Reach Legal Consultant | Senior Government Lawyer | Melbourne

Description

The Opportunity

Join a leading organisation in a role that will strengthen your legal career.

Duration: 6-8 months Arrangement: Full time (hybrid) Location: Melbourne

About You

You are an experienced commercial lawyer with a minimum of 8 years' experience, bringing a strong track record of working within government entities.

Your Experience & Expertise:

Significant experience in a senior in-house legal leadership role within a Government department, statutory authority or public sector organisation (government experience is essential)Proven experience leading, managing and developing high-performing legal teams, including mentoring senior lawyers, allocating resources and overseeing complex legal workstreamsDemonstrated ability to act as Head of Legal or equivalent, providing strategic oversight of legal operations, triaging matters and ensuring efficient management of legal risk across the organisationExtensive experience advising on public sector legal issues, including Freedom of Information (FOI), privacy, government reporting obligations, governance and administrative law mattersExperience influencing senior stakeholders and navigating complex government and public sector environments with competing policy, operational and legal considerationsDemonstrated ability to interpret and advise on complex legal and policy issues, distilling them into concise, authoritative and actionable recommendationsExperience leading organisational change, maintaining team performance and ensuring continuity of legal services during periods of transitionWell-developed negotiation and stakeholder management skills, with experience engaging government agencies, regulators, external advisers and senior executivesProven ability to establish priorities, manage competing demands and oversee the delivery of high-quality legal services across a broad corporate function

Attributes:

Strategic and commercially minded leader with the ability to see both the broader organisational picture and critical legal risksStrong people leader with a demonstrated ability to motivate, mentor and develop legal professionals while fostering a positive and high-performing team cultureCalm, decisive and confident decision-maker who can quickly triage matters and provide clear direction in a complex operating environmentHighly influential communicator with the ability to engage, advise and challenge senior executives and stakeholders effectivelyExceptional judgement and political acumen, particularly when navigating sensitive government, governance and reputational mattersSolutions-focused and pragmatic, with a strong ability to balance legal risk, policy objectives and operational realitiesCollaborative and relationship-driven, with the ability to build credibility and trust across all levels of an organisationExcellent analytical and conceptual thinking skills, with the ability to rapidly understand complex issues and formulate strategic responsesStrong stakeholder management capability, including the ability to negotiate, influence and build consensus among diverse internal and external partiesApproachable and supportive leadership style, providing clear direction, guidance and coaching to build team capability and performance

Requirements:

Current Australian practising certificateRight to live and work in Australia

About Reach

Reach is the flexible legal resourcing platform of Ashurst Perkins Coie, a global law firm with more than 3,500 legal professionals across 52 offices. Sitting within Advance, the firm's NewLaw division, we place lawyers and professionals where they're needed most — whether our clients need to meet a surge in demand, cover leave, bridge a recruitment gap, or bring in specialist expertise.

Why join Reach?

Reach gives you the flexibility to build a career that fits your life — not the other way around. We work with talented consultants across a broad range of specialties, matching the right people with the right opportunities.

Here's what you can expect as a Reach consultant:

Flexibility and choice — control over how, when, and where you work, on terms that suit your life. A genuine partnership — a dedicated Reach team who will get to know you and actively champion your career goals. The backing of a global firm — the resources, reputation, and culture of Ashurst Perkins Coie, including access to clients doing market-leading work and a refreshingly open and inclusive community.

Interested?

Ready to find out more? Apply now or get in touch with Fiona Craig, our Senior Talent Manager, at fiona.craig@ashurstperkins.com — we'd love to hear from you.