What are the real legal risks for media in 2025? Unpack the impact of the 2025 privacy overhaul, how courts are applying the “serious harm” test, and the use of suppression orders. Explore how to contract safely in the digital age plus take a deep dive into AI’s legal implications for the media and entertainment industry and new editorial liabilities that should concern you. Plus, gain a practical dispute resolution toolkit and insights into strategy, risks and lessons.

Presenters

Marlia Saunders, Partner, Thomson Geer
Marlia is an experienced media/entertainment, intellectual property and privacy lawyer who has extensive top-tier law firm expertise and a unique client perspective after working as a senior in-house lawyer for many years. She is a Partner in the Media team at national firm Thomson Geer, where she acts for and advises most of Australia’s major media organisations, social media and streaming platforms, large corporates and government bodies. Marlia specialises in defamation, contempt of court, suppression orders, freedom of information and court access applications, confidential information claims, prepublication advice, copyright, consumer law and privacy matters. She has acted in a large number of high profile media and intellectual property disputes; advised on sponsorship, production and licensing deals; and given prepublication advice in relation to newspaper and online articles, television programs, podcasts and marketing/advertising materials. Marlia is on the Executive Committee of the Communications and Media Law Association and the Copyright Society of Australia, and is the National Chair of the Media & Communications Committee of the Business Law Section of the Law Council of Australia.


Raymond Sun, Senior Associate, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Raymond is a technology lawyer and programmer. He specialises in emerging technologies where he combines his strong technical IT skills with legal knowledge to deliver excellent client experience, especially on technically-complex matters. As an AI developer himself, Raymond is one of the firm’s resident experts on artificial intelligence. Raymond specialises in technology, emerging technology (A.I. and Digital Assets), privacy law and intellectual property. As a skilled developer, Raymond regularly assists on matters which require deep understanding of technical systems and processes. With experience in building artificial intelligence and web3 applications, Raymond advises clients on legal and ethical issues in relation to projects involving artificial intelligence, blockchain (including cryptocurrencies, NFTs and DAOs) and data. Raymond also regularly works with a wide range of clients (both small and large) on digital transformation projects, IT & telecommunication contracts, software licences, privacy and online safety regulation, gambling regulations and export controls.


Andrew Boe, Barrister, Black Chambers
Andrew Boe is a barrister who has appeared in trial courts in most jurisdictions of Australia and in appeal courts in NSW, Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and in the High Court. Prior to coming to the Bar in 2009, Andrew operated law practices in Brisbane, since his admission in 1989. Andrew specialises in the criminal jurisdiction however, he has also appeared in administrative law, family law and child protection cases, coronial Inquest. commissions of inquiry and defamation trials.


Suzanne Howari, Senior Associate, Brown Wright Stein Lawyers
Suzanne Howari is a highly regarded corporate and commercial lawyer specialising in regulatory enforcement and investigations (including ASIC, ACCC and ASX investigations), legal risk management, governance, corporate and commercial law and competition and consumer law. Suzanne holds a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney with particular focus on corporate and commercial law, and a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney. Suzanne is a recognised Risk and Governance Professional and a Fellow Member of the Governance Institute of Australia, and has been awarded the Certificate in Governance & Risk Management from the Governance Institute of Australia. In her practice, Suzanne leads highly complex regulatory investigations and develops risk management frameworks for her clients to reduce their exposure to legal risks and cultivate a culture of compliance. Noting her unique skills and extensive experience, Suzanne has been distinguished in the 2024 Women in Law Awards as a 'Thought Leader' for her work in regulatory investigations and legal risk management. As a trusted advisor to business leaders and their teams, Suzanne works closely with her clients and their professional advisors to formulate effective strategies and comprehensive solutions to achieve their objectives while managing their risks.

