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Schedule and agenda

08:00am - 08:40am

Registration and networking

08:40am - 08:45am

Lawyers Weekly welcome

Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy
Managing Editor,
Lawyers Weekly
08:45am - 08:50am

Mary Technology welcome

08:50am - 08:55am

So They Can partner welcome

08:55am - 09:25am

Opening keynote to be announced

09:25am - 09:55am

Rewriting the rules: What’s actually working for women in law

Women are challenging the traditional hallmarks of success in a profession marked with inertia. Smaller and emerging firms are infusing technology and adopting family-centric practices, while the rise in women-led firms has amplified calls for reform.

At a time where workplaces are increasingly bending to the will of technology, it’s critical that we explore what is working while also recognising where progress is slowing. Join us as we ask what’s working for women in law and how we can translate these lessons more broadly across legal environments.

Together, we will:

  • Explore how progressive workplace models are driving engagement and retention.
  • Examine the rise of women-led firms and their redefinition of success.
  • Identify the practical policies that support equality.
Jane Bowes
Jane Bowes
Principal Lawyer, Director & Founder,
BOWES Legal
Danielle Snell
Danielle Snell
Managing Partner and Co-Founder,
Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell
09:55am - 10:25am

Gender targets, pay gaps and performance: Will the new act deliver?

While the newly-legislated Setting Gender Equality Targets Act is a significant intervention in workplace equity, legislation alone won’t close the gap. This panel unpacks the legislation’s practical implications, discusses how law firms are adapting, and examines whether enforced transparency will truly change the status quo.

Together, we will:

  • Break-down how the new legislation applies to legal workplaces.
  • Explore firm-level responses to gender pay gap reporting.
  • Ask what more is required to translate regulation into measurable cultural change.
Lauren Cassimatis
Lauren Cassimatis
Principal Lawyer and Director,
Gallant Law
Nikkita Venville
Nikkita Venville
Senior Counsel,
Worksafe Victoria
Ann-Maree David
Ann-Maree David
Executive Director,
College of Law Queensland
10:25am - 10:55am

Morning tea and networking

10:55am - 11:25am

Between reform and retrenchment: Where does DEI stand now?

Across the globe, diversity and inclusion frameworks are not simply being re-evaluated, they are being actively resisted and dismantled. As backlash against DEI grows, legal institutions must decide whether to retreat or recommit. This session examines the ramifications for women in legal workplaces if DEI is no longer prioritised. Join us as we confront the risks of stagnation and ask what it will take to keep DEI on the agenda when political winds shift.

Together, we will:

  • Evaluate the impacts of international DEI resistance on firm policies, including those with global footprints.
  • Anticipate the consequences for women in law when culturally diverse hiring processes and partnership promotions slow.
  • Consider what leadership must do to uphold a values-based culture and prioritise equality.
Joy Atacador
Joy Atacador
Partner,
Dentons
Kate Sherburn
Kate Sherburn
Head of Legal,
Who Gives A Crap
Lindsey Kelly
Lindsey Kelly
Head of People and Culture,
legalsuper
11:25am - 11:55am

Technology as an equaliser: How automation can close the gap

Technology is evolving at an astonishing rate. While much of the dialogue on AI is centred on efficiency, autonomy, security, and accountability, it’s crucial that we also address the impacts of this technology on equity.

This session looks at how automation, AI, and workflow optimisation have the potential to dismantle bias, redistribute opportunity, and deliver outcomes that empower women. We’ll explore real-world examples where technology is levelling the playing field while considering risks that this technology may introduce or reinforce.

Join us as we:

  • Examine how blind recruitment technologies reshape opportunity.
  • Explore AI’s role in redefining legal workflows and visibility.
  • Debate a question at the heart of AI: will automation correct human bias, or entrench it?
Bree Staines
Bree Staines
Lawyer - Family Law,
InfoTrack
11:55am - 12:25pm

The intersectional experience: Addressing homogenous attitudes towards women in law

Women in law are not a homogenous group. Race, disability, and identity all shape access and opportunity in complex ways. In this session, we bring together speakers with lived experience of these intersectional challenges, to highlight where recruitment and career advancement policies are effective, and where they fall short.

Join us as we:

  • Share in the lived experiences of both intersectional discrimination and progress.
  • Address how standard policies overlook specific barriers in recruitment and advancement.
  • Consider strategies for better addressing intersectional experiences in workplace culture.
Christine Tran
Christine Tran
Partner,
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Melissa Tan
Melissa Tan
Partner,
Lander & Rogers
Veronica Barbetta
Veronica Barbetta
Manager - Business Development,
UniSuper
12:25pm - 01:25pm

Lunch and networking

01:55pm - 02:25pm

Closing keynote to be announced

02:25pm - 02:30pm

MC close

02:30pm

Event close

If you're interested in speaking at the event, please contact Jack via email.

*Agenda subject to change