The Legal Counsel Summit VIC 2026 is a strategic forum for general counsel and senior in-house legal counsel to explore legal operations, regulatory pressure, data privacy and the shifting demands of the modern in-house role.
Delegates
Speakers
Sessions
Equipping in-house legal counsel with unmatched insights.
This summit will bring together senior legal counsel and in-house lawyers in Melbourne for a strategic discussion on regulatory and legislative updates, emerging legal risks, governance challenges, and the evolving role of legal teams in supporting growth in the digital era.
With an increasing number of legislative and regulatory changes on the horizon, in-house legal teams are under growing pressure to do more with less. The traditional role of General Counsel is no longer limited to managing legal risk. Legal leadersare now expected to serve as strategic business partners, balancing legal risk with commercial objectives while providing legal advice across corporate and commercial transactions, contracts, law firms relationships, stakeholder management and a vast range of legal services.
This event provides the perfect opportunity to network and explore how in-house legal teams are adapting to these evolving expectations, reshaping their complex legal role within the business and position your in-house legal team for the challenges ahead..
Meet our Speakers
Exoneree, Author & Criminal Justice Advocate
Deputy Chair
General Counsel - Crown Melbourne
Chief Legal & Commercial Officer
Chief Legal Officer
Head of Legal
General Manager – Legal
General Counsel
Featured Topics for the Day
View Agenda
8:30 am
Registration & Refreshments
9:00 am
Opening remarks
9:10 am
Are We Advising for Today or a World that’s Moved On?
9:40 am
Navigating Global Complexities & Redefining Legal Leadership for a Modern World
Spotlight on regulatory & legislative updates capturing the attention of in-house lawyers
How do we lead our teams to meet today’s demands given uncertainty and changes in society
How can legal leaders strategically leverage AI to manage complexity, enhance decision-making and enable higher-value work for their teams
How can legal teams better support and influence boards to anticipate regulatory, geopolitical and reputational risk
Yien Hong
Chief Legal & Commercial Officer
Judo Bank
Marie-Claire Putrino
General Counsel - Crown Melbourne
Crown Resorts
Jorja Cleeland
General Counsel
Lactalis-Mainland Dairy
Kirsty Farmer
Special Counsel
QBE
10:20 am
GC Strategies in Navigating a Cost Constrained Environment
10:40 am
Morning Tea & Networking
11:10 am
The Boardroom Brief - When the crisis lands on your desk, what's your move?
11:30 am
Building a High-Performing Team by Developing Future Skills & Empowering Lawyers to Deliver More With Less
The evolving skillset of the modern in-house lawyer including commercial thinking, influence, prioritisation and strategic advisory capabilities
How to gain operational excellence in legal through better processes, smarter use of technology and clearer ways of working can unlock productivity
Practical ways to build engaged, adaptable teams that can thrive amid growing workloads, tighter budgets and rising business expectations
Kate Sherburn
Head of Legal
Who Gives a Crap
Kirti Sivabalan
General Manager - Legal
TAL
Katrina Gowans
Group Counsel Legal Operations
APA Group
Georgie Harris
Head of Legal - Commercial
JB Hi-Fi
12:10 pm
Cross-Border, Cross-Pressure: Managing Regulatory Complexity in a Fragmented World
12:30 pm
Lunch & Networking
1:10 pm
Interactive Workshops
Architects of Good Governance: The human job in the AI-enabled boardroom
Psychosocial Legislation and it’s Impact on Lawyers
Balancing Growing Regulatory Pressure with Limited Legal Resources
Building and Retaining High-Performing In-House Legal Teams
Finding Practical Ways to Use AI in the In-House Legal Function
Standardising Contracts Without Losing Commercial Flexibility
2:00 pm
Moving AI from Experimentation to Everyday Impact in Legal Teams
Real use cases where AI is supporting contract review, research and document drafting
Managing privacy, confidentiality and governance when adopting AI tools
Lessons from early adopters embedding AI into everyday legal workflows
Andrew Wilkinson
Head of Legal & Company Secretary
Revolut
Vesna Allan
Chief Legal Officer
City of Greater Geelong
Ben Clemson
Principal, Legal Operations
Australian Super
Kym Beeston
General Legal Counsel
Patties Foods
Neil Cook
Director Legal Operations
Computershare
Allison Lawrence
Senior Legal Writer, Practical Guidance Technology & Innovation
LexisNexis
2:40 pm
Case Study
AI Insights – Lessons Learned & Practical Insights into Harnessing the Power of GenAI
3:00 pm
3 Key Areas of the ACCC that General Counsel Need to be Across
Catriona Lowe
Deputy Chair
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
3:20 pm
Afternoon Tea & Networking
3:40 pm
Amanda Knox Trial by Media: When Narrative Outpaces Justice
One of the most widely known international cases of “trial by media” is that of Amanda Knox, an American student accused of the 2007 murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher, in Perugia.
Amanda’s story will share how media coverage, cultural bias, and public opinion can influence and, at times distort, the pursuit of justice.
Amanda Knox
Exoneree, Author & Criminal Justice Advocate