Rebecca Dunn, Partner, Gilbert + Tobin
Rebecca is a partner in Gilbert + Tobin’s Tech & IP group and an experienced litigator in intellectual property and media law. She specialises in copyright, defamation, trade mark litigation, and Australian Consumer Law, with particular expertise in the online space. Her enforcement work spans national and international clients in the film and music industries, and she has litigated in the Supreme and Federal Courts, including at the High Court of Australia. Rebecca serves as President of the Communications and Media Law Alliance and is a member of several professional societies. She holds a Bachelor of Law (First Class Honours) from the University of Sydney, a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Newcastle, and a Master of Research focused on social media law and democracy.


Dauid Sibtain SC, Level 22 Chambers
With over 25 years’ experience at the Bar, Dauid maintains an expansive practice, with particular expertise in media, building and construction, commercial, and intellectual property matters. His considerable experience as a trial and appellate advocate before both judges and juries, has seen him appear in significant litigation in the High Court of Australia, New South Wales Court of Appeal and in other superior courts. He is regularly engaged to appear in urgent applications and frequently advises and appears for high profile clients, on instruction from both solicitors in private practice and directly from in-house corporate legal departments. Dauid was recognised as Preeminent Counsel in 2022, and as Leading and Recommended Counsel between 2018 and 2021, in Doyle’s Guide for Leading Technology, Media & Telecommunications Junior Counsel, NSW. He was also recognised in 2022 as Recommended Counsel in Doyle’s Guide for Leading Intellectual Property Junior Counsel, NSW and as a leading trade mark professional in World Trademark Review between 2016 and 2019.


The Honourable Judith Gibson, Judge, New South Wales District Court
Judge Gibson is the Defamation List Judge for the District Court of New South Wales and a member of the advisory committee assisting the Department of Justice’s current review of the uniform defamation legislation. Judge Gibson is a contributing author to Australian Defamation Law and Practice (LexisNexis) and the author of the Defamation chapter in the Judicial Commission’s Benchbook.


Justin Quill, Partner, Thomsons
Justin has practised exclusively in media and communications law for almost 30 years. As a Partner at Thomsons, he advises leading media organisations, broadcasters, publishers and technology platforms on complex legal issues including defamation, contempt of court, suppression orders, privacy, online safety, freedom of information and pre-publication risk management. Justin acts for many of Australia’s largest media and technology companies, including News Corp Australia, Nine, the ABC, commercial television networks, national radio broadcasters, and global technology platforms. He is widely recognised for his involvement in some of Australia’s most significant media law matters, including the Lawyer X litigation, the Cardinal Pell contempt proceedings, and regulatory challenges involving online platforms and the eSafety Commissioner. Consistently ranked as a Band 1 media lawyer by Chambers Asia-Pacific for 15 consecutive years, Justin is recognised for his strategic insight, advocacy skills and deep understanding of the media landscape. He has served as Chair of the Law Council of Australia’s Media and Communications Committee for almost a decade and is Chief Judge of the Melbourne Press Club’s prestigious Quill Awards. A regular columnist, commentator and presenter, Justin is highly regarded for providing practical, authoritative guidance on the fast-evolving intersection of media, technology, free speech and regulation.


Kevin Lynch, Partner, Johnson Winter & Slattery
Kevin has over twenty years’ experience in advising media and technology companies in relation to defamation, contempt, privacy, legislative restrictions, broadcast regulation, copyright, contractual matters and trade practices. With the JWS team Kevin provides dedicated defamation and pre-publication advice to prominent online, radio and television clients, including multinational media distributors and publishers. The 2020 edition of the Asia Pacific Legal 500 lists Kevin listed as a leading individual in media and entertainment where he is described as “a valued adviser, bringing exceptional experience, grounded assessment of claims and commercially-based advice across a range of specialised areas”. Chambers and Partners ranks Kevin as a notable practitioner – “an experienced and extremely capable lawyer who takes a very commercial approach to his matters”.


