Join a leading organisation advising on research, IP and commercial matters | Melbourne

Your new company
This highly regarded and globally recognised organisation is a leader in education, research and innovation, delivering meaningful impact across communities, industry and society. With a strong commitment to excellence, collaboration and inclusion, the organisation provides a dynamic environment where legal professionals can contribute to complex and strategically important initiatives that support world-class education, cutting-edge research and commercial innovation.

Your new role
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced lawyer to join a high-performing in-house legal team, supporting a broad range of research, education and commercial activities. Working within a specialist legal function, you will partner with senior stakeholders across the organisation to provide pragmatic, commercially focused legal advice on complex matters that are critical to the organisation's strategic objectives.
In this role, you will:

• Provide high-quality, timely and practical legal advice across research, education and commercial matters
• Draft, review and negotiate a diverse range of agreements, contracts and legal documents
• Advise on intellectual property, research collaborations, educational initiatives and associated commercial arrangements
• Manage a varied portfolio of legal matters, balancing competing priorities in a high-volume environment
• Partner closely with academic, operational and executive stakeholders to deliver commercially sound outcomes
• Build strong relationships across the organisation and become a trusted legal adviser
• Support and guide colleagues on specialist legal issues while collaborating across legal practice areas
• Contribute to strategic legal projects and continuous improvement initiatives within the legal function

What you'll need to succeed
To be successful in this role, you will be a commercially minded lawyer who enjoys working closely with stakeholders and providing practical solutions to complex legal issues.
You will have:

• Approximately 5+ years' post-admission experience gained in-house and/or within private practice
• Strong experience advising on commercial contracts and complex legal matters
• Demonstrated intellectual property experience, ideally gained within research, education, innovation or technology-focused environments
• Exceptional drafting, negotiation and legal research skills
• The ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously and work autonomously
• Highly developed stakeholder engagement and relationship management capabilities
• Strong commercial judgement and a proactive, solutions-focused approach
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex legal concepts in a clear and practical manner

What you'll get in return
This is a great opportunity to further develop your in-house legal career within a purpose-driven organisation undertaking nationally and internationally significant work.
The role offers:

• Exposure to complex, high-profile research, education and commercial matters
• The opportunity to advise senior leaders and key decision-makers
• A varied and intellectually stimulating workload
• A collaborative, high-performing and supportive legal team environment
• Opportunities for professional growth and ongoing career development
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• A culture that values diversity, inclusion, wellbeing and innovation

Beyond the work itself, you'll join an organisation committed to making a meaningful impact through education, research and community engagement, while enjoying the benefits of a flexible and progressive workplace.
What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV. Alternatively, you can email your CV to Tina Kokkalis at tina.kokkalis@hays.com.au or call her on (02) 8062 6111 for a confidential discussion.
If this job isn't quite right for you but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.
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