Partner, Head of Privacy Risk and Digital Law, Atmos
Alec has over 30 years’ experience helping clients with practical solutions and focussed advice in Digital Law, Privacy, Critical Infrastructure, AI/Innovation and Financial Services Information Regulation, often in relation to multi-country transactions. Alec has been recognised as one of the leading privacy and information technology lawyers in Australia by Who’s Who Legal, the Asia Pacific Legal 500 and BestLawyers Australia and described as a ‘distinguished practitioner… lauded by clients for his excellent advisory work in… privacy’. Alec is also a Senior Member of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal focusing on the privacy and freedom of information jurisdiction of the Tribunal.
Civil Procedure Victoria
David practised for many years as a senior partner at Freehill Hollingdale & Page, Melbourne, as head of the banking department and as special counsel at KPMG Legal.
He writes and contributes many articles and papers at professional seminars and conferences in the areas of dispute resolution, civil procedure commercial law and ethics.
He is the author of Discovery and Interrogatories Australia, the senior author of Civil Procedure Victoria and a contributor to Halsbury’s Laws of Australia. He was a co-editor of Court Forms Precedents and Pleadings Victoria from its inception until 2017.
He was a member of the International Legal Services Advisory Council from 1991 – 2000 (Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department).
He is an adjunct professor of law at Victoria University, Melbourne.
He was the inaugural chair of the International Law Section of the Law Council of Australia 1987-1991.
Email: oldbailey@vicbar.com.au
Tel: (03) 9225 7022
Partner, Webb Henderson
Diana is a competition, consumer, regulatory and dispute resolution lawyer.
She regularly acts for private and public sector clients in both front end and contentious matters.
KC, LLB (Hons), GCUTL
Dr Felicity Gerry KC is an international barrister at Libertas Chambers, London and Crockett Chambers, Melbourne, and Professor of Legal Practice at Deakin University. She specialises in leading for the defence in serious and complex criminal cases, including terrorism, homicide, war crimes, modern slavery, and white-collar offences, as well as criminal appellate work. She has been admitted to the International Criminal Court and Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, in England & Wales and Australia (Victoria and High Court roll) and has had ad hoc admission in Hong Kong and Gibraltar. Felicity holds a PhD on trafficked women who commit crimes and is currently a senior anti-human trafficking expert consultant and trainer for Lawyers Without Borders. She is the co-author of the content on Children, Compensation, Animals and Sex Work & Modern Slavery in Bourke’s Criminal Law Victoria, published by LexisNexis®.
William Crockett Chambers
Tel: (02) 9225 7222
Mob: 0427 220 988
Email: fgerryqc@vicbar.com.au
Partner, Johnson Winter Slattery
Helen is a Partner at Johnson Winter Slattery. She is a technology, intellectual property and data privacy specialist, with extensive experience acting for high profile government and corporate clients in a diverse range of industries including health, energy, telecommunications, financial services, education and manufacturing.
Helen’s legal practice has a focus on core system and digital transformation projects, advising clients on projects to replace or upgrade core technology systems. She is experienced in major ICT procurement, systems integrations, outsourcing and cloud services, and data privacy.
Helen is a regular presenter at industry conferences and to key government and corporate clients on a range of technology, data privacy and cyber security topics including:
Helen Clarke | Partner
Johnson Winter Slattery
Tel: +61 7 3002 2545
Mobile: +61 411 399 643
Email: Helen.Clarke@jws.com.au
Partner, Thomson Geer Lawyers, General Advisor for Practical Guidance Dispute Resolution
For over 16 years, Jodi has been a practising litigator, highly experienced in all aspects of commercial disputes, including alternative dispute resolution processes and running complex litigation involving multiple stakeholders.
Jodi has acted for publicly listed companies, private companies, public sector agencies and individuals. She has expertise in commercial disputes across diverse fields of industry including resources, manufacturing, medical, financial services, media and technology sectors. Jodi considers a thorough understanding of the commercial context to be imperative to assisting her clients to achieve resolution of disputes.
Jodi is a key author for the LexisNexis Practical Guidance dispute resolution product, covering civil procedure in the New South Wales Supreme Court and the Federal Court of Australia. Jodi regularly presents to clients, recently delivering a seminar on warranty insurance claims in the context of M&A transactions.
