Media organisations are facing unprecedented pressure from defamation law, privacy reform, platform regulation, artificial intelligence, commercial disruption and increasing scrutiny of public-interest reporting. As the legal and regulatory environment evolves, you must navigate competing demands involving freedom of expression, reputation protection, privacy rights, publisher responsibility and the future sustainability of journalism. This Masterclass brings together leading media lawyers and industry experts to help you understand the legal, technological and commercial forces reshaping media organisations in 2026. You will explore the publication risks associated with contentious reporting, emerging privacy claims, court restrictions, AI-driven journalism, platform power, publisher rights and the future of public-interest reporting. Gain practical guidance on managing publication risk, protecting editorial independence and navigating the rapidly changing media landscape.

Presenters

Justine Munsie, Partner, Addisons
Justine is a leading Australian media, entertainment and intellectual property lawyer and Partner at Addisons. She is widely recognised for advising media organisations, broadcasters, publishers, advertisers and brand owners on the legal and regulatory issues that arise in today’s fast-moving communications landscape. Her practice spans media law, intellectual property, commercial disputes, reputation management and regulatory compliance. With more than two decades of experience, Justine advises clients on pre-publication risk assessments, post-publication complaints, defamation, copyright, trade mark disputes, brand protection, marketing and advertising issues. She also provides strategic guidance on digital media and regulatory investigations involving bodies such as the ACCC and ACMA. Her clients include leading media organisations, entertainment companies and well-known consumer brands across Australia. as a Partner in 2011, Justine spent 15 years at Mallesons Stephen Jaques, where she built extensive expertise in media and intellectual property law. She is highly regarded for her practical, commercially focused advice, particularly in matters involving urgent publication deadlines, reputational risk and complex disputes. Consistently recognised by clients and peers as one of Australia’s leading media lawyers, Justine is ranked by Chambers Asia-Pacific for Media Law and is frequently sought after for her insight into emerging issues affecting the media, entertainment, advertising and digital communications sectors.


Justin Quill, Partner, Thomsons
Justin has practised exclusively in media and communications law for almost 30 years. As a Partner at Thomsons, he advises leading media organisations, broadcasters, publishers and technology platforms on complex legal issues including defamation, contempt of court, suppression orders, privacy, online safety, freedom of information and pre-publication risk management. Justin acts for many of Australia’s largest media and technology companies, including News Corp Australia, Nine, the ABC, commercial television networks, national radio broadcasters, and global technology platforms. He is widely recognised for his involvement in some of Australia’s most significant media law matters, including the Lawyer X litigation, the Cardinal Pell contempt proceedings, and regulatory challenges involving online platforms and the eSafety Commissioner. Consistently ranked as a Band 1 media lawyer by Chambers Asia-Pacific for 15 consecutive years, Justin is recognised for his strategic insight, advocacy skills and deep understanding of the media landscape. He has served as Chair of the Law Council of Australia’s Media and Communications Committee for almost a decade and is Chief Judge of the Melbourne Press Club’s prestigious Quill Awards. A regular columnist, commentator and presenter, Justin is highly regarded for providing practical, authoritative guidance on the fast-evolving intersection of media, technology, free speech and regulation.


Robert Todd, Senior Consultant, Ashurst Perkins Coie
Robert Todd is one of Australia’s most respected media and communications lawyers, with more than three decades of experience advising major media organisations, broadcasters, publishers and corporations on complex disputes and regulatory issues. Based in Sydney, he is a Senior Consultant at Ashurst Perkins Coie, having previously served as a Partner at the firm for over 35 years. Recognised as a leading authority in media law, Robert has extensive expertise in defamation, media litigation, entertainment law, information technology law and reputation management. Throughout his career, he has acted for some of Australia’s most prominent news and media organisations, earning a reputation as a trusted adviser in high-profile and strategically significant matters. Robert is consistently recognised by the legal profession’s leading directories. He has been ranked by Chambers Asia-Pacific for Media Law for more than 16 years and is acknowledged in The Legal 500 as a leading practitioner in media and entertainment law. He has also been recognised in Best Lawyers in Australia for Defamation and Media Law, Entertainment Law and Information Technology Law. Known for his deep industry knowledge, strategic judgement and practical approach, Robert is a sought-after speaker on emerging issues affecting the media, technology and communications sectors. He regularly provides insights on developments in defamation, digital publishing, freedom of expression, reputation protection and the evolving legal challenges facing media organisations in Australia.


