Discover the latest insights in public law from the experts including in the topical issues of government lawyers' accountability and transparency, and legal professional privilege. Gain practical take-aways on key case law in administrative and constitutional law. Stay prepared for upcoming changes and enhance your expertise.

Presenters

Mr. Ian Bloemendal, Partner, Clayton Utz
Ian has 33 years' experience acting in complex litigation and ADR for government and listed companies. Ian's practice areas include financial services, class actions, regulatory investigations, complex or high stakes reputational disputes, including defamation and media issues, commercial and property disputes, technology and/or product liability disputes. Doyles Guide recognize Ian as a Leading Litigation & Dispute Resolution Lawyer and he has been three times voted Queensland Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers (twice for Defamation and Media Law (in 2017 and 2020), and for Product Liability law (2018). Ian has been trusted to represent the former Premier of Queensland as well as members of Cabinet from both major parties, senior public officials, professional bodies and senior executives. Ian serves on the Law Council of Australia's Federal Litigation Executive Committee and is Chair of its Privileges and Immunities Committee. He is also Honorary Queensland Secretary of the International Law Association (Australian Branch). He formerly sat on the Law Council's specialist ADR Committee and the Qld Law Society Competition and Consumer Law Committee. To add some balance to life he serves as Chairman of the Brisbane Club Wine Committee and is Honorary Consul for Denmark in Queensland.

Mr. Michael Rennie, Barrister, 6th Floor St James’ Hall Chambers
Michael Rennie is a barrister at 6 St James Hall Chambers, and commenced practice at the bar in May 2011. Before joining the bar, Michael had over ten years of experience as a solicitor at the Australian Government Solicitor. From 2007 Michael was the principal solicitor with the carriage of the PII concerns for the Attorney-General, ASIO and the AFP in the R v Elomar & Ors [2010] NSWSC 10 terrorism prosecution. Since 2011 Michael has appeared for both the NSW Police and the Australian Federal Police in relation to public interest immunity claims in criminal prosecutions.

Ms. Eleanor Dickens, Partner, Clayton Utz
Eleanor Dickens practices in public, administrative and regulatory law with extensive expertise in Information Law (Privacy, Freedom of Information, and Public Records), judicial review and statutory decision-making processes, integrity, corruption and accountability and legal policy. Eleanor also has significant experience in other core government related areas of practice including procurement governance, restructuring and privatisation. Eleanor brings a range of public sector experience to the Government Services Group, having previously worked for both the Northern Territory and Queensland Governments for statutory bodies and Government Departments including the Northern Territory Treasury, Department of the Premier and Cabinet (Queensland) and the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel. Eleanor is also a contributing editor with Mr Bill Lane to the Queensland Administrative Report.

Sarida McLeod, Barrister, 35 West Chambers
Called to the Bar in 2021, Sarida has a broad regulatory and commercial practice, with particular expertise in matters involving competition and consumer law, the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), business and directorship disputes, financial services, and complex or novel questions of statutory interpretation and expert evidence. She was listed as a Leading Queensland Junior Counsel in the area of Administrative & Public Law in Doyles’ Guide 2025. In the regulatory space, Sarida is regularly briefed (led and unled) by government entities such as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, and the Australian Energy Regulator in relation to investigations, litigation, and advice. She was one of junior counsel assisting the ACCC in its 2024-2025 Supermarkets Inquiry; acted (led) for senior members of the Forensic and Scientific Services’ DNA testing laboratory in the 2022 Commission of Inquiry into Forensic DNA Testing in Queensland; and has acted (both led and unled) for ASIC in number of urgent ex parte applications for asset preservation and travel restraint orders. Sarida also frequently acts for private parties responding to government action (including in relation to disqualification and banning orders and compulsory examinations). In the commercial space, Sarida has acted (led and unled) for both small and large companies and private individuals in a range of civil matters in the Supreme and District Courts of Queensland ¾ from director disputes about the control of a company to long-running contract and negligence claims involving multiple parties. Before being called to the Bar, Sarida was a solicitor in the Civil Regulation team of the Australian Government Solicitor; a senior associate in the competition law team of an international law firm; and a civil law adviser in the ministerial office of the Commonwealth Attorney-General. She completed her masters thesis on the economics of human gene patents at the University of Cambridge.