Victoria’s property legal framework is transforming - will your expertise keep pace with the demands? With AML, strata and privacy reforms set to reshape how property lawyers manage transactions, risk and compliance, while also adjusting processes on registrations and increasing FIRB, stamp duty and tax obligations, acquire practical direction on staying compliant, adjusting timelines and mitigating delays. Gain insight into the latest property disputes and must-know Victorian cases, strengthen your contractual protections against default and insolvency, understand the impact of Latent Defects Insurance replacing the strata building bond, and navigate misleading and deceptive conduct obligations under recent court decisions. Plus, refresh your understanding of cybersecurity and their implications for property law practice.

Presenters

Nicholas Clifton, Principal Lawyer, Sladen Legal
Nicholas Clifton is a Principal Lawyer in the Sladen Lawyers State Taxes Team. He has 24 years of experience across all Australian jurisdictions working for top-tier law and accounting firms. Nicholas provides commercial, client focused advice on all State Tax including advising ASX-listed firms, multi-nationals, private equity, property developers and high net worth family offices. Nicholas helps clients with their stamp duty, land tax, windfall gains tax, payroll tax and other State tax issues. He can assist clients in managing their stamp duty lodgements, investigations, objections and reviews. He provides structuring advice to help clients navigate the complex and changing State tax landscape. Nicholas is focused on delivering value for clients and is committed to providing clear and understandable advice.


Lisa Gaddie, Partner, Lander & Rogers
Lisa Gaddie is a partner in the Real Estate & Projects team at Lander & Rogers. Lisa advises on all forms of real estate transactions and infrastructure developments nationally. Lisa has been recognised for many years in Best Lawyers in Australia and is recommended in Doyle's Guide. Lisa was named Lawyer of the Year for Leasing Law in Best Lawyers in Australia 2021 and Real Estate Partner of the Year in the Lawyers Weekly Partner of the Year Awards 2021. Lisa sits on the committee of the Property Law Group of the Law Council of Australia.


Katherine Shamai, Partner - Risk Consulting, Grant Thornton
Katherine is a governance, compliance, internal audit and risk management expert with over 17 years' experience supporting federal, state and local government agencies, not-for-profits, ASX-listed and private companies. She specialises in governance reviews, risk assessments, internal control reviews, and drafting policies and procedures. Her expertise spans Board maturity assessments, governance structures, succession planning, internal audit programs, compliance reviews against legislation and agreements, enterprise and project risk assessments, and anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) services from advisory to independent reviews. Katherine has led AML/CTF risk assessments for government agencies, designed compliance programs for the National Disability Insurance Agency, developed internal audit programs for public and not-for-profit entities, and conducted Board governance reviews for major national organisations. She’s also managed reviews of third-party suppliers for multinationals and led analyses of legislative misapplications at public sector agencies. Katherine’s blend of industry and professional services experience ensures her recommendations are both pragmatic and effective.


Elise Sugar, Special Counsel, Lander & Rogers
Elise is a special counsel in the Real Estate & Projects team at Lander & Rogers based in Melbourne. Elise's extensive leasing experience spans all Australian jurisdictions and encompasses a wide range of sectors including retail (including large format retail premises and shopping centre leasing), industrial, commercial, office, health and sport. She has represented both landlords and tenants, managing the full spectrum of leasing transactions. Elise also regularly assists both landlord and tenant clients with drafting and revising precedent lease documents.


Iain McLaren, Special Counsel, HWLE Lawyers
Iain is a Special Counsel in HWL Ebsworth Lawyer’s national commercial group, based in Melbourne, and is Deputy Chair of HWLE's AI Governance Committee. Iain specialises in information technology law (Cyber, FinTech, MedTech, LegalTech, AI), privacy, information security, data protection, intellectual property, and general commercial contracting. Iain has over 20 years of experience in private practice and in-house. In addition to working in private practice, Iain previously worked in-house at ANZ Bank and Australia Post (including for Bank@Post) focusing on technology, privacy, data, and financial services matters, at and Hewlett Packard, and on secondment at Energy Australia.


