Overview (Program Summary)
A program hosted by:
ACC AustraliaThe world is changing rapidly and businesses are required to move quickly and pivot to remain relevant and keep afloat during these weird times. Australia has passed the 100 day mark of dealing with COVID19 and the world has settled into the virtual world. Legal counsel are critical to decision-making and play a critical role in ensuring risk and compliance are mitigated and controlled. For those who are new to in-house, what can you do to make your mark and demonstrate your worth to the business during these times? What skills are required to ensure that you are being as relevant and critical to the business strategy and operations?
This virtual panel discussion will work through these questions and more. Our guests will share their insights and open it up to the floor to hear what is happening in your organisation and the impact and value you are able to provide to your team and organisation during these times.
Following the presentation ACC Australia will be hosting a virtual networking session from 12.00 PM using our new virtual event platform! Grab a drink and we’ll break you into smaller groups so that you can catch up with peers, discuss the insights gained, share what you’ve been experiencing in your own workplace.
Please note registrations for this event are now closed.
Speakers
Melissa Scott, Senior Legal Counsel, Megaport
Mel is the Senior Legal Counsel at Megaport Limited, a global technology company founded in Brisbane. She is a passionate advocate for all things in-house and shares career insights for law students and graduates on Instagram @theinhouselawyer. She serves as a Member of the Queensland Law Society's In-House Committee and as the In-House Advisor to the Women Lawyers Association Queensland. She is excited to have recently launched Counsel, a podcast about in-house lawyer life.
Courtenay Zajicek, Legal Counsel, Nando’s Australia
Courtenay is the Legal Counsel for Nando’s, a large fast-casual dining restaurant chain specialising in flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken products with a strong focus on equality, diversity and sustainability. Courtenay has only ever worked as an in-house lawyer (not in private practice) as she is very passionate towards the importance of in-house counsel and the value-add opportunities available to businesses. During her time practising in the last 8 years she has worked primarily for large franchisors in the FMCG and health and fitness industries.
Courtenay practices predominantly in franchising, property, industrial, commercial and contract law, with a focus on contract negotiation and drafting, compliance matters, alternative dispute resolution and negotiation and risk mitigation strategies.
In addition to her legal qualifications, Courtenay has also completed a Masters in Business Administration to further enhance her ability to provide relevant and adaptable commercial solutions to legal and risk mitigation strategies for the business.
Bec Taube, Deputy General Counsel, RMIT
Bec Taube is Deputy General Counsel at RMIT University. She went in-house in 2008 and has never looked back.
Her first love is intellectual property, but has been lucky enough to work in IT, privacy and data, competition and consumer law, and governance and company secretariat. And over the past few years, Legal Operations, leveraging tech, and simplifying contracts have been a huge part of her practice.
Bec started with Herbert Smith Freehills, worked as a Judge’s Associate, and then bounced back into firm life at King and Wood Mallesons. From there she went on secondment, and found her true calling in-house. Since then she’s worked with Myer, L’Oréal and now RMIT University, where she also guest lectures in fun things like “Fashion Entrepreneurship and IP”.
Theo Kapodistrias, Lawyer, University of Tasmania | Tasmanian Divisional President and Director, ACC Australia
Theo Kapodistrias is a multi-award winning lawyer, working for the University of Tasmania for almost 6 years. Theo is a generalist lawyer advising the University on a number of varied matters and areas of law including commercial contracts, intellectual property, real property, privacy, and discrimination matters. Theo has been recognized in Australia being named the 2020 Young Lawyer of the Year by the Law Society of Tasmania, the Academia, Training and Education Lawyer of the Year at the 2018 Corporate Counsel Awards, the 2017 and 2018 30 Under 30 (Corporate Counsel), and featured in the 2019 Legal 500 Australian Rising Stars Publication. In addition, he has been shortlisted for several other legal and community service awards. In addition to his substantive legal role, Theo is a Non-Executive Director and Tasmanian Divisional President of ACC Australia, a Tasmanian Ambassador and Industry Champion with Business Events Tasmania, an ambassador for World Idea Day, and the past Co-President of the Southern Young Lawyers Committee of Tasmania. Theo has also recently launched his ‘side hustle’ as a professional speaker, speaking at events and conferences across Australia and internationally www.theokap.com.au