Amendments to the Unfair Contracts legislation commence on 9 November. Breaches may cost up to $50 million, so the time to act is now. With the new regime changing how contracts are prepared, negotiated and enforced, will your standard form agreements be ready? The ACCC's expanded authority makes it simpler to assert contractual protection, with non-compliance leading to heightened penalties. You have $50 million reasons to join this discussion taking place ahead of the November roll out.

Presenters

Mr. Peter Sise, Special Counsel, Clayton Utz
Peter Sise is a litigation lawyer at Clayton Utz with a focus on class actions, trade practices and insolvency. He is experienced in shareholder, financial services and product class actions; ACCC and ASIC regulatory proceedings; and insolvency disputes as well as general commercial litigation. For several years, he has been the editor of Wolters Kluwer's commentary on unfair contract terms and written numerous articles and given numerous presentations in this area. He is also an editor of the LexisNexis publication, Inhouse Counsel.


Ms. Melissa Fraser, Partner, Ashurst
Melissa Fraser is partner in Ashurst's APAC Competition team. Melissa's practice focuses on competition/antitrust matters and includes enforcement litigation and investigations, strategic advisory work, merger clearance and compliance matters. She is expert in the Australian Consumer Law and has advised extensively on the unfair contract terms regime, unconscionable conduct, misleading conduct and product safety issues and recalls. Her impressive client following in the important financial services, healthcare, infrastructure and FMCG sectors is a direct result of the excellent results she achieves for her clients. Melissa is recognized in Who's Who Legal – Future Leader, Competition; Best Lawyers, Sydney – Competition Law; and as a Next Generation Partner, Competition and Trade in Legal 500. Australia Legal 500 says: "Melissa Fraser has a wonderful focus on clients; she delivers great results in competition matters, fully aligned with the client’s objectives and ways of working."


Ms. Teresa Torcasio, Partner, HWL Ebsworth
Teresa is a highly experienced partner in the corporate / commercial group at HWL Ebsworth, with over 20 years’ experience as a commercial law specialist. Teresa advises clients on general commercial law and corporate transactions, including ongoing supply, manufacturing and distribution arrangements, procurement, transport and logistics contracts, acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures, corporate restructuring and strategic alliances. Teresa’s comprehensive knowledge of the Australian Consumer Law has assisted her to advise clients on their risks, rights and obligations as buyers and sellers of goods and services and to negotiate excellent outcomes for her clients. She has written numerous articles on commercial contracting, unfair contract terms, and consumer guarantee protections (including their application to businesses). Teresa has been named The Best Lawyers in Australia for her work in Commercial Law and Sports Law. Prior to joining HWL Ebsworth, Teresa was an executive counsel at Freehills and a partner at Herbert Geer (now Thompson Geer).


Mr. Nick Christiansen, Partner, Sparke Helmore
Nick is a commercial litigator specialising in complex commercial disputes, including class actions, competition and consumer law claims and regulatory actions, and corporations law proceedings. His competition and consumer law practice covers restrictive trade practices and anti-competitive conduct, trade conduct protections, advertising and marketing, consumer guarantees, and franchising law and regulation. He also acts in corporate and personal insolvency litigation, advises corporate clients in non-contentious insolvency and restructuring matters, and acts for leading banks and financial institutions in enforcement and regulatory compliance matters.


Ms. Zoe Vise, Associate, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers
Zoe is experienced in preparing, reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts and working on other general commercial, corporate and regulatory matters. Zoe has a special interest in the Australian Consumer Law and works closely with Teresa to assist clients in navigating their rights and obligations when buying and selling goods and services, including in connection with the unfair contract terms regime. Zoe has co-authored a number of articles with Teresa, including the recent 'UCT 101' series of articles, aimed at helping businesses to understand their requirements under the regime and to prepare for the upcoming reforms.