Legal Counsel, Office of General Counsel - Perth

Ashurst; Southwestern Ontario; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global law firm is seeking an Australian-qualified mid to senior lawyer for their Office of General Counsel. This full-time position involves advising on complex legal issues, drafting contracts, and supporting strategic initiatives across privacy and technology law. Applicants should have at least 8 years of post-qualification experience, particularly in cross-border environments. This is a unique opportunity to engage with high-value international matters within an innovative and collaborative culture.

Benefits

Flexible work options

Parental leave of 26 weeks paid leave

Health benefits

Professional development opportunities

Volunteering and pro-bono opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years' post qualification experience.
• Experience in both law firm and in-house roles preferred.
• Substantial experience in regulatory and compliance issues.

Responsibilities

• Advise on complex legal issues across privacy, technology regulation, and commercial law.
• Draft and negotiate commercial contracts.
• Shape internal legal frameworks and support strategic, cross-border initiatives.

Skills

Privacy and data protection

Commercial contracts

Strong communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Admission and right to practise in Australia

Job description

Ashurst is a leading global law firm with a determination to go beyond the ordinary by outpacing change. We have a community of 4800+ people across over 30 offices globally and are a trusted adviser to top corporates, financial institutions and governments. What sets us apart is our ambition for our people and our clients.

What makes Ashurst a great place to work?

• Flexible work options
• Market leading parental leave of 26 weeks paid leave irrespective of gender
• Health and wellbeing benefits, gym membership and corporate health plans
• Genuine opportunities to grow your career through secondments or global opportunities
• Extensive Learning & Development opportunities including tailored professional development for all employees, coaching, mentoring and study support for further education.
• We have a strong commitment to social impact, demonstrated by our extensive volunteering and pro-bono opportunities, as well as our award-winning social inclusion and mobility programs.
• We are committed to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The Opportunity

Ashurst is seeking an Australian-qualified mid to senior lawyer to join our Office of General Counsel in a high-impact role. You will advise on complex legal issues across privacy, technology regulation and commercial law; draft and negotiate commercial contracts; shape internal legal frameworks and templates; and support strategic, cross-border initiatives.

Working closely with partners, lawyers and functional leaders in Information Security, IT, Risk & Compliance and innovation, you will operate with minimal supervision and deliver pragmatic, commercial advice. This role suits a practitioner who embraces innovation, collaborates across jurisdictions and thrives in a global platform.

This is a rare opportunity to join a future-focused global firm at a pivotal moment—offering autonomy, engaging and high-value matters, international exposure, and access to market-leading resources and professional development within a collaborative, innovative culture.

We are interested in hearing from people who have :

• Minimum 8 years' post qualification experience, ideally including demonstrated experience in privacy and data protection within complex organisations and cross border environments.
• Experience in both law firm and in house roles is preferred.
• Admission and right to practise in Australia, with a strong professional track record.
• Substantial experience drafting and negotiating commercial contracts and advising on regulatory and compliance issues relevant to a professional services or regulated environment.
• Proven capability to operate autonomously, manage competing priorities, and deliver outcomes at pace and to a high standard with minimal supervision.
• Knowledge of and / or interest in technology and data law, preferably including strong familiarity with privacy frameworks and AI.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to translate evolving regulatory requirements into practical operational solutions in a global context.
• This is a full‑time, permanent role and can be based in any of our Brisbane, Sydney, Perth or Melbourne offices.

We value diverse perspectives at Ashurst, so even if you don't feel you meet all of the requirements, we still encourage you to apply.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply directly to Ashurst. We prefer to talk with you personally and are not accepting applications from recruitment agencies.