Senior Lawyer

Clerk Grade: 9/10

Salary Range: $125,693-$138,510 + superannuation

Employment Type: Ongoing, Full-Time

Location: Sydney CBD

About this role

Full-Time Senior Lawyer - Grade 9/10 at the Information and Privacy Commission NSW (IPC)

• Provide legal advice to the Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner on matters relating to information access and privacy
• Opportunity to contribute to the development of case law on access to government information and privacy matters
• Located at the McKell Building - Haymarket
• Closing date Friday 30 May 2025 at 09:59

About the role

We are looking for a Senior Lawyer to join our small and dynamic team. As a Senior Lawyer you will provide legal advice and legislative subject matter expertise to support the Information Commissioner and the Privacy Commissioner in the exercise of their statutory functions. You will also represent the Commissioners, primarily at the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). The Commissioners are responsible for overseeing the privacy and information access rights enshrined in the:

• Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998
• Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002
• Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009
• Government Information (Information Commissioner) Act 2009

Reporting to the Director, Regulatory Advice & General Counsel, you will be at the forefront of giving effect to the IPC's vision that privacy and access to government information rights are valued and protected in NSW.

Your key accountabilities include:

• Provide clear, concise legal advice and legal representation across the range of legislation administered by the IPC
• Draft documents including advice, submissions, briefing notes and correspondence
• Undertake litigation, including providing representation at courts and tribunals
• Identify and report on emerging and significant legal issues that may impact the IPC
• Develop and provide guidance or training material to the business to educate and build legal awareness among internal and external stakeholders
• Develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders

About you

We are looking for a capable and dedicated professional to join a fast-paced environment. You will be comfortable in managing competing priorities, interpreting and applying legislation and working with multiple stakeholders to ensure the delivery of quality outcomes within tight timeframes.

The successful applicant will enjoy diverse and challenging work in a collaborative team environment.

To be successful in this role you will have:

• Appropriate tertiary qualifications and be admitted as a legal practitioner in NSW
• A current practising certificate, or be eligible to hold one
• An interest in privacy and/or access to government information issues
• Well-developed research, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated experience providing high quality legal advice on complex matters
• The ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly and concisely to both legal and non-legal audiences
• A willingness to develop or acquire advocacy skills
• The ability to collaborate as part of team of legal and non-legal professionals
• A commitment to acting in accordance with the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct

How to apply for the role at the IPC

Your application must include a cover letter of no more than 2 pages, and an up-to-date resume of no more than five pages which clearly details your skills and experience as relevant to this role.

Please ensure you respond to all the selection criteria in your application and include your answers to the two pre-screening questions below.

As part of this application process, candidates are required to answer two pre-screening questions based on the focus capabilities for this role. Please ensure that your response is not more than 500 words:

Question 1:
Describe a time when you had to change someone's mind on an important issue. What approach did you take and what was the outcome?

Question 2:
Describe a time when you had to provide legal advice on an unfamiliar area of law. What approach did you take and what was the outcome?

About us

The IPC is an independent integrity agency that supports the Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner to oversee the operation of privacy and information access laws in NSW. Our vision is to promote transparency and accountability through better access to information, balanced with a commitment to privacy rights for the people of NSW.

To learn more about the IPC, look at our website https://www.ipc.nsw.gov.au

Working at the IPC

The IPC is a great place to work! Our values of accountability, trust, service and integrity drive our initiatives and culture. We support innovative programs in areas as broad as digital government, consumer protection and major public works. We are an inclusive organisation that celebrates diversity and flexible work practices and believe our people are our greatest asset.

The IPC is proud to be an EEO Employer who are fully focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of all identities making us different and a true reflection of our NSW customers. As an inclusive workplace, we support various employee resource groups, practice flexible work and workplace adjustment. If you do require an adjustment during the recruitment process, please notify us on your application form

A talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months.

Applicants invited for interview will be required to complete additional assessments.

Salary Grade 09/10, with the base salary for this role starting at $125,693 base plus superannuation

Click Here to access the Role Description.

For enquiries relating to recruitment please contact Meg Rapley via [email protected].

Visit the Capability Application Tool to prepare for the recruitment process by accessing practice application and interview questions based on the focus capabilities listed in the role description.

Closing Date: Monday 16 June 2025 at 9:59am

Careers at Department of Customer Service
A career at the Department of Customer Service (DCS) gives you the opportunity to help improve government services and be part of reform that benefits people across NSW. We are focused on delivering excellent customer service, digital transformation, and regulatory reform. Come join us and influence the future of our great state.

Belong in our diverse and inclusive workplace

The strength of our workforce lies in its diversity and embracing difference, while the key to our success is leveraging the contributions of employees with different backgrounds and perspectives.

You can view our full diversity and inclusion statement here.

We want you to bring your best self to this application process. If you have any support or access needs that may require adjustments to allow you to fully participate in this selection process (including an alternate format of the application form) please contact [email protected] or 02 9494 8351.

For more information, please visit

Information on some of the different types of disabilities

Information on adjustments available for the recruitment process