Bruce Clarke
Chairman
Bruce Clarke is Chairman of Allygroup which he jointly established in 2008.
He was also until September 2018 Principal (and founder) of Sydney based class action law firm, ACA Lawyers. The firm which was then sold to Shine Lawyers.
Bruce’s career over the past 40 years has included:
Federal Department of Trade and Industry – economic modelling of Tariff reforms
Solicitor and Managing Partner – high profile ACT and NSW law firms
Senior Ministerial adviser responsible for the then NSW portfolios of Public Works and Services, Waterways, Regional Developments, Energy and Roads, NSW Government
Executive Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers – Project Finance and State and National Government liaison
Executive Director, Ernst & Young – State and National Government Liaison
Director, Commercial Radio Coffs Harbour
Board Member, Montessori Indigenous Children’s Foundation
Independent Member, Audit and Risk Committee, NSW Government Land Property Management Authority
State appointed member, NSW Joint Regional Planning Panel for Northern Region, Sydney East and Sydney West
Joint founder of Allygroup, one of Australia’s leading legal management consultancies
Founder and Principal of leading Sydney class action law firm, ACA Lawyers
Prequalification as a probity auditor for the federal, NSW and QLD governments
LEADR-qualified mediator
Leading investigations into sensitive workplace issues and professional conduct reviews for Federal and NSW Governments and NSW Councils.
From 1976 until 1979 Bruce was a Solicitor in firms now part of Minter Ellison Lawyers and from 1979 until 1995, a partner and managing partner of Murray Backhouse & Turner – a major regional law firm based in Coffs Harbour and Sydney. Throughout much of that period, Bruce was Secretary of the Clarence River and Coffs Harbour Regional Law Society. He acted on behalf of Commercial Radio Coffs Harbour in obtaining the first commercial radio licence for the region, as well as serving as Alternate Director for the organisation. Bruce also lectured in Introductory Law in the Tourism Faculty of Lismore’s Southern Cross University.
Local Government and Planning Law Expertise
Bruce’s expertise in local government and planning law was forged during his time as partner and managing partner at Murray Backhouse & Turner, where for 16 years he acted extensively in local government, planning and environment matters for the Coffs Harbour City Council as well as other local councils and private clients. Matters included leading environmental cases litigated to the Full Court of the High Court.
During this period, Bruce was involved in the process for the Coffs Harbour LEP. Bruce advised the council on planning implications and requirements for a range of complicated development, including the major tourist developments on the Coffs Coast.
Bruce was appointed by several NSW Councils as a Conduct Reviewer for sensitive issues involving matters such as conflicts of interest by Councillors and senior management.
Government and Public Administration Expertise
Bruce has extensive experience in government and public administration. He has worked at the highest levels of government and business, advising chief executives and senior bureaucrats on high-stakes enterprises such as Sydney’s Cross City Tunnel and NSW Railcorp’s $1.5 billion railcar PPP procurement. Working with the Federal and State and Territory governments, Bruce was the key team member of a multi disciplinary task force comprising key professional organisations achieving uniform Federal and State legislative changes. This included making presentations to the Premiers, Attorneys General and Treasurers of South Australia, Western Australia, NSW and Queensland. Bruce’s role was publicly acknowledged by the Liability Reform Committee Chairman and CEO of Ernst & Young, James Millar, as well as CEO of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Tony Harrington.
Bruce has advised the highest levels of state government on major projects such as the energy reform agenda, the multi-billion dollar Pacific Highway upgrade and the redevelopment of the iconic Sydney Harbour Finger Wharves.
Infrastructure Expertise
As Executive Director at both PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young, Bruce worked on numerous proposals and projects for Australian road infrastructure including Cross City Tunnel, Lane Cove Tunnel and the Victorian and Queensland roads projects. Bruce also provided guidance and advice on proposals and projects including Parramatta to Chatswood rail, Perth’s Mandurah Line, NSW Railcorp’s $1.5 billion railcar, Victorian Women’s Hospital, Bunbury (WA) Hospital and NSW Schools procurement.
Current and Ongoing Professional Work
Through Allygroup Bruce has been involved in significant advisory roles to both State and federal Governments including:
Recommending improvements to the NSW Treasury Self-Insurance Corporation’s approach to liability claims
Reviewing and advising on restructuring whole of government external legal panels for NSW and Queensland Governments
Similar reviews and advice for major Federal Government Departments and Agencies including the Australian Taxation Office, ASIC and Comcare.
Byron Bay Community
Whilst working primarily in Sydney and Canberra Bruce’s principal place of residence since 2003 has been Ewingsdale, NSW and before that regularly visited to maintain contact with a large group of friends in the area.
Bruce has established an extensive network of contacts in a range of community and environmental groups over the past 16 years. He is a member of the Ewingsdale Community Association and the Bangalow Koala Protection Society. He has regularly provided pro bono legal advice to local community action groups and individuals.
