Bruce Clarke

Bruce Clarke is Chairman of Allygroup, a legal management consultancy he co-founded in 2008. Prior to this, Bruce was the Principal and founder of ACA Lawyers, a Sydney-based class action firm, until its acquisition by Shine Lawyers in 2018. With over 40 years of legal and advisory experience, Bruce’s career encompasses significant roles across both public and private sectors. Early in his career, he worked on economic modelling of tariff reforms at the Federal Department of Trade and Industry. He subsequently practised as a solicitor and managing partner at prominent law firms in the ACT and NSW. Bruce has held senior government advisory positions, notably as a Senior Ministerial Adviser in the NSW Government, overseeing portfolios including Public Works and Services, Waterways, Regional Developments, Energy, and Roads. He has also served as an Executive Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young, where he liaised with state and national government agencies on major infrastructure and project finance initiatives. His extensive board and committee experience includes roles such as Director of Commercial Radio Coffs Harbour, Audit and Risk Committee member for the NSW Government Land Property Management Authority, and state-appointed member of NSW Joint Regional Planning Panels. Bruce’s earlier legal practice included a substantial focus on local government and planning law during his tenure at Murray Backhouse & Turner. He acted for Coffs Harbour City Council and other councils on planning, environmental, and development matters, including environmental cases that progressed to the Full Court of the High Court. He was closely involved in the development of the Coffs Harbour Local Environmental Plan and advised on complex development proposals on the Coffs Coast. Several NSW Councils have appointed him as a Conduct Reviewer to examine sensitive issues such as conflicts of interest within local government. In the infrastructure field, Bruce has provided advice on major projects including Sydney’s Cross City Tunnel, Lane Cove Tunnel, the Pacific Highway upgrade, Perth’s Mandurah rail line, and NSW Railcorp’s railcar procurement, among others. Currently, through Allygroup, Bruce contributes to significant advisory projects for NSW and federal governments. This includes recommending improvements to NSW Treasury’s Self-Insurance Corporation liability claims processes and reviewing legal panel structures for various state and federal departments such as the Australian Taxation Office, ASIC, and Comcare. Residing in Ewingsdale near Byron Bay since 2003, Bruce maintains strong connections to the local community and environmental initiatives. He is actively involved with the Ewingsdale Community Association and the Bangalow Koala Protection Society, offering pro bono legal advice to community groups and individuals. Bruce is also a LEADR-qualified mediator and has conducted independent investigations into workplace issues and professional conduct for Federal and NSW Governments and several NSW Councils. His probity auditing experience extends to federal and state government engagements. Overall, Bruce Clarke brings a multifaceted legal, advisory, and governance background, underpinned by a commitment to community and public sector service.