who is excited by what we do and how we do it, we want to hear from you.
Legal Counsel
What you will do
* Provide legal advice that is practical, timely and accurate to support the department's policy development and program delivery.
* Engage with clients to understand priorities and projects and work cooperatively to solve problems with elements of legal risk.
* Demonstrate judgement in when and how to escalate matters to Senior Legal Counsels and your Principal Legal Counsel.
* Assist with second-counselling as directed.
* Modelling leadership behaviours as appropriate for APS 6 level.
* Obtain external advice from panel firms in appropriate matters, including managing the costs of the advice.
* Embrace and contribute to the branch culture of client-focussed service and responsiveness while maintaining healthy work practices.
Senior Legal Counsel
* Use your technical expertise and professional judgement to provide legal advice that supports best practice policy, program and service delivery.
* Provide practical legal advice, recommendations and guidance on significant or complex law issues with a strategic lens and a pragmatic approach.
* Work proactively with client areas of the department to understand their business and objectives and partner with them to identify, mitigate and manage legal risk.
* Independently progress and project manage matters, demonstrating sound judgement and risk management.
* Settle routine and moderately complex advice prepared by other lawyers and officers.
* Engage external counsel to obtain advice where appropriate, in accordance with government procurement rules and policies.
* Support and assist the Principal Legal Counsel in managing, mentoring and guiding junior lawyers and branch administration.
* Embrace and foster a culture of inclusion and wellbeing.
* Model commitment to a strategic, client-centric approach to legal service delivery.
Eligibility
Education And Experience
* Essential: A degree in law from an Australian tertiary institution, or a comparable overseas qualification, which is appropriate to the duties of the position.
* Essential: Admission as a legal practitioner, however described, of the High Court or the Supreme Court of an Australian State or Territory.
* Essential: Eligible for a practising certificate issued by the Law Society of the ACT or in their state or territory of residence.
* Desirable (for Senior Legal Counsel) : 4+ years Post Admission Experience (PAE) or other relevant legal experience.
To be eligible for employment in the APS and the department, candidates must be Australian Citizens.
Positions require a Baseline security clearance and successful candidates will be required to obtain and maintain a clearance at this level.
For information about terms and conditions of employment with the department please refer to the department's Enterprise Agreement: https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/enterprise-agreement-2024-2027
Notes
A merit pool may be established and used to fill future vacancies within 18 months from the date the vacancy was first advertised in the Gazette.
The department offers flexible work opportunities for many roles. Current vacancies can be based in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide, and flexible or remote work arrangements may be considered for the right candidate. Please reach out to the contact officer to discuss this further.
Application information
Your application must not contain any classified or sensitive information. This includes in your application responses, CV and any other documents. The selection panel may not consider applications containing classified information.
Please provide a pitch explaining how your skills, knowledge and experience will be relevant to this role and why you are the best candidate for the position. Your pitch can contain no more than 750 words and should align to the key duties listed above.
Please complete your application online and provide your current CV with your application. (CVs must be in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format).
Accessible application documentation is available in other formats on request. Please contact
Please refer to our
Contact Information
For more information regarding this opportunity, please contact Janean Richards via email on Janean.Richards@industry.gov.au
Seniority level
* Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
* Employment type
Full-time
Job function
* Job function
Legal
* Industries
Government Administration
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