Australian Lawyer - Independent Professional Collaboration

About the Collaboration OIKONOMAKIS LAW is an established Greek law firm with an extensive international practice and experience in cross-border legal matters involving clients, businesses and legal issues across multiple jurisdictions. The Firm’s Managing Partner, Christos Oikonomakis, is a Greek lawyer and is registered in Victoria, Australia as an Australian-registered foreign lawyer, enabling him, within the applicable regulatory framework, to provide legal services in Australia in relation to Greek law and other matters falling within the scope of his foreign professional qualifications. As an Australian-registered foreign lawyer, Mr Oikonomakis does not practice Australian law. OIKONOMAKIS LAW is therefore seeking to establish a professional collaboration with an experienced Australian lawyer based in Melbourne, Victoria, who can independently undertake the Australian-law components of cross-border matters handled by Mr Oikonomakis and the Firm. Nature of the Opportunity This is not an employment position. We are inviting proposals for an independent professional collaboration between OIKONOMAKIS LAW / Christos Oikonomakis and an Australian legal practitioner or independent Australian legal practice. The parties will remain professionally, scientifically, financially, organisationally and corporately independent. Each lawyer or law practice will remain independently responsible for: * the legal advice and services provided by them; * compliance with the professional and regulatory framework applicable to them; * their own professional indemnity requirements; * their own professional decisions and legal opinions; and * the conduct of those parts of each matter falling within their respective professional competence and authorization. The collaboration may operate on a case-by-case and/or continuing referral and co-counsel basis, depending upon the nature and volume of matters. Scope of Collaboration Cross-border matters may involve circumstances where Mr Oikonomakis provides advice concerning Greek law while an Australian-law issue simultaneously arises. The selected Australian collaborator may therefore be instructed to independently undertake relevant Australian-law components, including, where appropriate: * advising on Australian law; * providing Australian legal opinions; * reviewing cross-border matters for Australian-law implications; * drafting and reviewing agreements governed by Australian law; * corporate and commercial matters; * civil and commercial disputes; * litigation and dispute-resolution matters; * enforcement and recognition matters; * property and real estate matters; * immigration-related matters; * private client and family matters involving Greece and Australia; * dealings with Australian authorities and institutions; * court or tribunal representation where required and professionally permitted; * negotiations with Australian counterparties; * regulatory and compliance matters; * conducting Australian legal research; * preparing Australian-law memoranda and procedural documentation; and * working alongside Greek and other foreign counsel on multi-jurisdictional matters. The purpose of the collaboration is to provide clients with coordinated cross-border assistance while ensuring that legal services concerning Australian law are provided independently by an appropriately authorized Australian legal practitioner. Requirements Applicants must: * be fully admitted to the Australian legal profession; * hold a current practicing certificate permitting the applicant to practice Australian law in Victoria; * be in good professional standing with the relevant Australian regulatory authority; * have a minimum of five (5) years of post-qualification legal experience; * maintain any professional indemnity insurance required for their practice; * be based in Melbourne, Victoria, or otherwise have an established capacity to provide legal services in Victoria; * possess excellent legal drafting, analytical and advisory skills; * demonstrate the ability to handle matters independently; * have strong professional judgment and client-management capabilities; * have excellent written and spoken English; and * maintain high standards of confidentiality, professional ethics and responsiveness. Preferred Experience Particular consideration will be given to lawyers with experience in one or more of the following areas: * Corporate and Commercial Law * Commercial Litigation * Civil Litigation * Contracts * International and Cross-Border Disputes * Private International Law * Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments * Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution * Real Estate and Property Law * Immigration * Family and Private Client Law * International Business Transactions Experience working with international clients, European businesses, Greek clients, Greek-owned businesses or matters involving both Greece and Australia will be considered a significant advantage. Knowledge of the Greek language is advantageous but not required. Professional Independence The selected collaborator will not become an employee of OIKONOMAKIS LAW by virtue of this collaboration. The proposed arrangement is intended to preserve the complete professional and corporate independence of the participating lawyers and legal practices. OIKONOMAKIS LAW and Mr. Christos Oikonomakis will provide legal services only within the scope of their respective professional authorizations, including Greek-law advice provided in accordance with the applicable foreign-law regulatory framework. The Australian lawyer will independently provide any legal advice, representation or other legal services requiring qualification and authorization to practice Australian law. Each engagement will remain subject to applicable professional conduct requirements, conflict-of-interest checks and agreement on the respective scope of work and professional fees. What We Are Looking For We are particularly interested in establishing a long-term relationship with a reliable and commercially minded Australian lawyer who is comfortable working independently while cooperating closely with international counsel on sophisticated cross-border matters. The collaboration may involve individual referrals, joint coordination of multi-jurisdictional cases, Australian-law workstreams within larger international matters and ongoing cooperation in relation to clients with interests in both Greece and Australia. Application Interested lawyers are invited to submit: * a current CV or professional profile; * details of their Australian admission; * details of their current practicing certificate; * current law firm or legal practice details; * principal areas of practice; * confirmation of at least five years of post-qualification experience; * a summary of relevant international or cross-border experience; * professional languages; * confirmation of appropriate professional indemnity arrangements; and * their proposed basis of professional collaboration, including indicative hourly and/or matter-based professional rates. All proposals will be considered confidentially and subject to professional conflict and regulatory checks