In-Person CPD Event |
Piper Alderman Offices
Level 23, 459 Collins Street,
Melbourne VIC 3000
Overview (Program Summary)
A program hosted by:
ACC Australia
Doors open at 5:00pm, with Networking opportunities between 6:30 - 7:00pm.
Managing stakeholders is an important part of the role of in-house counsel. Perhaps the most important stakeholder for in-house counsel to manage is the Board.
In partnership with Piper Alderman, the Association of Corporate Counsel (Victoria) is pleased to invite you to an engaging panel discussion tailored for corporate counsel.
Join us as we explore this type of stakeholder management, board governance and the unique challenges faced by in-house counsel.
Our panel discussion will cover:
• Legal duties and emerging risks for in-house counsel supporting boards
• The complexities of dual roles—legal adviser vs decision-maker
• Maintaining legal professional privilege in board settings
• Navigating conflicts of interest and the lawyer’s ethical responsibilities
Why Attend?
This session will provide practical insights and illustrations of when Boards need their in-house counsel and guidance on what to do when difficult issues arise.
Speakers
Francis W. Galbally, Non-Executive Chairman, Senetas
Francis is the founder and current Non-Executive Chairman of Senetas. He was CEO and Chairman from the company’s inception in 1999 until stepping down in 2006. He rejoined the board in 2012 during a major restructure and was reappointed Chairman in 2013.
Francis is a former commercial lawyer with 35+ years of experience and was a partner at Galbally & O’Bryan. He has led several landmark litigation cases and recovered over $1 billion in investor funds. He is an adviser and principal investor to Southbank Capital and has chaired or invested in multiple ASX-listed companies across the technology, energy and finance sectors. Today, Francis chairs Optic Security Group (OSG) which designs and installs security solutions for Government, Defence, Health and Aged Care, and industrial organisations. OSG is a Senetas partner. He also serves on the Cabrini Foundation board.
Emma Braun, Company Secretary, Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited
Emma is an experienced corporate legal and governance executive with significant experience in legal leadership, governance, compliance, and commercial strategy across diverse sectors and jurisdictions. She has advised and supported C-suites and Boards and has been acknowledged by her colleagues as pragmatic and solutions-focused. Through her career she has strived to provide legal and governance support that drives growth and organisational success. Emma began her career at Herbert Smith Freehills and has held senior in-house roles in both mature and emerging markets. A Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and a Legal 500 GC Powerlist nominee, she is committed to impactful board service and fostering stakeholder alignment.
Alastair Macphee, Special Counsel, Piper Alderman
Alastair is an experienced corporate lawyer specialising in corporate governance and commercial contracting. He has advised private, government, not-for-profit and mutual entities on a wide range of matters, and is a regular presenter of seminars and workshops on directors' and officers' duties, governance and structuring issues and ESG. Al is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
Moderator: 
James Macdonald, Partner, Piper Alderman
James has over 25 years experience in corporate and commercial law with an emphasis on a wide range of corporate structuring, acquisitions, disposals, capital raisings, listings, venture capital transactions, corporate governance advice, shareholder disputes, commercialisation of intellectual property, employee share plans and commercial contracts. He has advised listed and unlisted companies and private equity funds in a wide range of transactions in both Australia and Europe.
Notes
*Competitor Exclusion – ACC Australia Partner’s may request that representative/s of a competitor organisation/s registered for the event be excluded, and ACC Australia reserves the right to make the final decision as to whether a registration is rejected. As a guide, a competitor organisation could be defined as a rival organisation of similar size to the host Corporate Partner, with an established practice, product or service in the area being showcased by the Corporate Partner’s at the event. Please provide a brief statement as to why you have deemed an organisation to be a competitor, in support of any request to ACC Australia to reject a registration.
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