Demonstrating her commitment to open justice, Jodi is a significant contributor to Thomson Geer's pro bono program, recognising the corporate responsibility to assist those who would not otherwise have the capacity to obtain legal representation. Jodi has advocated for those with disabilities, victims of predatory lending schemes and migration matters.
Professor of Law, The University of Queensland
John Swinson is a Professor of Law at The University of Queensland, where he teaches privacy law, cybersecurity law, and Internet & IT law. He has extensive expertise in intellectual property and technology law and serves as an expert panelist for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in intellectual property arbitrations and domain name disputes. John graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991 as a Fulbright Scholar, in the same graduating class as Barack Obama. He is admitted to practise as a lawyer in both Australia and New York State. From 2017 to 2019, he was Chair of the auDA Policy Review Panel.
Before joining academia, John was a Partner in the Brisbane office of King & Wood Mallesons from 1999 to July 2021, where he specialised in intellectual property and technology law. He acted for numerous high-profile technology corporations, internet companies, investors, and financial institutions. His work spanned both domestic and international aspects of copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, Internet, and privacy laws, and he has litigated several leading cases.
The University of Queensland
Founder, Principal and Consultant, Legal Know-How
Karen Lee is a specialist banking and financial services lawyer with over 25 years of experience, including senior management roles in both private practice and in-house legal teams. She is the founder of Legal Know-How, established in 2012, where she provides expert consulting services to banks, financial institutions, large corporations, and SMEs. Her expertise includes risk management, regulatory compliance, legal documentation, process improvement, and legal knowledge management.
Prior to founding her consultancy, Karen held various in-house leadership roles, including Head of Legal for a leading Australasian non-bank lender. She also worked in top-tier law firms as Counsel at Allen & Overy and Special Counsel at Clayton Utz, with a strong focus on banking and finance law, regulatory compliance, and legal precedents.
Karen is the General Editor of the Australian Banking & Finance Law Bulletin and the Financial Services Newsletter. She collaborates extensively with LexisNexis as a Specialist Editor for banking and finance precedents and contributes to multiple legal publications, including Australian Corporate Finance Law, Halsbury’s Laws of Australia, Practical Guidance General Counsel, Practical Guidance Banking and Finance, and Regulatory Compliance Industry Solutions.
In addition to her editorial and writing roles, Karen is an experienced speaker, chair, and moderator at legal seminars and industry conferences. She has developed course materials for online MCLE training and facilitates masterclasses on regulatory compliance for senior managers and executives in the banking and financial services sectors.
LL.B (Adelaide) 1971, Master of the District Court of SA
Peter Norman OAM is an Auxiliary Judge of the Supreme Court and Auxiliary Master of the District Court.
His areas of expertise include common law litigation including personal injury, medical negligence, professional negligence, aviation accidents, coronial inquests, natural disaster litigation, claims by infants and persons under a disability, nuisance/negligence actions, commercial litigation including contractual disputes, product liability, trade practices and related claims, banking and insurance disputes, compensation, bankruptcy and insolvency, company liquidation, abuse of process, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office claims, detinue, property disputes, practice and procedure, class actions, probate and inheritance, administrative law, corporations law, constitutional law, criminal law, royal commissions, costs law, and employment law.
Various papers presented over many years to legal profession, Law Society, Forensic Science Society, medical profession, National Institute of Accountants, crime prevention conferences, psychiatrists on law and procedure, criminology, crime prevention, medico-legal issues, manufacturers liability, legal costs, Privacy Act issues etc.
