Data privacy
Taking hackers to court has become a standard part of the cyber response toolkit since law firm HWL Ebsworth was attacked in 2023. But for those still paying ransoms, the price has only risen.
Most companies targeted for ransomware payments cough up. For law firms, a decision to pay is mired in ethical and regulatory challenges.
Chief executive partner Russell Mailler and CEO Kris Hopkins discuss HWL Ebsworth’s growth, lessons from a cyberattack and its new governance structure.
Australia’s privacy chief says AI privacy laws are “clear cut". Lawyers speaking with Capital Brief say businesses are still confused.
Meta's director of global threat disruption argues Australia's plans to force banks, telcos and social media companies to compensate scam victims are "fundamentally problematic".
Allowing individuals to sue over privacy breaches risks court challenges and appeals that could undermine the statutory tort before it takes effect, the tech industry peak body has warned.
Businesses using AI may face complex privacy requirements, but there is no "grey area" in existing laws, Kind told Capital Brief.
At a recent Ashurst event, Microsoft’s ANZ legal head Clayton Noble urged in-house lawyers to follow EU AI guidelines as the Albanese government finalises its own framework.
Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind supports the progress on privacy law changes, but notes key reforms crucial for the economy were absent from the proposals.
After four years, draft legislation to overhaul Australia's Privacy Act could ramp up class actions and increase scrutiny of companies' AI training efforts. And there's still more to come.
Opposition to proposed merger laws from local tech companies, VC firms and competition lawyers has been fierce. But private healthcare operators and small retailers could potentially be early winners.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers this week released new draft rules for dealmaking. While lawyers say there are some positives, one told us the changes put Australia "at the extreme end of merger control".
Amid fierce competition for top lawyers, the appetite for overseas moves has picked up, giving firms with an international presence an edge in hiring and retaining talent.
Australia's startups will be swept up in anticipated privacy law changes expected to scrap exemptions for small businesses, but many are unaware.
Emma Covacevich says data concerns and AI risks are driving businesses to consolidate the number of law firms they seek advice from, intensifying competition at the top end of town.
Australian regulators say they must find new ways to investigate and enforce against corporate wrongdoing and consumer harms as generative AI use increases.
With a multi-billion dollar US backer, corporate Australia has watched Pogust Goodhead's arrival with interest, if not fear. Its head of Australia Amie Crichton says it's "time to level a massively uneven playing field" between individuals and industry.
The rapid development of AI, and the push to avoid failures of the past through expedited regulation, may also speed up efforts to pin down legal definitions of the ecosystems in which Big Tech operates.
