All 10 CPD points in a single, intensive day. 10 expert led sessions tailored for government sector legal professionals. All core areas ticked off. Cover all the latest developments to keep you updated in privacy law, information law, government liability and administrative review. Plus gain practical insight and strategies on AI, employment law, procurement and working with third-party governments. This conference delivers you a comprehensive overview of the legal and regulatory issues and ethical dilemmas shaping public sector practice today. Gain actionable insights and explore real-world case studies to assist your day-to-day government legal work - all in a structured program designed to maximise learning and your professional development.
Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Early Bird Discount ends 19 Dec 2025
10.30am to 10.45am Morning Tea
Session 3: Employment Law, Contracts, Procurement and Other Arrangements
3.15pm to 4.15pm CPR Exemptions: When you Can, When you Can’t and When you Don’t Know
The Commonwealth Procurement Rules set out the obligations on Commonwealth Departments when undertaking their procurement. In certain circumstances a procurement may qualify for a full or partial exemptions from the CPRs. Focus on those circumstances, the importance of getting it right and issues where you do not.
- The Commonwealth Procurement Rules and ACT Government Policies
- What do they require: when to tender and when not to tender
- The Rule 2.6 complete exemption
- Rule 10.3: circumstances allowing for Limited Tender
- CPRs Appendix A exemptions
- ACT Government Policy Exemptions
- Procuring from Panels and multi stage procurements
- Tips and tools to ensure compliance and avoid traps
Presented by Scott Alden, Partner, Mills Oakley; Accredited Specialist in Government and Administrative Law; Lecturer in procurement in Masters of Law at College of Law and University of Melbourne
Description
Attend and earn 10 CPD units including:
7 units in Substantive Law and Procedural Law
1 unit in Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility
1 unit in Practice Management and Business Skills
1 unit in Professional Skills
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
Session 1: Information Law, Government Liability and the Administrative Review Tribunal Updates
8.30am to 9.30am Update on Government Liability: Recent Cases
- Take a deep dive into recent cases that are reshaping the boundaries of public authority responsibility
- Gain practical insights into how the courts are approaching liability of government agencies and officials
- Analyse what these developments mean for risk management and litigation strategy across the public sector
Presented by Ashley Tsacalos, Partner, Clayton Utz; ranked in Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific Guide in Government Category; Honorary Professorial Fellow and lecturer in Government Law, University of Wollongong
Session 2: Ethics, Professional Skills & Practice Management for Government Sector Lawyers
2.15pm to 3.15pm Loopholes Closed? An Employment Law Update for the APS in a Time of Massive Change
Focus on recent employment law amendments with a lens of how the APS has been impacted, including a review of recent cases in the Commission.
Presented by Ryan Murphy, Principal, McInnes Wilson
4.15pm to 4.30pm Afternoon Tea
9.30am to 10.30am The Administrative Review Tribunal: Reflections from the Outside One Year In
One year on from the establishment of the Administrative Review Tribunal, what lessons have been learned and what challenges remain? What impact has the Administrative Review Act 2024 had on the process of merits review?
- Examine how the Tribunal has evolved in its first year and emerging issues for practitioners and decision-makers
- Join a timely reflection on the Tribunal’s performance and future direction
Presented by Rob Reitano, Barrister, Frederick Jordan Chambers; Former Part-time Member of the AAT
5.30pm to 6.30pm 3rd Party Country Arrangements: Exploring Recent Statutory Reform and Cases
- Review recent statutory reform and key judicial decisions shaping how government agencies engage with foreign partners
- Gain practical insights for lawyers advising on international agreements and public sector governance
Presented by Dr Jason Donnelly, Barrister, Latham Chambers; Associate Professor, School of Law, Western Sydney University
Practice Management and Business Skills
10.45am to 11.45am The March of AI: Are You Prepared?
- Benefits of AI: how AI is being used
- Need AI to remain globally competitive
- Consideration of AI is also a risk consideration: guidelines for litigants
- Privacy issues
- Automated decision making
- Potential for lack of transparency, accountability, fairness and safety
- Some government guidance and AI ethics principles
Presented by Alexandra Wedutenko, Partner, Sparke Helmore Lawyers; leading Government and ICT lawyer, Best Lawyers Australia
Professional Skills
11.45am to 12.45pm Beyond the Clause: Effective Contract Management in ICT Projects
Join us for a practical session focused on how to apply professional and legal judgment in complex ICT contracts. We’ll cover contract structure, key content terms, and additional considerations such as vendor responsibility, security, IP and privacy. Learn how to navigate multi-vendor arrangements while protecting your agency’s interests and ensuring compliance with Commonwealth requirements.
Presented by Nick Topfer, Special Counsel, Maddocks
Ethics and Professional Responsibility
12.45pm to 1.45pm The Ethical Challenge of Being an In-House Government Lawyer
Lawyers employed as in-house government lawyers don’t fit the traditional model of legal practice and for a long time they have faced unique ethical challenges in providing fearless independent advice when your client is also your boss. In recent times, Robodebt and the more extreme actions of the Trump administration have provided dramatic examples of how challenging this can be. The rise of AI is not going to make life any easier.