Chairman Australian Crime Prevention Council 1999 to date
President, John Bray Law Network, University of Adelaide 2006-2008
Council Member, Law Society of SA 1989-1990, 1998-1999
Member, Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal of South Australia 1990-1999
Secretary, Australian Forensic Science Society, 1976
Chairman, Offenders Aid and Rehabilitation Services of S.A., 1980
Member, Criminal Law Committee, Law Society of South Australia 1976
Secretary, SE Asian South African and Australasian Region, International Prisoners Aid Association 1981
LLB (Hons), LLM, EMBA
Michael is a Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, having been appointed in 2025.His Honour served as a District Court Judge for nine years from February 2016 until his appointment to the Supreme Court.For the two years prior to this appointment, Michael was the Principal Registrar of the Supreme Court. In that capacity, he presided over mediations in commercial litigation and estate disputes brought in the Supreme Court, as well as undertaking case management work in the civil jurisdiction.Between 2004 and 2013, Michael was the Principal Registrar of the District Court. In that role he was responsible for overseeing the pre-trial case management of all civil actions commenced in the court, as well as the court’s ADR program.Michael commenced his legal career with Freehill Hollingdale and Page, as they were then known, before joining the Australian Securities Commission in 1994. He held a number of positions within the ASC and its successor, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, culminating in four years as its Regional Commissioner in Western Australia.
Civil Procedure Western Australia (General Editor)
BA, LLB (Sydney), BCL (Oxford); Hon LLD (UNSW, 2019)
Professor Chisholm is an Honorary Professor at the ANU College of Law. He graduated from Sydney and Oxford universities. He was an academic at the University of New South Wales between 1970 and 1993 (Associate Professor and Head of School), and Judge of the Family Court of Australia between 1993 and 2004.
His publications include Understanding Law (LexisNexis 8th Ed 2012) (with Garth Nettheim and Helen Chisholm); LexisNexis service Australian Family Law, and numerous articles in the Australian Journal of Family Law.
Professor Chisholm has long been involved in family law reform, since being a founding council member of the Aboriginal Legal Service in 1970, for example serving two terms on the Family Law Council, and working on a number of projects with the New South Wales Law Reform Commission and the Australian Law Reform Commission.
Since retiring from the bench in 2004 he has continued research, publication and law reform activities, most recently as a member of the Advisory Committee to the Australian Law Reform Commission in its Inquiry into the Family Law System (2019). His contributions to the Attorney-General's Department include the Family Courts Violence Review (2009), Information-Sharing in Family Law & Child Protection: Enhancing Collaboration (2013), and Parenting orders – What You Need to Know (2016). In 2018 he was made a Life Member, of the Law Council of Australia’s Family Law Section.
Professor Chisholm has presented at numerous family law conferences, including as plenary speaker at the National Family Law Conference, Brisbane 2018.
Australian National University, College of Law - Adjunct Professor
Annotated Family Law Legislation, 8th edition
Partner, Teece Hodgson & Ward
Richard Neal is an Accredited Specialist in Wills and Estates Law with over 50 years of experience advising clients on complex estate and succession matters. A partner at Teece Hodgson & Ward in Sydney, he has extensive expertise in equity litigation, contested estates, will construction, family provision claims, and trust administration. He also provides estate planning guidance, particularly in matters involving foreign assets and cross-border succession issues.
Richard is named in the Doyle’s Guide from 2015 to 2024 as a Preeminent Wills & Estates Litigation Lawyer – New South Wales and Preeminent Wills, Estates Planning and Succession Planning Lawyer – New South Wales.
Beyond his legal practice, Richard is a respected educator and thought leader in succession law. Since 1986, he has conducted workshops and seminars for solicitors’ continuing legal education and frequently acts as an expert witness in estate litigation.
Publications
Awards & Recognition
Speaking EngagementsRichard has been a keynote speaker at numerous legal education events, focusing on estate planning, succession law reform, and probate litigation.
Professional Organisations & Memberships
Professional Contact Teece Hodgson & Ward Level 10, 1 Chifley Square, Sydney NSW 2000Tel: +61 2 9232 3733
LLB
Russell was educated at various state primary schools and Bendigo High School. He studied Law at The University of Melbourne, graduating in 1966.
He was an Article Law Clerk in 1966 and prcaticed as a Solicitor between 1967 and 1969.
As a Barrister practising at the Victorian Bar between 1969-1988 he specialised in local government, planning, environmental and administrative law.
From 1988 to 2016, he had been a senior member of the Victorian Adminstrative Appeals Tribunal, and subsequently of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in the Planning and Environment, Real Property, Occupational and Business Regulation and Land Valuation Lists.
