Title:  Principal Lawyer, Public Law

About us

We create thriving places and connected communities. We bring together transport, planning, land use, precinct and policy functions in a single department to deliver the best outcomes for Victorians. Together with our portfolio agencies, we are responsible for planning, building, operating and maintaining Victoria’s transport, planning and land services for use by all. We foster a safe, inclusive and constructive place to work. 

DTP Legal provides legal, legislative, commercial, information access and policy advice and support to the Secretary and Department in the achievement of the transport system vision, objectives and decision-making principles. DTP Legal has three branches: Public Law & Information Access, Operations & Commercial and Legislation.This role is within the Public Law and Information Access branch. Public Law & Information Access covers legal areas including administrative law, general litigation, personal injury, property damage, coronial inquiries, human rights, privacy and data sharing, freedom of information, intergovernmental matters and First Peoples legal issues

About the role

This is a 12 month Fixed Term role

The Principal Lawyer, Public Law & Information Access provides high-quality legal advice and manages complex litigation matters, including those conducted with external counsel. The role leads workflow within the branch, supervises and supports lawyers, and contributes to performance planning and capability development across DTP Legal.Working closely with clients, the Principal Lawyer delivers timely, clear and pragmatic advice with a strong focus on risk management. The role requires building effective relationships with stakeholders, panel firms, and Courts and Tribunals to ensure strong legal outcomes and excellent client service. 

Key Selection Criteria

To be successful in this role, the ideal candidate will demonstrate deep expertise in statutory interpretation and public law, with the ability to provide authoritative, risk-focused legal advice on complex and sensitive matters. They will lead and supervise high-quality advice and litigation, exercising sound judgement to balance legal, commercial and operational considerations while delivering timely outcomes. Success also relies on the ability to communicate with impact and build trusted relationships with clients and stakeholders to resolve competing priorities effectively. 

To access the Position Description, please click here.

Position accountabilities

• Manage and oversee the provision of timely, high-quality legal advice to the Department on complex matters, including litigation risk, statutory interpretation and administrative decision-making.
• Lead and manage litigation and dispute matters arising from regulatory activity, claims against the Department and administrative decisions, including matters conducted with external providers.
• Oversee workflow management across the team, ensuring matters are allocated appropriately to support service delivery, capability development and effective use of resources.
• Supervise and review legal work, providing constructive feedback and contributing to performance development, coaching and capability uplift within the team.
• Manage external legal service providers to ensure advice and representation are delivered efficiently, cost-effectively and to a high standard.Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support the delivery of the Department’s objectives.
• Proactively identify legal and reputational risks and work with business areas to develop and implement effective mitigation strategies. 

Qualifications and experience

Mandatory

• Admitted as a lawyer in Victoria and holds (or entitled to hold) a practising certificate.
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Desirable

• Minimum 5+ years PAE

Culture Value

We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds representing the community that we serve, including veterans, parents, carers, First Peoples, people with disability, multicultural, multifaith and LGBTIQA+ individuals.As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and high-performance culture. Through shared actions and behaviours aligned with our strategy and direction, we empower our people to thrive and meaningfully contribute to the department’s goals.

What we offer

Working at the Department of Transport and Planning provides people with the opportunity to contribute to creating thriving places and connected communities for all Victorians.For further details please refer to Careers at the Department of Transport and Planning.Pre-employment checks and employment conditionsAll new appointments to the department will be subject to a National Criminal Records Check, Misconduct Screening, and a Qualification Check where there is a requirement for a mandatory qualification. Information provided to the Department of Transport and Planning will be treated in the strictest confidence consistent with the requirements of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014.

Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa necessary for the nature of the position.Recipients of Victorian Public Service (VPS) voluntary departure packages should note that re-employment restrictions apply.

Non-VPS applicants will be subject to a probation period of six months.

How to apply

Click the ‘Apply’ button to be redirected to our recruitment platform, where you may need to create an account to submit your application.

If you encounter any issues, refer to our Quick Reference Guide for step-by-step instructions.Applications close at 11.59pm on Tuesday, 27 January 2026.

Please include both your resume and a cover letter. All applications must be submitted via the online portal, we’re unable to accept email or manual submissions.For further information about the role, please contact Jerome B Collopy- Principal lawyer, Public law, at jerome.collopy@transport.vic.gov.au

Important Information:

If you require any adjustments to fully participate in the recruitment process, or need the advert or attachments in an accessible format (e.g., large print), please contact us by phone or email. We're here to support you.