- Review and examine the ethics of being an in-house government lawyer compared with the independent law firm, and the problems if employment pressures overwhelm professional independence.
While Chris Erskine SC has been an independent barrister for decades, his background is in government legal practice, and he has run several cases where not maintaining independence for in-house lawyers has caused major problems.
Presented by Christopher Erskine SC, Barrister, Blackburn Chambers
4.30pm to 5.30pm Contract Law: A Year in Review
- Review the year’s key developments in contract law, highlighting significant cases and legislative changes that impact government contracting and procurement
- Gain practical insights and lessons learned from recent decisions to help strengthen contract management and legal compliance within the public sector
Presented by Carolina Dorman, Partner, MinterEllison
7.30am to 8.30am Information Law: The Highlights and Lowlights
- Review the most topical information law issues of the past 12 months: from Privacy Act reforms that commence in December 2024, proposed amendments to the FOI Act, the privacy regulator’s views on facial recognition technology (FRT), recent developments under the DATA Scheme and age verification requirements for social media platforms
- Unpack the key principles and findings, flag the issues to watch and discuss how these issues are relevant to government lawyers who are managing and advising on data sharing, information law compliance and risk
Presented by Natalie Butler, Partner, Government and Commercial Law, Mills Oakley
Presenters
Alexandra Wedutenko, Partner, Sparke Helmore LawyersA leading Government and ICT lawyer as voted by Best Lawyers Australia and Chambers Asia-Pacific, Alexandra Wedutenko has an enviable reputation for her success in strategic procurement data protection and governance. Specialising in complex services agreements in a regulated environment, ICT, select sourcing and business process sourcing, Alexandra has acted for a range of private sector and government clients. She acts for and understands the requirements of clients in industries where security and availability of supply are critical. In this regard Alexandra regularly advises on risk identification and management, data protection and cyber security issues.
Ryan Murphy, Principal, McInnes Wilson
Ryan Murphy is a well-respected employment and industrial relations lawyer known for his practical and straightforward approach. He works with a wide range of clients, including businesses, government departments and agencies, and not-for-profits, helping them navigate complex legal challenges. Ryan is focused on delivering clear, tailored solutions that meet his clients' goals, whether that involves employment claims (during employment or relating to termination) restructures, advising on workplace issues in corporate transactions, or developing and navigating an industrial relations strategy. Clients value Ryan's responsiveness and honest advice, ensuring they receive fair, effective legal support. His expertise spans across sectors, including health, finance and superannuation, education, and startups, where he works to achieve the best possible outcomes. Ryan is as comfortable giving training over a webinar or in a room of HR professionals or inhouse counsel as he is advocating on his clients' behalf in a Commission or Court.
Natalie Butler, Partner, Mills Oakley
Natalie has significant government sector experience. She’s advised government and quasi-government clients on a broad range of public law and regulatory matters. With nineteen years experience as a privacy practitioner, she’s particularly knowledgeable about data privacy compliance, privacy risk management and data governance. She’s most recently applied her information law expertise to digital transformation projects, helping clients to maximise the value of data assets in ways that are legally and ethically sound. Natalie champions a privacy-by-design ethos to policy design, customer experience, service strategies and technical solutions. She’s also an advocate for embracing a genuine multi-disciplinary approach to legal advising, risk management and compliance to enhance the longevity, and value, of legal risk strategies and solutions. Natalie has worked closely with a number of government clients, especially those from the social services and health portfolios.
Ashley Tsacalos, Partner, Clayton Utz
Dr Ashley Tsacalos is a dispute resolution lawyer based in Sydney and a leading adviser to government. He is also a leading authority on the government's "model litigant obligations". He was ranked in a recent Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific Guide in the Government Category and was described in a recent APL 500 as "brilliant" in the area of dispute resolution. Ashley has experience in all forms of dispute resolution, including litigation in various courts and tribunals, as well as mediation and conciliation. He is engaged by both the public and private sector due to his extensive experience in managing complex and often sensitive disputes. He has particular expertise in relation to contractual disputes, intellectual property disputes, negligence claims and other tortious claims generally (such as misfeasance in public office) as well as applications for merits-based review and judicial review. He regularly provides advice in relation to procurement and tendering issues, governance and probity issues generally as well as risk allocation and insurance. He also has earned a reputation as a "go to" person for royal commissions and inquiries as a result of his experience in acting for a range of individuals and organisations in Royal Commissions, Commissions of Inquiry, Judicial Inquiries and coronial inquiries. He is currently acting for the Low family in the Dreamworld Coronial Inquest. Also, in the last 3 years, he has acted for Aussie Home Loans in the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry; RSL LifeCare in the Inquiry under the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 (NSW) being conducted by the Hon. P A Bergin SC; The Uniting Church in relation to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse investigating the Knox Grammar School; three officers of a corporation in relation to the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption as well as the former CEO of Greyhound Racing NSW in the Special Commission of Inquiry into Greyhound Racing in NSW. Ashley's expertise in administrative law and insurance law provides him with a unique perspective in terms of dispute resolution generally. He has acted for numerous Australian government and NSW government departments and agencies. He is regularly engaged to provide advice on administrative law and public law issues, including freedom of information, privacy and administrator decision making. Ashley established and continues to teach a government law course and an insurance law course at the University of Wollongong where he has also been appointed an Honorary Professorial Fellow. He has previously taught insurance law at the University of Sydney, the University of Adelaide and the Australian National University as well as dispute resolution and civil procedure as well as corporations law at the Western Sydney University. Ashley is a state editor of the LexisNexis publication: Privacy Law and a regular author of articles in this publication. He completed his Doctorate of Philosophy in Law at the University of Sydney in 2012 with a doctoral thesis on constitutional law and appellate advocacy.
