Robert Dearn

Clayton Utz
Partner Canberra

Rob's guidance through the contract drafting and negotiation process eased what might otherwise have been a more challenging undertaking… His measured and determined approach allowed a swift conclusion to contract negotiations and was outstanding.

– Commonwealth Government client

Overview

An experienced commercial lawyer specialising in complex and high-value digital transformation projects for public sector clients. Rob's practice has a particular focus on large government contracting and procurement projects, strategic services outsourcing arrangements, technology projects, and data commercialisation.

Notable Work
  • Australian Electoral Commission: advising on its system modernisation and transformation program.
  • Department of Home Affairs: advising on a range of technology and strategic procurement projects.
  • State of Western Australia: advising on the technology and IP components of its $1.41 billion partial commercialisation of the Western Australian Land Information Authority.
  • Department of Employment and Workplace Relations: advising on major outsourcing arrangements to support skills portfolio programs.
  • Department of Defence: advising on the procurement of health services for Defence personnel across Australia.
  • US Government: advising on the implementation of its health information interoperability roadmap, including drafting regulations on open APIs, information blocking, and privacy and security policies.
  • Private sector clients: assisted in the commercialisation of data assets, including advising on and negotiating data services agreements and data licensing agreements.
  • Private sector clients: advising on procuring novel marketing services, such as mobile marketing engagement platforms and programmatic digital advertising services.
Insights
New foreign interference and cyber risk requirements for buying and managing Commonwealth technology
10 Jul 2024 | Article
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OAIC takes legal action against Medibank: a wake-up call to prioritise data protection and privacy
2 Jul 2024 | Article
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Australian Cyber Strategy: how it will impact you
12 Dec 2023 | Article
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Generative AI Miniseries - Ep 5: AI Powered Public Renaissance: The Dawn of Transformative Government Services
8 May 2023 | Article
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The age of the self-driving bureaucracy? ChatGPT and the Public Sector
21 Feb 2023 | Article
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Meet our new partner: Robert Dearn
25 Aug 2022 | Article
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Media Release: Clayton Utz appoints digital transformation specialist Robert Dearn as a partner in Canberra
1 Jul 2022 | Media Release
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