About the opportunity
We are recruiting experienced lawyers to support a large Commonwealth Government legal function across multiple legal teams.
These are current opportunities involving secondments into established in-house environments, working on complex, high-profile and often sensitive matters. The roles suit lawyers who are comfortable operating in government and who can provide practical, solutions-focused advice in fast-moving settings.
Multiple roles are available across different teams and levels as outlined below.
Corporate Services and Employment Law [Senior Associate]
Lawyers in these roles will support corporate services legal teams, including employment law functions. The work involves:
* Advising on employment, workplace relations and compensation matters
* Supporting public law advice in an internal government setting
* Contributing to policy, governance and internal legal frameworks
* Working closely with HR, people and corporate stakeholders
Experience in government employment law or advising public sector clients is highly desirable. Litigation [Lawyer (2+ years PAE), Senior Associate and Special Counsel]
We are recruiting lawyers across multiple levels, with a particular focus on experienced litigators. These roles involve:
* Managing and progressing litigation matters
* Drafting court documents, correspondence and legal submissions
* Advising on contentious, sensitive or high-risk matters
* Instructing and managing external counsel where required
Lawyers with 3–5 years’ post-admission experience in litigation are particularly encouraged to apply. Program Advisory and Public Law [Senior Associate, Special Counsel and Partner]
These roles support major government programs and advisory work. Lawyers will:
* Advise on administrative law and statutory interpretation
* Support legislative compliance, remediation and governance work
* Provide strategic advice on complex regulatory frameworks
* Engage with senior stakeholders on high-impact matters
Experience advising on Commonwealth legislation or working within government legal teams is highly regarded. Digital Delivery, Privacy, Data and Technology [Senior Associate and Special Counsel]
Lawyers in these roles will support teams advising on privacy, data and digital programs within a Commonwealth context. The work includes:
* Advising on privacy law, secrecy provisions and data governance
* Supporting privacy assurance processes, including PIAs and threshold assessments
* Advising on information sharing, data exchanges and regulatory obligations
* Providing legal support to major digital delivery initiatives
* Working closely with internal clients in agile or project-based environments
Experience advising on privacy, data or digital matters within government is highly regarded. Artificial Intelligence and Automation [Senior Associate and Special Counsel]
These roles sit within specialist teams advising on emerging technologies and automated decision-making. Lawyers will:
* Advise on privacy, administrative law and statutory interpretation
* Support AI, automation and technology-enabled projects
* Review technical and project documentation to inform legal advice
* Work collaboratively with technical, policy and delivery teams
* Contribute to innovative and evolving regulatory work
Experience advising on technology projects or innovation programs is advantageous but not essential.
General requirements
* Admission as a legal practitioner in an Australian jurisdiction
* Strong experience delivering high-quality legal advice in complex or regulated environments
* Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with stakeholders
* Australian citizenship and the ability to obtain or maintain a Baseline security clearance
Location and arrangements
* Opportunities available across Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane
* Flexible and hybrid arrangements considered depending on role and team
* Initial secondment is for a 3-month term, with possibility of a 3-month extension
Culture and benefits
People enjoy contracting with adaptbl because our business is owned and managed by lawyers and people who have first-hand experience working as contractors. We can relate. We treat people the way we would want to be treated, and we provide a range of perks and benefits to our staff.
How to apply
Click APPLY or get in touch with Sam (*********@adaptbl.com.au) or Nishita (***************@adaptbl.com.au) for a confidential discussion. Applications for these positions close at 9am on Friday 13 March 2026. However, applications received after the closing date will be considered for similar future roles.