In-House Legal Counsel

About Us:
Since 1991, DWS has been helping organisations across Australia reimagine what's possible through technology, business, and management consulting. With offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Canberra, our 300+ locally based consultants bring deep expertise and fresh thinking to every project. We deliver end-to-end solutions spanning IT consulting, Staff Augmentation, Managed Delivery, Data & Analytics, Cloud, AI and Automation.
DWS is part of HCLTech, a major global name in the IT industry, with over 225,000 employees globally and revenue of over US$14.5 billion.

Where : Melbourne or Sydney CBD
Style : Flexible hybrid; office + WFH
When : start ASAP
Type : Permanent, full time
Salary : $200-230K (inc super) depending on experience

About the role:
This standalone In-House Legal Counsel position provides legal, compliance, and litigation support across DWS, as well as to our parent company HCLTech across Australia and New Zealand.
Reporting primarily to the HCLTech Global Head of Compliance (UK), with a dotted-line relationship to HCLTech Global General Counsel (USA), the role operates with a high level of independence - though collaborating with other legal & compliance SMEs in Australia across DWS and HCLTech. You will deliver expert legal guidance, oversee statutory and regulatory compliance (with a key foucs on FIRB matters), and manage matters across corporate, labour, commercial, and foreign investment law.

The three core areas of focus are:

Litigation & Compliance

• Independently manage the compliance framework and litigation portfolio across Australia, New Zealand, and other sub-regions.
• Monitor, manage and report on statutory obligations for multiple entities.
• Provide timely and accurate legal advice on commercial, labour, and corporate matters.
• Support establishment of new legal entities and branches.
• Assist with M&A activities and post-integration work.
• Oversee disputes and provide regular reporting to corporate stakeholders.

FIRB Compliance

• Maintain and continuously improve the FIRB compliance framework.
• Manage ongoing FIRB audits (in collaboration with external specialist counsel).
• Ensure timely reporting to the Treasurer under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 (FATA).
• Advise stakeholders on compliance, record-keeping, voluntary disclosures, and penalty-avoidance measures.

Corporate & Commercial Legal Support

• Deliver practical, commercially-minded legal advice balancing risk and business needs.
• Partner effectively with senior leaders across DWS and HCLTech globally.
• Support policy development and organisational governance initiatives.

Essential Skills / Experience / Qualifications

• 7-8 years PQE gained at a reputable corporate law firm or in-house role (Sole Legal Counsel or similar).
• Degree in Law and current Australian Legal Practising Certificate.
• Experience with FIRB and FATA matters.
• Broad demonstrable experience in; corporate & commercial law, labour / employment law, litigation & dispute management, statutory and regulatory compliance
• Prior experience in IT / technology businesses (strongly preferred), alternatively in consulting / professional services
• High attention to detail and strong analytical ability.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including C-suite stakeholder management across multiple geographies.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and operate autonomously.

Working at DWS offers you:

• Flexible hybrid work from home arrangements
• Salary sacrifice, novated car leases, and other salary packaging options
• An active social club that hosts regular, subsidised events
• Corporate discounts on a range of services and products, including health insurance, gym memberships, financial services, Apple products and much more

Applicants must hold Australian Citizenship, Permanent Residency (PR), or other permanent work rights - DWS are unfortunately unable to sponsor or support visas.

Ready for a new challenge? Click APPLY now!
www.dws.com.au

No agencies please - our in-house talent acquisition team have this covered.