WIN In-house Counsel Week Australia 2025

Join us for our 2025 in-house counsel week to meet your CPD point requirements prior to the 31 March deadline.

Our week-long virtual program contains a variety of sessions on the latest developments and issues impacting in-house counsel presented by a range of DLA Piper experts and guest speakers.

CPD points: NSW/QLD/VIC practitioners can receive up to 1 CPD point by attending the webinar live or watching the recording. WA practitioners can receive up to 1 CPD point for viewing a webinar live for the full hour.

Session One: Understanding and navigating change

Change is constant but that doesn’t necessarily make it easy.

In this engaging, interactive workshop led by former lawyer and now sought after executive coach Madeleine Shaw, you will learn how to understand, embrace and manage change effectively. Join us to gain insights and strategies that will empower you and your colleagues to thrive.

You will leave the session with clear, actionable steps to enhance your personal wellbeing and contribute to building a stronger, more adaptive team. Don’t miss the opportunity to transform the way you handle change and to lay the foundation for a unified, resilient team.

Monday, 17 February 2025
10:00 - 11:15 AWST
12:00 - 13:15 AEST
13:00 - 14:15 AEDT

1 CPD point in Practice Management and Business Skills

 

Session Two: Climate and Carbon: Obligations and Opportunities

The mandatory climate-related financial reporting regime is set to be one of the most significant and widespread regulatory changes to come into effect in Australia in decades – the impact it will have over the next four years, and beyond its enactment, will be profound.

During this session our speakers will cover:

• the key elements of the Australian regime;
• the practical challenges that businesses are likely to face in preparation and implementation, drawing on experiences with similarly large reporting/process changes and our UK team’s recent client work on the EU reporting directives;
• the practical side of decarbonisation and implementation of net zero pledges, and how Australia's carbon credit market can be used to buttress emissions reduction commitments, and potentially generate revenue.

Tuesday, 18 February 2025
09:00 - 10:00 AWST
11:00 - 12:00 AEST
12:00 - 13:00 AEDT

1 CPD point in Substantive Law

 

Session Three: Conduct Under Scrutiny: Empowering In-House Counsel to Address Misconduct

Workplace misconduct poses significant legal, reputational, and operational risks for organisations, demanding swift and strategic action from in-house legal teams. From inappropriate behaviour to fraud and sexual harassment, these incidents can escalate rapidly if not handled effectively.

This timely webinar equips in-house counsel with essential strategies to tackle misconduct, ensuring robust and defensible workplace processes while protecting company culture and minimising exposure to risk.

Topics include:

• identifying misconduct and intervening before situations spiral;
• leading or advising on investigations that withstand scruitny;
• balancing legal, ethical, and reputational considerations in real time.

With the stakes higher than ever, this session provides the practical tools and confidence needed to manage conduct issues decisively and effectively. Don't wait for the next crisis – join us to stay ahead.

Tuesday, 18 February 2025
13:00 - 14:00 AWST
15:00 - 16:00 AEST
16:00 - 17:00 AEDT

1 CPD point in Substantive Law

 

Session Four: Social Impact: Pro-Bono for In-House Counsel

FY24 was a record-breaking year for pro bono with Australian lawyers recording over 781,000 hours of pro bono work and 19,274 lawyers now covered by the Australian Pro Bono Centre's National Pro Bono Target.

This session will provide a practical overview of the pro bono and social impact landscape, different pro bono initiatives for in-house counsel and how legal teams can participate.

We'll also be joined by guest speakers who will share their experience of setting up and participating in pro bono programs that create impact and align with company values. ESG strategies, and champion access to justice for the most vulnerable.

Wednesday, 19 February 2025
11:00 - 12:00 AWST
13:00 - 14:00 AEST
14:00 - 15:00 AEDT

1 CPD point in Practice Management and Business Skills

 

Session Five: Privacy and Cyber - A New Era

In 2024, Australia introduced several new privacy and cybersecurity laws. With data regulation at an all-time high, join us as we summarise the key changes and explore proactive compliance steps that Australian businesses can take.

We'll also draw inspiration from successful overseas regimes to help manage this influx of new regulations.

Thursday, 20 February 2025
08:00 - 09:00 AWST
10:00 - 11:00 AEST
11:00 - 12:00 AEDT

1 CPD point Substantive Law

 

Session Six: Using 'S' to drive your ESG Strategy and practices

Environmental changes are (rightly) at the forefront of discussion and concern, but we should still remember that the 'Social' component of ESG strategies is also becoming increasingly critical.

This session will explore how prioritising social responsibility and alignment with a values-led strategy can underpin and enhance the overall ESG framework.

Join us to discover actionable insights and best practices for integrating social considerations into your ESG strategy, ensuring a holistic and impactful approach to corporate responsibility.

Thursday, 20 February 2025
11:00 - 12:00 AWST
13:00 - 14:00 AEST
14:00 - 15:00 AEDT

1 CPD point Practice Management and Business Skills

 

Session Seven: Ethics and Legal Professional Privilege

Join us for a discussion on legal professional privilege with The Hon. John E Middleton AM KC, retired Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, and Gowri Kangeson.

This session will discussing a range of recent examples relevant to in-house counsel and cover:

• views from the bench;
• Legal Professional Privilege (LPP) – common law advice privilege and common law litigation privilege;
• elements of LPP, including confidentiality, communications and the dominant purpose;
• the professional relationship requirement;
• joint and common interest privilege legal or improper purpose (so LPP does not apply);
• investigations and LPP waiver of privilege.

Friday, 21 February 2025
09:00 - 10:00 AWST
11:00 - 12:00 AEST
13:00 - 14:00 AEDT

1 CPD point in Ethics and Professional Responsibility