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 recently joined national firm Thomson Geer as a Partner after working as the Senior Litigation Counsel at News Corp Australia for four years. Marlia previously worked at a top-tier international firm for 13 years where she acted for and advised 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.


Raymond Sun, Solicitor, Herbert Smith Freehills
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.


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.


Angela Bowne SC, Denman Chambers
Angela Bowne SC has practised at the NSW Bar since 1986, specialising in intellectual property, with a special interest in science, technology, pharmaceutical and medical law, journalism, publishing, arts and entertainment law, and alternative dispute resolution. She was appointed Senior Counsel in 2003. Since 2010, Angela has been listed in Doyle’s Guide as a leading or recommended senior counsel in IP. She is a member of the NSW Bar’s Innovation & Technology Committee and of the editorial committee of the Journal of the Intellectual Property Society of Australia & NZ. She is an accredited mediator and expert determiner and arbitration on the NSW Bar panels and regularly gives presentations on IP issues, ethics and ADR. She was a part-time member of the Copyright Tribunal of Australia from 1998 to 2007. She has served as a member of the Commonwealth Copyright Law Review Committee and the Intellectual Property Committee of the Law Council of Australia and as Vice President and committee member of the Copyright Society of Australia. She was a founding publisher and editor of the Copyright Reporter and the inaugural General Editor of LexisNexis Intellectual Property Precedents. In 2019 she was awarded life membership of the Copyright Society of Australia for her services to copyright and creators. She chaired the NSW Bar’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee from its commencement in 2008 until 2015. She has served on several arts boards, including Sydney Chamber Opera (chair), Australian Theatre for Young People, Synergy Taikoz, International PEN Sydney (President), and Sydney Film Festival. She currently chairs the ATYP Foundation and is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the UNSW Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences.


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.


Sophie Dawson, Partner, Bird & Bird
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.


Justin Quill, Partner, Thomson Geer
A self-confessed media junkie, Justin has always had a keen interest in journalism and the media, almost becoming a journalist himself. Now he not only advises on every aspect of media, but is called on as an expert commentator. Thrust into a senior role early in his career, Justin has gained experience in media law that is beyond his 20 plus year career length. However, knowing the law is one thing; Justin’s ability to know how to utilise this knowledge is what really sets him apart. His passion for free speech motivates him to work hard for his clients and his love of the subject means he has developed a deep understanding of the importance of his clients’ right to publish. This makes him the choice of high profile clients and organisations when these principles and livelihoods are at stake.


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”.


Dan Pearce, General Counsel, Holding Redlich
Dan Pearce works extensively in the entertainment industry, providing legal advice to producers or film, television, advertisements and on-line content, as well as other participants in the sector (including writers, performers, broadcasters, distributors, investors and funding agencies). In this capacity, Dan assists on projects from the earliest stages of development, through negotiation of the financing transaction documents, to production issues and arrangements for the exploitation of the program. Legal issues addressed include copyright creation, ownership and licensing, defamation and misleading conduct, privacy and confidentiality, and access to the various sources of funding in the sector (including the Producer Offset and other government screen incentives).


Robert Todd, Partner, Ashurst
Robert Todd has been consistently recognised as a Leading Individual in media law by Chambers Global, 2011, Euromoney's Guide to the World's Leading Media Lawyers, 2010 and Best Lawyers Australia, 2010. He is a recognised defamation, media and IT disputes lawyer. Robert is an accredited mediator. His practice is also focused on advising clients on information technology, e-commerce and commercial disputes. Robert advises a major national newspaper publisher, several national broadcasters, an international search engine provider and international IT suppliers. He has acted for the combined media on law reform and proposed legislation.


Gina McWilliams, Senior Legal Counsel, News
Gina started her legal career at Edwards Wallace (now defunct) in Perth before moving to Sydney in 2005. Apart from a short stint at Ashurst Australia, she has worked in-house at News Corp Australia ever since and likes to quip that they will one day cart her out of Holt Street in a pine box. Gina has worked on defamation matters large and small including Kostov v Nationwide News Pty Ltd; suppression and access matters including Hogan v Australian Crime Commission; and, in between, advises her print and online clients on all matters media related. She does nothing interesting in her down-time but was delighted to be part of the team awarded the 2021 June Andrews Walkley Award for Women’s Leadership in Media for their work on the #LetHerSpeak/#LetThemSpeak campaign.