As government lawyers you face a distinct set of ethical and professional responsibilities that require careful judgement, practical decision-making and a clear understanding of your obligations to the public interest. This three-part series explores some of the most significant ethical issues facing government practitioners today, from identifying who the client is and managing confidentiality, privilege and conflicts of interest, to understanding and applying model litigant obligations and navigating the opportunities and risks presented by artificial intelligence. Through practical guidance, real-world examples and expert insights, you will develop the skills to recognise and respond to ethical challenges, minimise risk, and make confident, defensible decisions in complex situations. Leave with a stronger understanding of your professional responsibilities and a practical framework for maintaining the highest ethical standards in government legal practice.
Attend and earn 3 CPD units in Ethics and Professional Responsibility
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
If you register for the full series as a live online product after the date of an individual session, you will be sent the recording for the sessions that have passed. Alternatively, you can register for individual sessions by following the links below.
Who Is the Client? Real-World Ethical Challenges for Government Lawyers
As a government legal advisor, understanding who your client is, navigating competing obligations across agencies and managing issues of confidentiality, privilege and conflict requires sound judgement is essential. Be equipped with the tools to confidently identify and respond to common ethical dilemmas, explore real-world scenarios, examine where you can inadvertently fall into ethical traps and gain practical strategies for protecting privilege, maintaining confidentiality and managing actual or perceived conflicts of interest. Leave with greater confidence in your ethical decision-making and a clearer framework for discharging your duties as a government lawyer with integrity and professionalism.
- Determining who the client is in a government context
- Maintaining confidentiality and protecting legal professional privilege
- Identifying and managing real or apparent conflicts of interest
Presented by Brenda Tronson, Barrister, Level 22 Chambers & Senior Lecturer, UNSW Law & Justice
Attend and earn 1 CPD unit in Ethics and Professional Responsibility
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
Simon Fuller, Barrister & Mediator, Foley’s List
Presenters
Simon Fuller, Barrister & Mediator, Foley’s ListSimon practises in a broad range of matters in the areas of public and administrative law, commercial law, and family law. Having a diverse litigation practice provides him with a strong understanding of the law, court-room advocacy, issues of evidence, and strategy. It also allows him a unique understanding of the intersections of different areas of the law. He appears both led and unled in state and federal courts and tribunals at all levels in both original and appellate matters.
Brenda Tronson, Barrister, Level 22 Chambers & Senior Lecturer, UNSW Law & Justice
Brenda Tronson is an education focused Senior Lecturer at UNSW Law and Justice and a barrister at Level 22 Chambers. As an academic, she primarily teaches ethics, and is currently leading an education research project in relation to class participation. As a barrister, Brenda acts in matters concerning ethics, professional conduct and administrative law, advising and representing a range of clients in a variety of courts and tribunals. Before starting at the Bar in 2008, Brenda worked for Freehills in Sydney and as an associate to Justice Crennan in the High Court. She completed her undergraduate degrees at UNSW, where she won the university medal for Chemistry. She also holds a BCL (Dist) and MPhil in Law from Oxford University.
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Model Litigant Obligations
Ensure that you are able to balance your legal ethical duty to act fairly and consistently with your responsibility to protect the public interest. Gain practical guidance on applying the model litigant obligation, managing risk and making sound decisions when difficult strategic or procedural issues arise. Examine what it requires in day-to-day practice and explore how courts and oversight bodies have responded to alleged breaches. Leave with a clearer understanding of your responsibilities as a government lawyer and the confidence to meet them in practice.
- Why is the Model Litigant Obligation essential for government lawyers?
- What is the source of the Obligation and what does it really mean in practice?
- How is it enforced and what are the consequences for breach?
Presented by Elizabeth Forbes, Partner, Clayton Utz
Attend and earn 1 CPD unit in Ethics and Professional Responsibility
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
Presenters
Elizabeth Forbes, Partner, Clayton UtzLiz has advised government for 20 years, as an in-house lawyer within government and serving government clients from the private sector. As a result, she has a thorough working knowledge of the Model Litigant Obligation. Liz is a disputes lawyer who specialises in Inquiries, Royal Commissions, Coronial Inquests, investigations, administrative law, statutory interpretation, complex advisory work, civil litigation, judicial review and information protection (e.g. public interest immunity). Liz is an experienced lawyer who thrives on complex, large and significant matters that make a difference. Both government and private sector organisations benefit from Liz's strategic focus, technical skills and pragmatic approach. With a deep understanding of government, Liz has expertise and experience assisting organisations such as the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Defence and NSW Corrective Services. She has assisted many other Commonwealth, State and Territory Government departments and agencies with their most challenging matters. Liz also advises councils and private sector clients. Liz has worked on a significant number of high-profile inquiries and understands the complex difficulties these can present her clients, particularly government agencies. Liz has been listed in the Best Lawyers in Australia "Ones to Watch" List (Sydney - Government) for 2023 – 2027.
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Ai in Practice, Automated Decision Making and Ethics for Government Lawyers
As artificial intelligence and automated decision-making tools become increasingly embedded in government legal practice, lawyers must navigate a complex landscape of ethical, professional and public law obligations. This session explores the key risks associated with using AI in legal advice, policy development and administrative decision-making, including issues of confidentiality, privilege, accuracy, bias and accountability. Delegates will gain practical guidance on assessing and verifying AI-generated outputs, applying appropriate levels of human oversight, and ensuring professional judgment remains central to legal practice. Presented by Brenton Steenkamp, this session will provide government lawyers with practical safeguards and governance strategies to support defensible decision-making, protect public trust, and enable the responsible use of emerging technologies.
Attend and earn 1 CPD unit in Ethics and Professional Responsibility
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
- Identifying the ethical risks that arise when using AI or automated decision-making tools in government
- Protecting confidentiality, privilege and sensitive government information when working with AI-generated outputs
- Requirements to assess accuracy, bias, accountability and oversight before relying on AI-assisted advice or analysis
- Implementing practical safeguards to maintain professional judgement, public trust and defensible decision-making
Presented by Brenton Steenkamp, Partner, Clayton Utz; Lead Partner heading up Cyber Security Practice
Presenters
Brenton Steenkamp, Partner, Clayton UtzBrenton Steenkamp is the lead partner heading up the firm's Cyber security practice.Coming from a specialist forensic consulting and cyber risk background, Brenton brings more than two decades of exp erience in coordinating incident response, managing cyber risks and related internal investigations, including assisting stakeholders in regulatory matters. Brenton advises clients on various data security matters including the response and investigation of cyber and data breaches, insider threats, regulatory compliance and stakeholder management. Adept at bringing together and coordinating multi-disciplinary local and global teams, he has led and assisted clients on complex international cybercrime, response and remediation investigations across Europe, United States, Australia and Africa. Brenton has also worked closely with risk advisors, prosecutors and legal representatives, including working alongside law enforcement agencies in Europe and Africa, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the US.
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