Christopher Erskine SC, Barrister, Blackburn Chambers
Chris Erskine SC was admitted in 1982 and went to the bar in 1993, becoming a Senior Counsel in 2008. He practices in Canberra in all civil litigation, but especially litigation involving the government. He was one of the counsel for NSW in the largest civil litigation in the history of the ACT, the case arising from the 2003 bushfires, which ran from 2003 to 2014.
Scott Alden, Partner, Mills Oakley
With over 25 years of experience, Scott specialises as a legal advisor on significant projects and procurements for government clients. Scott’s role of lead advisor to significant projects often incorporates legal and procurement expertise on the same transaction, as well as strategic probity advice. In recognition of his position as a leading government lawyer, Scott was one of the first Law Society Accredited Specialists in Government and Administrative Law, both Commonwealth and State (with a focus on government commercial and procurement transactions), and has been appointed by the Law Society of NSW as the Head Assessor for that Specialist Accreditation in 2024. Scott also writes and lectures two procurement courses for the Masters Programs at both College of Law and the University of Melbourne. Scott is currently on an international committee that is in the process of drafting international Modern Slavery guidelines. He is experienced in drafting and implementing key project documents including market sounding/engagement documents, industry briefings, RFTs, tender evaluation plans, tender evaluation reports, commercial contracts and agreements and legal advices and resolutions to support decisions.
Dr Jason Donnelly, Barrister, Latham Chambers
Associate Professor Dr. Jason Donnelly is a leading academic and barrister with a strong focus on immigration and public law in Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws with Honours (First Class & University Medal), a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Dr. Donnelly completed his studies at the University of New South Wales, Macquarie University, and the University of Western Sydney. He began his academic career as a law lecturer at the age of 23 and was called to the bar at 25. Before joining the bar, Dr. Donnelly had the privilege of working for Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG (former Justice of the High Court of Australia) and Justice Peter McClellan AM KC (former Chief Judge at Common Law, Supreme Court of NSW). As a barrister, Dr. Donnelly has been involved in over 287 published cases across Australia, with significant experience in the High Court, the Federal Court, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the Administrative Review Tribunal. His practice has seen success in 76 Tribunal trials and 66 judicial review applications. He has also acted in 26 matters before the High Court. In addition to his legal practice, Dr. Donnelly has contributed to numerous legal journals and co-authored several legal publications. He has participated in various Commonwealth statutory inquiries and presented papers at conferences across Australia. Dr. Donnelly has had the opportunity to represent a diverse range of clients, including internationally recognised musicians (i.e. Skepta, Chris Brown, Trey Songz, J Hus, Layzie Bone and Jason Bradley DeFord (Jelly Roll)), politicians, law enforcement officers, sports professionals (i.e. Allen Iverson and Alexander Devyatov), and others from various fields. Currently, Dr. Donnelly serves as an Associate Professor (Level D) in the School of Law at Western Sydney University and practices at Latham Chambers with a national focus.
Rob Reitano, Barrister, Frederick Jordan Chambers
Carolina Dorman, Partner, MinterEllison
Carolina's practice covers all aspects of procurement, contracting, funding and corporate and commercial law. This spans across advising on project strategy in the initial stages, preparing complex procurement and contractual documents and providing legal support during commercial negotiations to providing contract management advice post-execution. Her commercial practice extends to numerous private sector clients with corporate restructures and corporate law matters. She is an active supporter of MinterEllison’s inclusion and diversity agendas, including actively supporting the progression of women and culturally diverse people in the legal profession.
Nick Topfer, Special Counsel, Maddocks
Nick advises government agencies on complex ICT procurements and disputes. He has drafted bespoke contracts and contracts based on SourceIT, ProcureIT and ASDEFCON templates. He has also advised on RFT documentation and procurement strategy, compliance with law and policy and evaluation and negotiation processes. Nick has experience drafting and advising on performance based contracts, design and review processes and agile development processes. Having previously worked in the Commonwealth Government (in the Attorney General’s portfolio) and on secondment with the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Nick is well positioned to help government clients achieve appropriate resolution of issues in line with policy and Commonwealth objectives. Given his breadth of experience advising on IT procurement and negotiating with major vendors, Nick will be able to provide efficient and proactive legal services.
