Presenters

Richard Brooks, Consultant, Ashurst
Richard Brooks is a consultant in Ashurst's real estate practice. Richard has a broad real estate practice, including acting for REITs and other institutional property owners, developers and corporate and government real estate occupiers, and acting on real estate aspects of financing, M&A, infrastructure and energy and resources projects. Richard is experienced in acting on commercial property leasing (for landlords and tenants), sale and lease backs, real estate investment and real estate development. Richard is listed in Best Lawyers Australia 2025 in Real Property Law, Leasing Law and Government Practice.


Iain McLaren, Special Counsel, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers
Iain McLaren is a Special Counsel in HWL Ebsworth’s national commercial group, based in Melbourne. Iain specialises in information technology law, privacy, data protection, intellectual property, and general commercial contracting. Iain has over two decades of expertise in information technology law, privacy, and data protection, as a lawyer and as a technology director and manager. Iain's career has focused on combining legal compliance with technological innovation, high impact and efficient commercial contracting, and providing intellectual property and privacy and data protection advice to clients. Iain's guidance has been pivotal for APRA-regulated entities and government entities, including major Australian banks, Australia Post, and hospitals, in navigating complex SaaS, cloud computing and outsourcing projects. As an experienced lawyer, Iain's work revolves around facilitating cost-effective legal processes that align with strategic business objectives. At Plexus, Iain led the service delivery team to assist with redefining legal service delivery, contributing to the firm's recognition as a groundbreaking force in legal automation and insourcing. Plexus’s collaborative efforts with over half of the ASX100 underscores its commitment to legal efficiency and strategic impact.

Presenters

Richard Brooks, Consultant, Ashurst
Richard Brooks is a consultant in Ashurst's real estate practice. Richard has a broad real estate practice, including acting for REITs and other institutional property owners, developers and corporate and government real estate occupiers, and acting on real estate aspects of financing, M&A, infrastructure and energy and resources projects. Richard is experienced in acting on commercial property leasing (for landlords and tenants), sale and lease backs, real estate investment and real estate development. Richard is listed in Best Lawyers Australia 2025 in Real Property Law, Leasing Law and Government Practice.


Iain McLaren, Special Counsel, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers
Iain McLaren is a Special Counsel in HWL Ebsworth’s national commercial group, based in Melbourne. Iain specialises in information technology law, privacy, data protection, intellectual property, and general commercial contracting. Iain has over two decades of expertise in information technology law, privacy, and data protection, as a lawyer and as a technology director and manager. Iain's career has focused on combining legal compliance with technological innovation, high impact and efficient commercial contracting, and providing intellectual property and privacy and data protection advice to clients. Iain's guidance has been pivotal for APRA-regulated entities and government entities, including major Australian banks, Australia Post, and hospitals, in navigating complex SaaS, cloud computing and outsourcing projects. As an experienced lawyer, Iain's work revolves around facilitating cost-effective legal processes that align with strategic business objectives. At Plexus, Iain led the service delivery team to assist with redefining legal service delivery, contributing to the firm's recognition as a groundbreaking force in legal automation and insourcing. Plexus’s collaborative efforts with over half of the ASX100 underscores its commitment to legal efficiency and strategic impact.