Digital assets offer great potential but come with complex legal challenges. Explore the legal frameworks of data sharing, storage and privacy aspects of blockchain and NFTs plus insights gained from Federal Court decisions.  Examine smart contracts including the issues with AI in automated legal agreements. Navigate key tax considerations relating to transacting with digital assets and the approaches and implications of valuing and valuations of these assets. Gain clarity on managing risks when dealing with technolgy and digital assets including insolvency, disputes and litigation risks.

Presenters

Nelda Turnbull, Special Counsel, King & Wood Malleson
Nelda is a finance lawyer with over 20 years' experience. Her practice focuses on asset finance, structured finance, fund finance, financial regulation and derivatives. Her experience includes advice on virtual assets and tokenisation including structuring platforms and virtual assets as well as related licensing issues to both banks and exchanges. Nelda also has experience in carbon markets including setting up a carbon trading platform, carbon trading derivatives documentation and preparing and advising on prepayment arrangements and financing documentation for carbon interests. Prior to joining KWM, Nelda worked for international law firms in Sydney and South Africa for many years. She also worked at National Australia Bank (NAB) supporting the markets, transaction banking and payments businesses in the corporate and institutional bank of NAB.


Dr. Adrian McCullagh, Principal, ODMOB Lawyers
Adrian has degrees in Computer Science and Law as well as a Ph.D. in IT Security. He obtained his Ph.D. from the Information Security Research Centre at the Queensland University of Technology. He has been practicing in IT law for more than 30 years being one of the pioneer IT lawyers within Australia. He is a member of the Queensland Law Society and a member of the American Bar Association and participate in the Information Security Forum. In 1999 he was the QUT Faculty of Information Technology Alumnus of the year. He is a member of the Intellectual Property and Information Technology Committee for the Queensland Law Society. Adrian’s current research interests include Telecoms security, IT security, IT governance, cryptocurrencies, Blockchain and its uses in supply chain management, Decentralised Autonomous Organisations and Identity Management. He is also investigating the impact of autonomous vehicles and machine learning and their policy considerations.


Fiona Hansen, Senior Managing Director, Head of Valuations Advisory, FTI Consulting Australia
Fiona is a Senior Managing Director and leads FTI Consulting’s Valuation Advisory practice in Australia. She has over 28 years' experience in corporate finance and business valuations having held senior roles in the Big 4 accounting firms working in Australia, Europe and South Africa. Fiona specialises in valuations of businesses, intangible assets, equity and debt instruments, executive options, impairment testing and independent experts reports. She has prepared numerous valuation reports for a range of purposes, including mergers and acquisitions, accounting, taxation, stamp duty, Corporations Act and ASX requirements. Fiona’s valuation reports comply with the relevant standards or professional requirements. They are succinct, easy to read and give clients confidence in the final outcome. Fiona has also undertaken numerous corporate finance assignments involving mergers and acquisitions, divestments and financial due diligence.


James Myint, Managing Partner, Stirling & Rose
James was the Australian Head of a major international law firm’s Digital Law practice and a founding member of an international law firm’s market-leading restructuring practice. James leads Stirling & Rose’s finance and restructuring practice, with significant local and global experience in high complexity ‘first of their kind’ transactions with a cross-jurisdictional focus, working in New York, Tokyo and Sydney. James advises major companies, funds, investors, financial institutions and blockchain platforms, specialising in Smart Legal Contracts, CBDCs, DeFi, digital investments and novel financings. James specialises in smart legal contracts, CBDCs and digital investments and financing.


Steven Pettigrove, Partner, Piper Alderman
Steven advises on financial services and fintech, specialising in digital assets regulation and disputes. With 14 years of experience as a start-up founder and litigation specialist, he represents leading financial institutions, fintechs, and venture capital firms. Steven combines commercial, legal, and entrepreneurial skills to help clients navigate regulatory complexities and achieve commercial outcomes. His expertise spans commercial contracts, corporate law, and various regulatory investigations involving ASIC, the DOJ, and other international bodies. He has acted on litigation in the UK Supreme Court and the Hong Kong and Australian Courts, as well as advising on arbitration and investment treaty disputes. Previously trained at a Magic Circle law firm in London, Steven has also run a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation and is admitted to practice in Australia, Hong Kong, and England & Wales.