Thoughtful legal, policy & governance consulting
Grounded in relationships,
shaped by lived experience

Consulting services

  • Policy and program development

    Policy and program design in complex social, cultural and political settings, involving research, legal analysis, policy scoping, stakeholder engagement, co-design processes and implementation support.

    Governance and systems design

    Governance and systems design and review to support culturally grounded, sustainable and workable frameworks, including within government departments, agencies, and boards, statutory authorities and corporations, service delivery systems, governance forums, and community organisations.

    Law, policy and systems reform

    Law and policy reform work across complex and evolving environments, including legal and policy analysis and advice, framework design, systems reform, change management, and implementation support.

  • Advocacy and advisory services

    Strategic advocacy and advisory support across complex policy, governance and reform processes, including the development of written materials such as briefings, submissions, and business cases.

    Facilitation and agreement-making

    Facilitation and agreement-making support across complex and sensitive environments and issues, including facilitated discussions, workshops, engagement processes, strategic influencing and negotiation, and consensus-building.

  • Design and delivery of community engagement and co-design processes grounded in lived experience, meaningful community involvement and self-determination.

  • Gabe Clay Consulting partners with First Peoples consultancies to design and deliver culturally grounded projects and engagement.

  • The Treaty Authority: designing policies to implement new and expanded statutory functions.

    VicGrid: designing programs for funding Traditional Owners to complete biocultural mapping of their Country to shape the delivery of renewable energy across the State. In partnership with Liz Allen Consultancy.

    Kentbruck Green Power Hub: developing partnerships with First Peoples to facilitate economic and community benefits from renewable energy. In partnership with Liz Allen Consultancy.

About

Gabe Clay Consulting is based in Melbourne / Naarm with regional NSW workspaces supporting local delivery across Victoria and New South Wales. The consultancy works flexibly across jurisdictions, with capacity for onsite, remote and hybrid engagement nationally.

Gabe Clay Consulting is led by Gabrielle Clay Lauder, a lawyer and consultant with senior leadership experience and 15 years of specialised experience working across the First Peoples sector.

Gabrielle is recognised for delivering complex, culturally grounded reform in partnership with Traditional Owners, Aboriginal communities, organisations and government decision-makers. Her expertise spans native title, Traditional Owner settlements, Aboriginal community and organisation engagement, cultural heritage, and Truth and Treaty.

Her work focuses on strengthening governance, legal and policy frameworks, and service systems that support Aboriginal cultural authority, community-led decision-making and sustainable change. She is known for her calm, thoughtful and strategic approach in culturally, politically and legally complex environments, and for her capacity to build trust, navigate sensitive issues and support practical outcomes.

Gabrielle previously worked on the Royal Commission into Family Violence, contributing to intersectional reform across the mental health, justice, housing and out-of-home care systems. This experience continues to shape her approach to legal, policy and program design, which is grounded in relationships, lived experience, co-design and self-determination.

  • As Director for the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council, Gabrielle led a statutory office with responsibility for administering the legal and policy functions of an established First Peoples decision-making body.

    Prior to this role, Gabrielle performed Director and Executive Director roles within the Department of Premier and Cabinet where she advised the Premier, portfolio ministers, and senior government leaders on First Peoples policy, system design, statutory relationships and whole-of-government reforms.

  • Gabrielle’s career began in native title and legislative design. During this time she negotiated native title settlements, drafted legislative amendments and regulations under the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010, and contributed to key policy reforms to strengthen Traditional Owner settlement pathways. At AIATSIS, she partnered with First Peoples communities across Australia on research projects relating to joint management and native title rights, and authored or co-authored national research.

  • Gabrielle holds a Master of Laws from the Australian National University and is admitted as an Australian Lawyer.