Flaherty, Lottie

Senior Executive Lawyer

Lottie joined AGS in December 2014 from private practice, where she was a Senior Associate at two major law firms. She has over 13 years of experience advising Commonwealth clients on sensitive and complex procurement and grant processes.

She worked closely with the project teams within the Department of Defence on the $50 billion SEA1000 Future Submarine Program and $35 billion SEA5000 Future Frigates Program Competitive Evaluation Processes. She also advised Employment on the $6 billion national employment services purchasing activities, and has advised Human Services (now Services Australia) on a number of procurement processes, including cooperative procurements.

Lottie has developed strong and trusted working relationships with Commonwealth clients and has a reputation for providing responsive and practical advice. She also regularly presents to Commonwealth clients, including having presented on procurement tips and tricks, contract management, contract termination, contract variations, probity in procurement processes, tender evaluation, legal risks in procurement, processing freedom of information (FOI) requests, the Australian Privacy Principles, and defensible administrative decision-making. 

Relevant experience

Lottie’s recent work includes:

  • since 2016, advising the Defence Innovation Hub, which invites proposals from companies and academic and research organisations developing innovative technologies which have a Defence application
  • advising Environment and Energy on the management of conflicts of interest and other probity issues, including advising on the regulatory activities of the Australian Antarctic Division, on governance and probity arrangements for the administration of the grant agreement with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, and on the management of conflicts of interest by the Independent Research Panel which provides scientific advice to government on the Great Barrier Reef
  • advising Social Services on a number of funding agreements for the Building Better Regional Cities Program and the Housing Affordability Fund, including advising on variations and termination
  • advising the Australian War Memorial on contractual arrangements and claims related to commissioned and loaned works
  • providing probity advice to the Bureau of Meteorology for its Robust procurement activities, a large ICT reform program involving multiple related procurements, and to Foreign Affairs on procurement activities associated with its $215 million International Communications Network, connecting all of Australia’s overseas posts and agencies as well as 45 Australian government agencies.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Science, Australian National University, 2004

Recognition

AGS Australia Day Achievement Award for the strong and important relationships she has built with the Department of Defence through her commitment to providing exceptional assistance on some of its most complex projects, 2018