About Patrick

Patrick is a highly experienced commercial lawyer and administrative law practitioner who advises Australian governments on complex and high-value procurements and grants, including the acquisition of ICT products and services, as well as statutory frameworks including privacy and secrecy laws, the requirements of government programme legislation, legislative amendment, law reform and legal policy development.

Patrick has extensive experience in providing legal and probity advice on government procurements and grant processes, drafting commercial contracts, conducting complex contract negotiations, advising on the construction of complex commercial contracts, resolving contract management issues and conducting alternative dispute resolution for such contracts.

Patrick also has considerable experience with undertaking privacy impact assessment and providing assurance advice on information law issues, including in relation to major transformational projects, guiding clients through the process of enacting legislation and regulations, and advising on social security law, health, disabilities and families related legislation, rules of evidence and procedural law.

Patrick has been advising the Commonwealth on commercial and administrative law matters for over 15 years, and has a deep understanding of the Commonwealth’s operating environment as well as the applicable laws and best practices. Patrick is known for his practical and pragmatic advice, responsiveness to clients’ needs and achieving outstanding results for his clients.

Experience

• Telecommunications Services

  Advised the Commonwealth Department of Human Services in transitioning to a managed telecommunications solution, resolved contractual disputes arising between the parties during that transition and led a strategic renegotiation of the Managed Telecommunications Services Contract following the completion of transition. Also, advised Services Australia on the procurement of its future telecommunications platform.

• Welfare Payments Infrastructure Transformation (WPIT)

  Negotiated and drafted contracts underpinning the WPIT project for the Commonwealth Department of Human Services, establishing a panel of systems integrators and the engagement of a core software vendor.

• myGov

  Advised the Commonwealth Department of Human Services on the establishment of the agency’s online service delivery channel (myGov), drafted and negotiated agreements with Commonwealth, State and Territory government agencies as relying parties.

• eHealth

  Advised the Commonwealth Department of Human Services on the establishment of the Healthcare Identifier Service and the National Authentication Service for Health; respectively, the identification system and public key infrastructure that underpin Government’s e-health programs.

• Uniform Evidence Laws

  Advised the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department, working in collaboration with State and Territory counter-parts, to reform national model evidence laws and develop legislation to amend the Evidence Act 1995 (Cth), including the introduction of journalist shield laws.