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
Changes to the Commonwealth Procurement Rules: What you need to know before 17 November 2025
24 Oct 2025 | Article
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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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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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Media Release: Clayton Utz appoints digital transformation specialist Robert Dearn as a partner in Canberra
1 Jul 2022 | Media Release
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