The last few decades have seen a marked increase in Australia’s regulatory framework. While the rise of the “nanny state” is an ideological and political minefield, one group undoubtedly profits from these developments – regulatory lawyers.

The increase in regulation has been extremely broad and has permeated all aspects of economic and financial transactions. The most obvious examples are the increased regulation of the corporate world through regulatory bodies like ASX and ASIC, as well as the extension of the powers of the ACCC and competition law. Notably, these developments in competition law have given bodies like the ACCC the power to be proactive, as evidenced by their prosecution of Apple in the Federal Court this week.

Equally visible in the legal world is the increased regulation of financial services, particularly in the areas of superannuation and funds management, and banking, with the new Personal Properties Securities Act 2009. Less obvious is the proliferation of regulation into areas like Workplace Relations with the Fair Work Act 2009, Occupational Health & Safety, Environment and Native Title, and Mining.

Obviously these regulatory developments are occurring constantly and the effect on businesses and corporations can be quite substantial. As a result, EA International has seen an increased demand for outstanding lawyers with applicable experience in all of these increasingly regulated areas, particularly in the top and mid tier. The demand is for lawyers who are across recent developments in their field and are able to provide clients with up-to-date information about the impact on their transactions.

We have numerous opportunities for experienced regulatory lawyers in all these areas throughout Australia. If you are a regulatory lawyer and would like to take advantage of this demand, get in touch with one of our Senior Consultants on +61 2 9266 2900 as soon as possible for a confidential discussion about the legal market.