The high-profile data breaches at Optus and Medibank in 2022 prompted significant increases to the maximum penalties under the Privacy Act for serious and repeated breaches of privacy. It also prompted organisations of all kinds — including law firms — to review their own cyber security and how they use technology. Now, lawyers need to keep an eye on further changes foreshadowed for the year ahead, including broader consumer rights and changes to targeted online advertising and expanding the scope of the Privacy Act to apply to small businesses as well as larger organisations.

Lawyers advising small and large businesses alike have also had their work cut out keeping up with changes to workplace safety laws. The changes so far have been expansive and include a new onus on employers to take proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment and to eradicate workplace cultures that are hostile to employees on the grounds of sex. Heading into 2023, lawyers will need to ensure that any businesses they advise are actively responding to these changes — as well as their own workplaces.

Climate change and corporate responsibility is another area set to see significant shifts in the year ahead. Hot on the heels of legislating to reduce Australia’s net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050, the government started consulting on the introduction of new requirements for companies to make climate-related financial risk disclosures. Reporting on climate-related risk is closely connected with ESG and sustainability — two topics that continue to climb higher up the agenda each year for investors, shareholders, regulators and the wider community. Lawyers have an increasingly important role to play in this space, advising companies and directors on their evolving obligations.

“Keeping up with rapid change is always challenging, but lawyers who can keep ahead of these trends will set themselves apart. Using your 10 hours of mandatory CPD wisely means you can use your time to stay up to date and make sure you meet your annual requirements,” said Sarah Mateljan, co-founder of LawCPD.

Check out the top 10 most popular CPD courses to help you get ahead in 2023:

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1.   Lawyers’ Ethical Duties in the Digital Age
2.   Directors’ Duties: Liabilities, Risks and Compliance
3.   Cyber Risk for Lawyers and Law Firms
4.   Communications Between Bench & Bar: Perception Can Be Everything
5.   Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination
6.   Ethical Decision Making for Lawyers
7.   Digital Evidence: Social Media, Digital Assets and the Metaverse
8.   ESG, Sustainability and Corporate Governance
9.   Making a Deal: Effective Negotiation and Influencing Skills
10.   Electronic Marketing Messages: Data, Privacy and Spam Compliance