Explore the many career benefits for lawyers serving on boards, how to create a plan to get on a board, and what a board CV should look like. Gain the skills to make the most of a board position through strategic thinking, governance skills, risks strategy, and what makes a good board paper. Avoid potential risks by delving into conflicts of interest, privilege & insurance issues. Gain practical insights from experienced lawyers & directors that you can apply in your career on boards. WEB243N59Z

Presenters

Kirsten Mander, Chair, Legalsuper; Non-Executive Director, Peninsula Health
Kirsten Mander is an experienced director, executive and lawyer. She has over 30 years' experience in the financial services, health and minerals sectors within Australia and internationally. She is currently chair of legalsuper, the superannuation fund for Australia’s legal community, and a director of Peninsula Health and chair of its Audit and Risk and MePACS Committees. She was formerly chair of the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority, the International Women’s Development Agency and a director on various boards including the Law Institute of Victoria and chair of its Ethics Committee. Prior to this she had over 20 years’ experience as a senior executive, general counsel & company secretary for a number of Australia's top companies in various sectors, namely Australian Unity, Sigma Pharmaceuticals, TRUenergy, Smorgon Steel Group and Western Mining, working throughout Australasia, Asia and the former Soviet Union. She holds a Master of Laws from Melbourne University and is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Governance Institute of Australia.


Sonia Petering, Principal, Sonia Petering Lawyer
Sonia runs her own broadly based commercial legal practice with a particular specialty in representing landowners of native vegetation in their negotiations with ASX listed and other companies on native vegetation offset agreements. Sonia is also an experienced non executive director and Chair in various highly regulated sectors including professional services, financial services, insurance, biotechnology and healthcare. Currently, she is Chair of ASX listed QantmIP Limited (ASX:QIP); Chair of Vitrafy Life Sciences Pty Ltd and a non executive director of TAL Dai Ichi Life Australia Pty Ltd. Sonia is also a member of the University of Melbourne Law School Foundation. Sonia is a member of and chairs various board committees - including Remuneration and Audit and Risk Committees. Sonia has previously served as Chair of Virtus Health Ltd, Rural Finance Corporation, and board member of Transport Accident Commission and Cuscal. Sonia served as a member of the Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry with Justice Bernard Teague and Professor John Catford, submitting their final report to the Governor of Victoria in August 2014. Sonia completed her law and commerce degrees (LLB and B. Com) at the University of Melbourne. In other roles, Sonia recently assisted the State Government of Victoria Minister for Water as one of the members of the selection panel for the 18 Water Corporation Board appointments interviewing many aspiring board members. Sonia is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and a member of Chief Executive Women and Law Institute of Victoria.


Ruth Medd, Executive Chair, Women on Boards
Ruth is an experienced director; Chair of Women on Boards, Health and Sciences Institute Pty Ltd and the Australian Chocolate Pty Ltd as well as Trustee, NSW Historic Houses Trust and a Board Member, National Foundation for Australian Women. Ruth is a Certified Practicing Accountant and former IT professional. As a founder of Women on Boards with Claire Braund she has been instrumental in supporting many thousands of women to become board members. She maintains wide interests, including in the start-up sector and angel investing as well as her other board and committee roles. Ruth was previously the chair of Australian Ethical Superannuation, a member of the NSW Casino Control Authority and a director of the Infants Home at Ashfield.


John Edstein, Chair, Macquarie Investment Management Limited
John Edstein has more than 40 years of experience as a legal practitioner. His primary practice areas have been superannuation, life insurance and trusts and the tax aspects of those areas. He was a partner in the Tax and Superannuation Group of King & Wood Mallesons (formerly Mallesons Stephen Jaques) from 1990 to 2012 and was National Practice Team Leader of that group from 2006 to 2011. He is an Emeritus Member of the Law Council of Australia Superannuation Committee, is a member of the Tax Institute of Australia and a Chartered Tax Adviser, and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Since retiring from KWM, John’s roles have included: July 2013 to present: director and chair (appointed November 2017) of Macquarie Investment Management Ltd; September 2014 to present: director of Perpetual Equity Investment Company Ltd, a listed investment company on the ASX; November 2017 to present: Special Counsel (part time) of Walsh Bay Partners Pty Ltd, a financial advisory firm exclusively for January 2013 to September 2014: director and chair (appointed January 2014) of The Trust Company (Superannuation) Limited; and October 2013 to December 2020, director of Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd, the trustee of Rest Industry Super,


Catherine Leach, CEO, LeachLegal
Catherine Leach is a Lawyer and the CEO of Leach Legal, a national Family Law firm. She commenced her Articled Clerkship in 1989 and was admitted to practice in 1996. Under the mentorship of the Honourable Peter Dowding S.C., she developed her skills in complex Family Law cases and in 1998, she became a partner of DCH Legal Group, later co-founding Maughan & Leach and eventually commencing Leach Legal in March 2004. Catherine completed her Masters in Family Law in 2012 and later lectured for the College of Law. She has trained as a collaborative lawyer, mediator and arbitrator and has been a long standing advocate of ADR. She has been a leader in technology and law, including being the first lawyer in WA to undertake a witness video link during a Family Court trial. Catherine is a member of the global Entrepreneur’s Organization, currently serving as the Regional Governance Director for the Asia Pacific Region and as a member of the EO Global Governance Committee which oversees governance for its 18,000 members in 76 countries. She is also a member of LawAustralasia and Business women Australia and is the Deputy Chair for the Family Law Section National Conference in Perth in 2024. Catherine is a regular commentator on national television, radio, and in print media, providing perspective on matrimonial and Family Law matters and leadership and business and is passionate about implementing innovation and technology in law.


Steven Cole, Managing Director, Cole Corporate
Steven Cole has over 40 years of professional, corporate and business experience through senior legal consultancy, as well as a range of executive management and non executive appointments. His extensive boardroom and board sub-committee experience includes ASX listed, statutory, proprietary and NFP organisations covering the industrial, financial, educational, professional services, agribusiness, health, local government and resources sectors. Steven's professional qualifications include Llb (hons)- University of Western Australia; AICD Company Directors Diploma and Fellow and Wharton School - University of Pennsylvania - Corporate Governance Program 2010. Steven is a sought after speaker and presenter at industry and professional conferences and seminars in Australasia and Asia as well as having authored publications and journal articles on emerging governance related issues. Steven's continuing board appointments include Deputy Chairman of Neometals Limited (ASX listed); Non-Executive Director of Matrix Composites and Engineering Limited; Chair of Commissioners for the City of Canning Western Australia; Chairman of 2 investment trust companies with around $20m under management; Chairman of Brightwater Care Group Inc, a major charitable NGO in aged and disability care services; Chairman of Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre Trust, a WA statutory authority concerning health related property planning and development and Chairman of Government and Fiscal Reform Policy Forum - CCI of Western Australia.