Lily Ong, Principal Solicitor, Lily Ong Business Lawyer & Migration Consultants
Lily was admitted to practice as a solicitor in December 1989 and has been involved in assisting property developers as well as vendors and purchasers interpret the FATA Regulations and policy since the early 1990's. She has extensive experience in acting for off the plans sales as well as purchase and sale of established dwellings, commercial and agricultural land and businesses. Lily is involved in continued engagement with the ATO and FIRB and invited to participate in the ATO FIRB policy and stakeholder group. She continues to be recognised as an experienced practitioner in this area and has been recognised for the third time in the Doyle's Guide as a leading Immigration lawyer in 2026 as well as 2026 Best Lawyers in this area.


Sam Kingston, Partner, Maddocks
Sam specialises in insolvency and restructuring, working with clients in all aspects of external administrations, security enforcement and insolvency dispute resolution. He has acted for clients in a wide range of industries in large scale court proceedings involving complicated insolvency issues and Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth) claims. Sam is recognised as a recommended lawyer for Restructuring & Insolvency in Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide, leading Insolvency and Reorganisation lawyer in Best Lawyers Australia, recommended lawyer for Insolvency & Restructuring in Doyle’s Guide and recommended lawyer for Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution in Doyle’s Guide.


Julia Moroz, Special Counsel, Bugden Allen
Julia Moroz is a highly accomplished Special Counsel with extensive experience in commercial litigation. She has a strong track record of advising on complex, high-value disputes across a range of sectors, including construction, real property, and insurance. Julia has previously worked for a top-tier international law firm, where she gained deep expertise in handling technically and commercially challenging matters. She has acted in significant litigation across Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and Tasmania, representing corporate clients, government bodies, and both local and international insurers, reinsurers, and brokers. Her expertise spans contractual disputes, professional negligence, property damage, regulatory disputes, and subrogated recovery actions. She is particularly experienced in advising on large-scale litigation involving technical liability and multi-party proceedings. Julia is known for her strategic thinking, precision in handling complex legal issues, and ability to navigate commercial risk with clarity and confidence. Her litigation practice covers the full lifecycle of disputes—from pre-action advice and negotiation through to trial and resolution—and she works closely with expert witnesses, counsel, and stakeholders to ensure a cohesive, outcome-driven approach. Clients trust Julia for her responsiveness, commercial acumen, and ability to deliver clear, pragmatic advice in high-pressure environments.


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.

Timothy Walker KC, Barrister, List G Barristers
Tim Walker KC practises in commercial, equity and public law. He has extensive experience in a broad range of commercial and equity matters including competition and consumer law, property law, trust law, product liability and corporations law. In public and regulatory law he practises predominantly in matters overlapping with major infrastructure and property development projects including environmental effects and property-related issues. He holds a Master of Environment from the University of Melbourne. As an advocate he has broad experience in superior courts, specialist tribunals and public inquiries. He is an accredited and practising advocacy instructor.


Jeremy Masters, Barrister, List G Barristers
Jeremy practises predominantly in commercial law, with extensive experience in complex commercial disputes and litigation across a broad range of jurisdictions. His expertise spans real property, contract, insolvency, product liability, tort (including professional negligence and nuisance), trade practices, judicial review and telecommunications. He has appeared in the High Court of Australia, the Federal Court, the Victorian Court of Appeal, the Supreme Courts of Victoria and New South Wales, as well as specialist tribunals including the AAT, VCAT and the National Sports Tribunal. Before coming to the Bar, Jeremy spent nine years as a senior associate in the commercial litigation group at Freehills. He holds a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne and has made significant academic contributions, including authoring the Nuisance subtitle in Laws of Australia and the Third Party Procedure chapter in Court Forms, Precedents and Pleadings Victoria. He is a former editor of the Melbourne University Law Review. Jeremy regularly appears in property disputes involving mortgages, leases, contracts of sale, easements and statutory claims. He has also been involved in major tort litigation, including the Talacko proceedings in the High Court and Court of Appeal. His practice further extends to trust law, commercial arbitration and administrative law, including privacy and judicial review matters.

Dom McMullan, Business Development Manager, Resilience Insurance
Dominic McMullan is a Business Development Manager for Resilience Insurance, currently the only LDI insurer in Australia. Alongside his insurance work, he has been a freelance consultant and university lecturer in Professional Ethics. Dom is a military veteran with academic qualifications in Philosophy, Swedish, Swordfight Choreography and Professional Ethics, and is a Senior Associate with ANZIIF. Dom’s wife, whom he met at law school, says that “he thinks he’s the Renaissance”.