Special Counsel - Technology & Privacy, AI, AML - Sydney & Brisbane

Special Counsel, Technology, Privacy & AI

Advise the clients defining how the digital economy handles data, AI, and financial crime risk.

We are partnering with a fast growth law firm building a Technology, Privacy, AI, AML practice. They are looking for a Special Counsel to advise a diverse client base, on the full spectrum of data protection, AI governance, anti-money laundering (AML) compliance, and technology law. This is a role for a lawyer who wants genuine ownership of complex, high-profile matters and a clear path toward partnership.

You'll work directly with clients' General Counsel, Chief Privacy Officers, Compliance Officers, and C-suite executives, helping them navigate a regulatory landscape that spans privacy, AI, and financial crime, while building your own reputation as a go-to advisor in some of the fastest-growing areas of legal practice.

About the Role

Product & Tech Advisory
Advise clients on embedding privacy by design into product development, generative AI deployment, and advanced analytics initiatives, helping them innovate without exposing themselves to regulatory or reputational risk.

AI Governance
Guide clients through the design and implementation of responsible AI frameworks, advising on model risk, algorithmic accountability, and compliance with emerging AI-specific regulation both locally and globally.

AML & Financial Crime Compliance
Advise clients — particularly those in fintech, banking, and payments, on AML/CTF obligations, transaction monitoring frameworks, and regulatory reporting requirements, often at the intersection of AI-driven compliance tools and data protection law.

Compliance & Governance
Guide clients through data subject rights frameworks, Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs), and the ever-shifting regulatory landscape across jurisdictions, keeping them ahead of GDPR, CCPA, and emerging global privacy laws.

Incident Response
Lead clients through the highest-stakes moments, data breaches, crisis remediation, and regulatory notifications, as the calm, authoritative voice they turn to under pressure.

Contract Negotiation
Draft and negotiate sophisticated data processing agreements (DPAs) and technology vendor contracts on behalf of clients across sectors.

Client & Stakeholder Management
Translate complex legal and regulatory risk into commercial, actionable advice for clients' boards, executive teams, and technical stakeholders and building the kind of trusted relationships that turn into long-term instructions.

Practice & Business Development
Contribute to the growth of the practice group through thought leadership, client pitches, and business development, with real opportunities to build your own client base and profile in the market.

About You

• 8+ years PQE, gained at a top-tier or specialist firm.

• A recognized law degree and current admission to practice (Australian practising certificate or equivalent)

• IAPP certification — CIPP or CIPM strongly preferred — demonstrating genuine fluency in privacy frameworks, not just box-ticking familiarity

• Demonstrated experience advising on AI governance and/or AML/financial crime compliance, alongside data protection and technology transactions

• Familiarity with AML/CTF regulatory regimes and their intersection with emerging AI and data-driven compliance tools is highly regarded

• Strong commercial instincts and the confidence to advise sophisticated clients directly, with minimal oversight

Why This Role

This is a genuine growth opportunity within a firm that's investing seriously in its technology, privacy, and AI offering, at a time when clients need trusted advisors across data, AI, and financial crime risk more than ever. You'll get partnership-track visibility, autonomy over your own matters, and the platform to become a recognized name across several of the most in-demand practice areas in the market.