Major new mandatory merger clearance reforms, explore global consumer law trends shaping 2026 and the increasing enforcement of greenwashing regulation, now is not the time to take your eye off consumer and competition law. Designed for legal professionals whether inhouse or in private practice, or whether your role is more of a commercial advisor, this session delivers strategic guidance on navigating regulatory risk and gives practical recommendations for managing compliance in a shifting legal landscape with an increasing number of enforcement proceedings.
Thursday, 26 February 2026
Early Bird Discount ends 19 Dec 2025
10.00am to 11.00am Break
Description
Attend and earn 3 CPD units in Substantive Law
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
11.15am to 12.15pm Greenwashing: The Regulation of Environment and Sustainability Claims
- Regulatory protections, initiatives and activity aimed at preventing greenwashing
- Key areas of risk, and practical steps to reduce risk, when making environmental or sustainability claims
- Recent cases involving greenwashing
Presented by Nick Christiansen, Partner, Sparke Helmore Lawyers
Chair:
Conor Bannan, Barrister, 12 Wentworth Selbourne Chambers; Doyle's Guide preeminent Junior Counsel in Competition Law 2025
9.00am to 10.00am ACCC Reform - Mandatory Merger Clearance
- Review Australia’s new Mandatory and Suspensory Merger Notification Regime
- Key notification thresholds and exemptions: practical guidance for in-house counsel and commercial deal teams
- Navigating the ACCC’s assessment process including timelines, notification requirements and engagement strategies
- Strategic considerations for structuring transactions and managing regulatory risk under the new rules
Presented by Doug Thompson, Special Counsel, Clayton Utz
10.00am to 11.00am Global Consumer Law Themes for 2026 / Unfair Contracts
From evolution to revolution – this session will explore the shifting landscape of consumer law. We will examine:
- Key consumer law reforms on the Australian Government's agenda for 2026, including anticipated legislative changes and regulatory priorities;
- Emerging global consumer law trends and themes and how these may shape the Australian environment; and
- Significant consumer cases from Australia and practical lessons that they offer for in-house legal teams.
Presented by Melissa Fraser, Partner, Ashurst, head of APAC; recognised in Who's Who Legal – Future Leader, Competition; Best Lawyers, Competition Law
Presenters
Doug Thompson, Special Thompson, Clayton UtzDoug specialises in competition and consumer law, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, restrictive trade practices (including cartel conduct), and consumer protection. He is known for his collaborative approach, ability to distil complex information, and dedication to achieving practical outcomes for his clients. Doug also provides strategic commercial advice on business relationships, procurement, and transactions. His expertise spans the wagering, communications, and technology sectors, where he has a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities these industries face.
Melissa Fraser, Partner, Ashurst
Melissa Fraser is partner in Ashurst's APAC Competition team. Melissa's practice focuses on competition/antitrust matters and includes enforcement litigation and investigations, strategic advisory work, merger clearance and compliance matters. She is expert in the Australian Consumer Law and has advised extensively on the unfair contract terms regime, unconscionable conduct, misleading conduct and product safety issues and recalls. Her impressive client following in the important financial services, healthcare, infrastructure and FMCG sectors is a direct result of the excellent results she achieves for her clients. Melissa is recognised in Who's Who Legal – Future Leader, Competition; Best Lawyers, Sydney – Competition Law; and as a Next Generation Partner, Competition and Trade in Legal 500. Australia Legal 500 says: "Melissa Fraser has a wonderful focus on clients; she delivers great results in competition matters, fully aligned with the client’s objectives and ways of working."
Nick Christiansen, Partner, Sparke Helmore Lawyers
Nick is Partner in the Commercial Disputes and Corporate Regulatory teams at Sparke Helmore. He is a commercial litigator and regulatory lawyer specialising in commercial and property disputes and consumer regulatory matters. He has a broad commercial litigation practice, including matters in contract, leasing and other real property disputes, equity and trusts, misleading and deceptive conduct, financing and securities disputes and enforcement, and insolvency and corporations law. He acts in property matters for “big 4” banks, private lenders and investment vehicles, government entities, developers, insolvency practitioners, and large-scale lessors and lessees.
Conor Bannan, Barrister, 12 Wentworth Selbourne Chambers
Conor has a broad commercial practice with particular expertise in trade practices and competition. He has been briefed to appear for an individual in Australia’s first criminal cartel jury trial, for TPG (in proceedings concerning its proposed merger with Vodafone), for Apple Inc (in proceedings brought by Epic Games and in related class action proceedings), for Facebook Inc (in proceedings brought by a developer), for Mazda Australia (in class action proceedings relating to the use of Takata airbags) and for the ANZ Banking Group (in the Banking Royal Commission and in various litigation in the Supreme Court of New South Wales). Before being called to the Bar, Conor worked as a solicitor at Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Gilbert + Tobin in Sydney, and at Linklaters in London. During that time, he also completed secondments to Westpac Banking Corporation and The Royal Bank of Scotland plc. Conor has been recognised in several legal directories (Chambers and Partners, Doyles Guide, Legal 500, Best Lawyers) as a leading junior counsel in competition law and in commercial litigation.
