Law firm supremos have inside running for Attorney-General’s Department head

Attorney-General Christian Porter is eyeing a former head of one of the nation’s top-tier law firms to head his department.

Former Attorney-General’s Department secretary Chris Moraitis. Picture: Sean Davey

Attorney-General Christian Porter is eyeing a former head of one of the nation’s top-tier law firms to head his department.

He told The Australian he was whittling down a shortlist of names. “I would be looking at someone who has had broad experience … in a major Australian legal setting,” he said. “We have unbelievably talented people who have run world-class large law firms.”

A former large law firm head could help rein in the federal government’s massive legal bill. Commonwealth legal spending jumped to $951m in 2018-19, an 11 per cent rise from the previous year.

Mr Porter said successive reviews had recommended greater “cross-pollination” between the public and private sectors.

Former Attorney-General’s Department secretary Chris Moraitis left last month to head a body tasked with investigating and prosecuting alleged war crimes by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.

Taking up the role would involve a pay cut for many of those who have run large law firms. It would also require a move to Canberra.

Iain Anderson, deputy secretary of the department’s legal services and families group, is acting as secretary and in the mix to replace Mr Moraitis.