In-House Legal Summit Australia 2026

Stop attending conferences.
Start building at them.

Australia's most practical one-day summit for in-house lawyers. Less panels, less fluff. More workshops, simulations, and tools you'll use the next morning.

Tuesday 29 September 2026 | 7 CPD points 

Introducing the In-House Legal Summit Australia 2026

The In-House Legal Summit Australia 2026 is a completely reimagined, fully practical one-day summit designed for in-house lawyers who want tools, not theory. Taking place on Tuesday 29 September 2026 in Melbourne, the Summit brings together Australia's most hands-on in-house legal community for a working day of workshops, simulations, drafting clinics and interactive labs — not passive panels. 

Every session is built around the real pressures facing lean legal teams in 2026: regulatory upheaval, contract cycle-time challenges, AI governance, data privacy risk, psychosocial duties, investigations, and cross-functional crisis response. Delegates won't just hear about these challenges — they will build investigation frameworks, draft contract playbooks, map crisis escalation plans, create AI and data governance policies, and produce board-ready summaries they can use immediately.

Up to 7 CPD points spanning 4 mandatory fields in a single day.

Register now!

We look forward to you joining us.

Produced in collaboration with

Asian Legal Business

Date
Tuesday 29 September 2026

Time
8:30 am - 5:30 pm AEST

Location
Melbourne

[Delegates]
Super Early Bird*
$559 excl. GST

Early Bird**
$659 excl. GST

Full price
$799 excl. GST

*Super Early Bird ends 24 July 2026
**Early Bird ends 28 August 2026

[Service providers/ consultants]

Full price
$1,399 excl. GST

Group offer
Buy 4 get 1 free at checkout

Up to 7 CPD points

Why attend

Deliverables-first, every session
Most conferences send you home with ideas. We send you home with ready-to-use playbooks, templates, and checklists built during the day.

Crisis Lab 2.0 — the signature simulation
A live timed simulation: cyber breach + safety incident + whistleblower complaint hit simultaneously. Navigate regulator notifications and board escalations in real time. Our highest-rated session from 2025 returns.

More workshops, less panels
Hands-on drafting sprints. Structured table exercises. Peer-led clinics. Expert help desks.

2026's actual priorities
Supply chain resilience, NACC investigations, AI governance, contract cycle-time, OAIC privacy reform, WHS psychosocial duties. Validated by real GCs. Not generic topics.

Structured peer exchange
Industry swap networking exercise, expert help desks & insights on managing external counsel, contract automation, regulatory monitoring, stakeholder influence.

90-Day implementation plan
Leave with 3 concrete actions, an accountability framework, and a pitch strategy to win leadership buy-in.

Who should attend

In-House Counsel — mid-level to senior, 5–15 years PQE

General Counsel

Heads of Legal

Legal Operations Professionals

Company Secretaries with legal oversight responsibilities

Risk, Compliance & Governance Professionals working closely with Legal

Speakers

Our 2026 speaker lineup is taking shape — stay tuned for some exciting announcements coming soon.  

Last year we heard from an incredible range of speakers, including Kate Sherburn (Head of Legal, Who Gives A Crap), Paul Kounnas (Barrister, Victorian Bar), and Erin Scarrow (Responsible Data & AI Lead, Accenture), and many more.

Event agenda  

Please note: Agenda subject to change

Registration & coffee [ Opens at 8:30 am ]

9 am - 9:10 am

Welcome remarks

9:10 am - 9:35 am

Opening briefing

What's changed for in-house lawyers in 2026: The essential regulatory update

9:35 am - 10:25 am

Workshop 1

How to run an investigation in 2026: A step-by-step, done-in-session playbook

10:25 am - 11:05 am

Workshop 2

Supply chain resilience & geopolitical risk: Build your legal continuity plan

Morning tea & structured networking — Industry swap exercise [ 30 mins ]

11:35 am - 12:25 pm

Integrated clinic

AI, data & privacy governance: Build your 2026 framework

12:25 pm - 1:15 pm

Live simulation

Crisis Lab 2.0: The first 72 hours of a compound incident

Networking lunch + Reflection break [ 80 mins ]

2:35 pm - 3:15 pm

Workshop 3

Briefing the board: Translating legal risk into business language

3:15 pm - 3:45 pm

Panel

What I wish I'd known about influencing CFOs, CISOs & the C-Suite

Afternoon tea [ 30 mins ]

4:15 pm - 4:35 pm

Pulse check

Your 90-day action plan: From summit to implementation

4:35 pm - 5:30 pm

Workshop 4

Contracting Sprint Lab: Build your contract playbook — reduce cycle time & risk

Closing remarks

Thank you to our partner

Gold Partner

Legora

Frequently asked questions

Is there a group discount?

Yes — register any 4 tickets and get the 5th free at checkout. Contact eventsanz@thomsonreuters.com for group bookings of 5 or more.

What makes IHLS different from other legal conferences?

Zero passive panels. Every session produces a deliverable; investigation playbooks, contract clause libraries, AI governance frameworks, crisis escalation maps, and more. You come to work, not listen. The signature Crisis Lab 2.0 simulation is unlike anything offered by any in-house event in Australia.

What will I take home?

Ready-to-use tools including: Investigation Triage Flowchart, Regulator Notification Matrix, Supply Chain Risk Dashboard, AI & Data Governance Policy Template, Crisis Escalation Map, Board Paper Templates, Contract Clause Playbook, 90-Day Action Plan, and a 30/60/90-day post-event implementation email series.

What is Crisis Lab 2.0?

Crisis Lab 2.0 is our signature live simulation, the highest-rated session from 2025. This year we enhance this with a cyber breach, workplace safety incident, and whistleblower complaint hit simultaneously. You make real-time decisions under pressure, navigate regulator notifications, draft holding statements, and manage board escalation — exactly how it unfolds in-house.

Can I transfer my ticket or get a refund?

Please contact eventsanz@thomsonreuters.com for transfer and cancellation enquiries.

How do I become a sponsor or exhibitor?

For sponsorship and partnership enquiries, contact David Lewis at david.lewis3@thomsonreuters.com

Secure your spot

Join Australia's most practical legal summit on 29 September 2026 in Melbourne. You'll leave with frameworks, playbooks, and templates you can actually use, built during the day, ready for Monday morning.

Contact us

Attendee inquiries: eventsanz@thomsonreuters.com

Sponsorship enquiries:
david.lewis3@thomsonreuters.com