19 March 2026
3 min read
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Our focus for this year’s NSW Government lawyers annual CLE series was exploring the various skills needed to help lawyers refresh and prepare for what lies ahead for the public sector in 2026. During these two weeks, we were joined by Government lawyers from over 150 various departments and agencies and covered a multitude of topics including:
With legal CPD points due by 31 March, there is still time for those looking to obtain last minute points. If you missed it, please find the on-demand links below. Each session accounts for 1 CPD unit.
By Senior Associate Jessica Alamyar
This session examines the WHS prosecution decisions of the reconstituted NSW Industrial Court as well as provide government lawyers an update on the recent WHS legislative changes introduced in NSW.
The four primary areas of focus for public sector legal practitioners covered include:
By Partner Thomas Kwok
The amended Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 seeks to ‘go for gold’ in increasing housing supply in New South Wales. We explain what has changed and what the challenges and opportunities are.
By Partner Elizabeth Carroll & Special Counsel Samantha Haddon
This session explores the legal risks, challenges and opportunities that arise from the use of AI within the Government space from an intellectual property, administrative and contractual perspective. Our speakers also cover lessons that can be learnt from the Commonwealth’s approach, including the recently released “Policy for the Responsible Use of AI in Government” and AI model contractual clauses.
By Chief Knowledge Officer, Keren Smith
Legal research has always been core to the practice of law. AI has unlocked new time-saving opportunities to augment the current skill sets of lawyers, however correct legal research technique and fact checking remains essential for ensuring accurate, precise, and on-point research results.
The presentation includes:
By Partner Jessica Tilbury & National Risk and Compliance Manager Kristin Watkins
Ethical obligations remain central to the practice of law, regardless of practice setting. This session revisits the core duties owed by lawyers to their clients, the courts and regulators, including fiduciary duties, confidentiality, legal professional privilege, and compliance with professional conduct rules. It will explore ethical issues commonly encountered by lawyers in practice, with a focused discussion on issues unique to government lawyers. The presentation will also examine how traditional ethical principles are tested and applied in today’s technology-enabled legal environment.
By Special Counsel Emily Booth and National Precedents Manager Nicki Greenberg
Document design matters. Whether it’s a contract template, assessment form, checklist, policy or an instruction brief, good planning and design saves time for the internal client and the legal team, improves engagement with internal clients, and delivers clearer, more accurate instructions. Learn from our commercial legal and precedents experts about their experience in making legal documents clearer and easier to use.
Disclaimer
The information in this article is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavour to provide accurate and timely information, we do not guarantee that the information in this article is accurate at the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future.
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