Robert Todd, Senior Consultant, Ashurst Perkins Coie
Robert Todd is one of Australia’s most respected media and communications lawyers, with more than three decades of experience advising major media organisations, broadcasters, publishers and corporations on complex disputes and regulatory issues. Based in Sydney, he is a Senior Consultant at Ashurst Perkins Coie, having previously served as a Partner at the firm for over 35 years. Recognised as a leading authority in media law, Robert has extensive expertise in defamation, media litigation, entertainment law, information technology law and reputation management. Throughout his career, he has acted for some of Australia’s most prominent news and media organisations, earning a reputation as a trusted adviser in high-profile and strategically significant matters. Robert is consistently recognised by the legal profession’s leading directories. He has been ranked by Chambers Asia-Pacific for Media Law for more than 16 years and is acknowledged in The Legal 500 as a leading practitioner in media and entertainment law. He has also been recognised in Best Lawyers in Australia for Defamation and Media Law, Entertainment Law and Information Technology Law. Known for his deep industry knowledge, strategic judgement and practical approach, Robert is a sought-after speaker on emerging issues affecting the media, technology and communications sectors. He regularly provides insights on developments in defamation, digital publishing, freedom of expression, reputation protection and the evolving legal challenges facing media organisations in Australia.


Gina McWilliams, Senior Legal Counsel, News Corp Australia
Gina McWilliams is a highly regarded media lawyer with more than two decades of experience advising on defamation, media regulation, press freedom, privacy, suppression orders and access to information. She is Senior Legal Counsel at News Corp Australia, where she provides strategic legal advice across some of Australia’s leading print and digital media brands and plays a key role in navigating complex and evolving media law issues. Since joining News Corp Australia in 2005, Gina has worked on a number of landmark media law matters, including significant defamation proceedings, suppression and access disputes, and press freedom cases. Her experience spans high-profile matters such as Kostov v Nationwide News Pty Ltd, Hogan v Australian Crime Commission and Smethurst v Australian Federal Police, as well as advising newsroom teams on day-to-day publication risks and emerging legal challenges. Gina holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Australia and a Master of Laws from the University of New South Wales. She is widely recognised for her expertise in media law reform, freedom of expression and journalist protections, and is a regular speaker on defamation, privacy and digital publishing issues. In 2021, she was part of the team awarded the June Andrews Walkley Award for Women’s Leadership in Media for the influential #LetHerSpeak/#LetThemSpeak campaign. 


Nicholas Kraegen, Special Counsel, Baker & McKenzie
Nick is a Special Counsel in the Media and Content team, within the IPTech practice and acts on a variety of commercial, advisory and litigious matters. Nick advises and represents a range of clients in the media and publishing, IT, communications, and FMCG industries, including in relation to intellectual property (with a strong focus on copyright) and advertising law. Acting for licensees in the Copyright Tribunal has been a significant part of his practice in the last several years. Prior to joining Baker McKenzie he worked in-house at NineMSN, now Nine Digital. Nick's work also focuses on copyright enforcement strategies in a digital context, and he has represented a range of international and domestic rightsholders in anti-piracy proceedings.


Sophie Dawson, Partner, Johnson Winter & Slattery
Sophie is a Media, Entertainment and Technology partner with extensive intellectual property, privacy and disputes experience. Sophie’s copyright experience includes acting for Nine Entertainment in litigation in which it successfully resisted an interlocutory injunction application by another media organisation in relation to a reality television cooking show, acting for two of the world’s leading computer games companies in relation to authorisation by modders of copyright infringement by end-users of popular computer games. She has also acted for IT companies in relation to strategic intellectual property issues arising in contentious matters. Sophie also acted for Samsung in relation to its 3G Telephony patent claim against Apple. Sophie is recognised as a leading TMT: Media lawyer in directories including Legal500 and Chambers AsiaPacific. She is co-author of Thomson Reuter’s Media & Internet Law & Practice and is a member of the advisory board of the UTS Centre for Media Transition.