Legal Counsel

The Sell Life; Melbourne; Remote; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid parental leave

Income protection

Salary packaging/Novated leasing

Employee stock purchase plans

Flu shots

Job summary

LexisNexis is seeking an experienced Legal Counsel – Pacific to provide practical, commercially focused advice across Australia and New Zealand. The role involves negotiating a range of commercial agreements, guiding risk-based decisions and collaborating with stakeholders in a fast-paced technology and AI environment.

You will support product initiatives, content licensing and AI-enabled offerings while maintaining independence and strong commercial judgment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ PQE and admission to practice in Australia or New Zealand with current practising certificate or eligibility to obtain one.
• Strong commercial contracting experience including drafting, reviewing and negotiating agreements.
• Experience in a top-tier, national or international law firm and/or large corporate/in-house legal team.
• Ability to manage matters independently with sound judgment when escalation is needed.
• Practical experience using generative AI tools in legal work to improve workflows.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements across APAC.
• Negotiate directly with customers, suppliers and other counterparties.
• Provide clear, practical legal advice balancing risk and business objectives.
• Build relationships with senior stakeholders across Australia and New Zealand.
• Support key business projects and technology initiatives, including AI-enabled solutions.
• Use AI and legal tech to improve efficiency and quality of service.

Skills

Commercial contracting

Drafting & negotiation

Stakeholder management

AI in legal work

Education

Admitted to practice in AU/NZ

BC/LLB or JD

Tools

Top-tier law firm experience

Job description

Legal Counsel – Pacific

Locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Wellington, Brisbane, Australia, New Zealand.

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent. Flexible working or fully remote.

About the role
This is an opportunity for an experienced commercial lawyer to join LexisNexis and work at the intersection of law, technology and AI. As Legal Counsel – Pacific, you'll provide practical, commercially focused legal advice across the Australian and New Zealand businesses, managing a broad range of matters from end to end with a high degree of autonomy. You'll work closely with business stakeholders and be trusted to negotiate contracts, assess commercial risk and help the business move forward with confidence. It's a varied, fast‑paced role where no two days will necessarily look the same. You'll have exposure to everything from customer and supplier agreements to content licensing, technology and new product initiatives, including AI‑enabled products.

What you'll be doing

• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, including B2B customer agreements, content licences, supplier and technology agreements.
• Negotiate directly with customers, suppliers and other counterparties.
• Provide clear, practical and commercially focused legal advice while balancing legal risk with business objectives.
• Build strong relationships with senior business stakeholders across Australia and New Zealand.
• Support key business projects, new products and technology initiatives, including AI‑enabled solutions.
• Use generative AI and legal technology to improve the efficiency and quality of legal service delivery.
• Develop templates, playbooks and practical guidance to support the wider business.
• Deliver legal training and participate in legal clinics.
• Support disputes and pre‑litigation matters and manage external counsel where required.
• Collaborate with legal colleagues across the Pacific and internationally.

About you

• Commercially minded lawyer, comfortable taking ownership of matters rather than simply identifying legal issues.
• 5+ years’ PQE and admission to practice in Australia or New Zealand, with a current practising certificate or eligibility to obtain one.
• Strong commercial contracting experience, particularly drafting, reviewing and negotiating agreements.
• Experience gained within a top‑tier, national or international law firm and/or a large corporate or multinational in‑house legal team.
• The confidence to manage matters independently and sound judgement around when to elevate.
• Strong stakeholder management, drafting and negotiation skills.
• Practical experience using generative AI tools in legal work, whether for research, drafting, review or improving workflows.
• A commercially pragmatic mindset and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast‑moving environment.
• Curiosity, adaptability and an appetite to work with a business experiencing ongoing technology and product transformation.
• Experience in technology, intellectual property, competition and consumer law, content licensing, SaaS, AI or legal technology would be advantageous, but you don't need to tick every box.

Why join us?

• Work with an international legal technology and AI business where technology is changing both the products we build and the way legal work is delivered.
• Build broad commercial experience across a diverse Australian and New Zealand business.
• Take genuine ownership of matters and develop the stakeholder management skills needed for your next career step.
• Work alongside specialist legal colleagues across areas including employment, privacy and IP, as well as regional and global teams.
• Use and develop your skills with AI and legal technology in your day‑to‑day legal practice.
• Connect with the broader APAC legal team, including an annual team get‑together involving international travel.
• Flexible working and can be based across Australia or New Zealand, excluding Perth due to time‑zone requirements.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary (including annual reviews)
• Paid parental leave
• Income protection
• Corporate rewards
• Salary packaging/Novated leasing
• Employee stock purchase plans
• Flu shots, skin checks and discounted private health insurance
• Career development: Online learning, mentorship and career pathways

We are an equal opportunity employer: qualified applicants are considered for and treated during employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship status, disability status, protected veteran status, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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