Planning and Environment Victoria, Looseleaf contact: LN ML Publishing
Fellow of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association.
Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association
Victoria Planning and Environmental Law Association
Sar is the Practice Group Head for Competition Law at Johnson Winter Slattery. He has over 25 years’ experience in advising clients on all aspects of competition and consumer law and is known for acting on complex mergers, cartels, ACCC investigations and access to infrastructure issues. He is regularly ranked as a leading lawyer in international and national directories including Chambers, Legal 500, Best Lawyers, Doyle’s Guide, Who’s Who Legal and Client Choice.
Sar has acted on transformative deals including illion/Experian, Flinders/Aurizon, Nutrien/Ruralco, Seven West/Bauer, Qantas/Emirates and Yahoo/Microsoft.
He has also been involved in landmark cases including the first-ever criminal cartel where individuals were sentenced to jail (Vina Money) and the laundry detergent cartel (Unilever) and has represented Qantas and Yahoo! in ACCC prosecutions.
He is an expert in access to infrastructure issues in the rail, port and gas sector and is trusted advisor to the gas industry in respect of the Code of Conduct and government policy. Sar is also a leading FMCG specialist.
Awards and RecognitionClient Choice Award x 2ChambersLegal 500Best LawyersDoyle’s GuideWho’s Who Legal
MembershipsLaw Council of AustraliaInternational Bar Association
Speaking EngagementsLaw Ninjas 2025Agribusiness Law Conference 2024
Legal Practitioner Director - LaBlack Lawyers
Simon is the legal practitioner director at LaBlack Lawyers Pty Ltd and one of 29 accredited property law specialists in Queensland, having gained his specialist accreditation in 2017.
Simon assists both organisations and individuals in all Queensland property law related matters including:
Simon also regularly assists other legal professionals and law firms in the property law space as a specialist consultant and acts as a Court-appointed statutory trustee for sale.
Accredited Specialist – Property Law (Qld)2019 – finalist for Queensland Law Society President’s Medal – QLS
Member – QLS Property Law Specialist Accreditation Advisory Committee
LaBlack Lawyers Pty Ltdwww.lablacklawyers.com.au
Partner, Maddocks
Sonia has wide ranging experience advising on technology, cyber, telecommunication and general commercial matters.
Sonia specialises in cyber and data resilience advice with particular experience conducting privacy impact assessments and providing privacy advice on new cutting edge technologies as well as advising on complex privacy issues for ‘big data’, consents, cloud-computing, cross-border transfers and data breach laws; intellectual property, including the exploitation and distribution of content across all platforms including apps and drafting and negotiating licence agreements for collaborative research projects; technology, including acting for both suppliers and customers in respect of business process outsourcings and technology procurement; and telecommunications, including representation in regulatory inquiries and advising on strategic policy issues for the digital economy.
Law Society of New South Wales
Sonia Sharma, PartnerTel: 61 2 9291 6143Email: sonia.sharma@maddocks.com.au
Consultant, Allens
Steve is a commercial-focused lawyer with over three decades’ experience in banking & finance transactions, including over 20 years as a partner at Allens, where he is now a consultant. His practice has included corporate finance, debt capital markets, project finance and more recently consumer finance work. He is currently based in Melbourne, and has also spent several years practicing in each of Hong Kong and Singapore
Outside the law, Steve also works as a researcher at the Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University, with a focus on public transport projects.
www.allens.com.au/people/p/steve-pemberton
BA, LLM
Justice Black was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales on 4 July 2011. He was previously a dispute resolution partner at Mallesons Stephen Jaques where he practised primarily in commercial litigation and financial services regulation.
He was admitted as a solicitor in 1987 and was a Judge's Associate in the Federal Court of Australia in 1988. He holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws from the University of Sydney.
He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney Law School and a Visiting Fellow in the Faculty of Law at the University of New South Wales. He is joint author of Securities and Financial Services Law, 8th ed, 2012 and Austin & Black's Annotations to the Corporations Act 2010.
Supreme Court of New South Wales
'Securities and Financial Services Law 8th Edition'
'Australian Corporations Legislation 2013'
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