Australia's defence industry is at an inflection point. AUKUS, the Defence Industry Development Strategy, and a generational uplift in sovereign capability investment are creating significant legal complexity for companies operating in (or seeking to enter) the sector. We provide the specialist legal support to navigate it.
Who we act for
We advise Defence Industry Security Program (DISP) participants, Australian Industry and Defence Network (AIDN) members, prime contractors, SMEs, and technology innovators across the defence supply chain. Our clients include companies at every stage — from those seeking their first Commonwealth contract to established primes managing complex multi-jurisdictional programmes.
Ben Hook's background as a Company Director and Contracts Manager — including in the regulated firearms sector — provides a grounded, practical understanding of the compliance obligations, contractual risk, and government relations challenges that defence industry clients face daily.
The intersection of AUKUS Pillar II, ITAR, and Australian export controls creates a compliance matrix that is genuinely complex. We help our clients build systems that work — not just checkbox exercises.
Areas of expertise
Services in detail
We advise on Commonwealth procurement rules and draft, review, and negotiate project contracts — including ASDEFCON suites, Statement of Work agreements, subcontractor arrangements, and teaming agreements. We advise on CDRL management, milestone structuring, IP rights allocation, and dispute resolution clauses. When disputes arise, we represent clients in claims against the Commonwealth and in contractor-subcontractor disputes.
We advise on the Australian Defence Export Controls framework, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and applicable sanctions regimes. We design and implement compliance programs for AIDN members — including internal review procedures, staff training frameworks, and breach response protocols. We also advise on AUKUS Pillar II technology-sharing arrangements and their export control implications.
Defence technology IP is Australia's sovereign asset. We advise on patent strategy, trademark and trade secret protection, IP licensing for AUKUS collaborations, and background IP provisions in Commonwealth contracts. We represent clients in IP disputes, including those arising from joint development arrangements and Commonwealth-funded research.
We provide strategic counsel on positioning under the Defence Industry Development Strategy, the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities, and AUKUS and Quad partnership frameworks. We advise on funding opportunities (IDSR, RAADR, CDIC), procurement pathway strategy, and engagement with Defence and the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group.
We advise on Essential Eight implementation, Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF) compliance, and the Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM) obligations. For clients handling classified information or operating in ITAR-controlled environments, we advise on facility clearance requirements and security incident response.
We advise on Commonwealth Procurement Rules compliance, supply chain security obligations, and the vendor vetting requirements applicable to DISP members. We draft resilient supplier and subcontractor agreements that allocate risk appropriately and protect the prime's position in the event of supply chain failure.
Whether you are pursuing your first Commonwealth contract or managing a complex AUKUS programme, we can help you build the legal and compliance foundations to operate with confidence.
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