Gina McWilliams, Senior Legal Counsel, News Corp Australia
Gina McWilliams is a highly regarded media lawyer with more than two decades of experience advising on defamation, media regulation, press freedom, privacy, suppression orders and access to information. She is Senior Legal Counsel at News Corp Australia, where she provides strategic legal advice across some of Australia’s leading print and digital media brands and plays a key role in navigating complex and evolving media law issues. Since joining News Corp Australia in 2005, Gina has worked on a number of landmark media law matters, including significant defamation proceedings, suppression and access disputes, and press freedom cases. Her experience spans high-profile matters such as Kostov v Nationwide News Pty Ltd, Hogan v Australian Crime Commission and Smethurst v Australian Federal Police, as well as advising newsroom teams on day-to-day publication risks and emerging legal challenges. Gina holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Australia and a Master of Laws from the University of New South Wales. She is widely recognised for her expertise in media law reform, freedom of expression and journalist protections, and is a regular speaker on defamation, privacy and digital publishing issues. In 2021, she was part of the team awarded the June Andrews Walkley Award for Women’s Leadership in Media for the influential #LetHerSpeak/#LetThemSpeak campaign. 


Sophie Dawson, Partner, Johnson Winter Slattery
Sophie is a leading media, information technology, intellectual property and privacy partner with a particular focus on advice and disputes. She has extensive experience in advising and acting for companies and agencies in relation to matters including defamation, intellectual property, privacy and law reform advice and disputes. She has also successfully acted for telecommunications and information technologies including many of the world’s leading suppliers, in strategic disputes including in negotiations, mediations, expert determinations and domestic and international arbitrations as well as litigation. Sophie is ranked as a leading media lawyer in Chambers & Partners, leading privacy lawyer in Legal 500, leading lawyer in Best Lawyers in each of her key areas of practice and a recommended privacy and data protection lawyer in the Lexology Index. Sophie has also been recognised as a Preeminent Technology, Media & Telecommunications lawyer (NSW) in the 2026 Doyle’s Guide rankings. Sophie is co-author of Thomson Reuters' Media & Internet Law & Practice and is the current author of the Internet title in Laws of Australia. She is a past president of the Communications and Media Law Association and is a current member of the UTS Centre for Media Transition Advisory Board.

Janine Pearce, Principal, JP Media Law + Consulting
Janine is a highly experienced entertainment, media and intellectual property lawyer with an international career spanning private practice, broadcast media, screen finance and film production. As Principal of JP Media Law + Consulting, she advises producers, financiers, distributors, creators and production companies on all aspects of media, entertainment and copyright law, including financing, production, distribution and complex commercial transactions. Janine holds a Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law in New York and began her legal career with leading international law firm Cleary Gottlieb, practising in New York and Tokyo in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, securities and intellectual property law. She later joined Showtime Networks in the United States, advising on television distribution, advertising, copyright, trade mark and antitrust matters. After relocating to Australia, Janine served as Legal Manager at the Film Finance Corporation, the predecessor to Screen Australia, where she advised on investments in feature films and television productions. Since establishing her own practice in 2008, she has become a trusted adviser to the screen industry and has also worked as an Executive Producer on feature films including Road Train and The Reef. In addition, she is a partner in Chesterfield Offset Finance Company, a specialist film financing business.


Kevin Lynch, Partner, Johnson Winter Slattery
Kevin is a dispute resolution lawyer specialising in media law. He advises leading media and technology companies in relation to defamation, privacy, legislative restrictions, broadcast regulation, copyright, contractual matters and consumer issues. He also advises on general commercial litigation matters in various courts and tribunals. The 2026 edition of the Legal 500 lists Kevin as a leading individual in media and entertainment, where he is described as having “years of experience, commercial nous and a healthy dose of common sense”. Chambers & Partners 2026 ranks Kevin as a notable practitioner. Kevin has been profiled in Lawyer's Weekly as one of the "senior heavyweights in media law". He is on the Committee of the Communication and Media Lawyers Association and the Media Communications Committee of the Law Council of Australia. Kevin’s publications include articles in LexisNexis Internet Law Bulletin and Privacy Law Bulletin, and the Communications Law Bulletin. He presented a paper on 'Libel Tourism' at the New York State Bar Association Fall Conference and has acted as Chair of the Legalwise Annual Media Law Conference since 2020. Kevin is a regular commentator on legal issues in The AFR, The Australian, the ABC and Sky News. Kevin is recognised as a Leading lawyer in the area of Defamation & Reputation Management in the 2026 Doyle’s Guide rankings (Australia-wide).