Cornwalls

The Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards 2025 finalists have been announced! Cornwalls is proud to partner with Lawyers Weekly for the inaugural Flos Greig Trailblazer of the Year Award 2025. In 1905, Flos Greig became the first woman in Australia to be admitted to practice law. To be the first, she had to overcome extreme adversity. She was a true trailblazer, and as a Cornwalls alumna, we are proud to share her remarkable story. On behalf of all of us at Cornwalls, congratulations to the following finalists and good luck for the announcement of the winner at the awards event in Melbourne on Thursday 27 November. We look forward to seeing you there! Jane Bowes, BOWES LEGAL Jenna Downy, LEAP Legal Software Nicole Evans, Barker Evans Lawyers Saemeh Ghasemi, Australian Migration Lawyers Katie Higgins, Law Squared Bahar Ilic, CBRE Asia Pacific Mariah Saad, Legal Vision Lauren Solomonson, Coulter Legal Louarde Thomas, Victorian Government Solicitor's Office Mimi Zou, UNSW Law & Justice #CornwallsLaw #OurPeople #WomenInLaw #Trailblazer

AI has quickly embedded itself into nearly every level of corporate activity – from research assistance to transforming entire operations. Reportedly, 84% of Australians in office jobs are already using AI at work, and its applications are only improving from here. While AI has undeniably improved business productivity and capabilities, the technology is rapidly evolving. With such rapid developments, AI’s advancements present an ever-growing list of legal challenges, outpacing its regulatory solutions. In this uncertain landscape, board and executive teams must be alert to the risks that come with AI adoption. Recently, there has been an increased trend of AI tools used to transcribe internal discussions, especially in board meetings. Although AI-generated transcripts are used for transparency and efficiency, it introduces significant legal exposures, particularly in the event of litigation. In this article by Mayank Gupta, Partner, and Josephine Chang, Paralegal, they consider what you need to know and how to mitigate risks if you don't have thoughtful AI policies in place. #CornwallsLaw #OurPeople #AI https://lnkd.in/gGcHfA_u

A few years ago, our team in Sydney worked with the extraordinary team at Argon Expeditions. Cornwalls was the official legal partner for their ground-breaking expedition across Antarctica. As a result, we can now claim to be the first Australian law firm to reach the South Pole! Just this week, the Argon team commenced their next great adventure. 🏔️ To the End of the Earth: Ice Caps & the Hidden Glaciers of Patagonia. Dr Gareth Andrews and Dr Richard Stephenson will traverse the Northern Patagonian Ice Cap unsupported, and descend the Río Huemules by packraft. Along the way, they will gather important data to support climate research. From all of us at Cornwalls, we wish you well and cannot wait to see the stunning footage you return home with. As always, we are with you every step of the way! You can follow their expedition via their live map here: https://lnkd.in/gtVMUHG7 #CornwallsLaw #OurPeople #Adventurers

The team in Brisbane hosted another fantastic YBP event at the iconic Fridays on the river. This event was slightly different to previous ones, as guests were asked to invite their business mentor to accompany them. It was a great evening of networking and conversations on the Grand Deck. Our team mingled with clients, colleagues, new connections and long time mates. Cornwalls' YBP (Young Business People) provides our younger lawyers at Cornwalls, and professionals in the wider business community, an opportunity to harness their skills in professional networking while in a relaxed environment. YBP events enable candid conversations, where we gain a better understanding of our clients and their needs through establishing relationships across varied levels of their business. #CornwallsLaw #OurPeople #Networking

David Kreltszheim, Partner, was delighted to be invited to attend Blockchain APAC's event last week in Sydney, at which Australia's Top 50 Impact List for the year was announced. Congratulations to all those who made the list, and kudos to Steve Vallas and Richelle Cox, and the review panel, for all the work that went into the event and the compilation of the list. #CornwallsLaw #OurPeople #Blockchain

It has traditionally been common for employers to pay an annual salary to some or all of their employees who are covered by a modern award in satisfaction of the employees’ award entitlements. This is largely due to the administrative ease associated with this approach as compared to paying employees strictly in accordance with the award. However, a recent decision of the Federal Court of Australia has made it far more challenging for employers to take this approach going forward. Indeed, it is likely that many employers are currently in breach of their minimum pay and record-keeping obligations to their salaried employees. In this article by Martin Alden, Partner, and Vincent Harris, Lawyer, they review a recent case in the Federal Court of Australia and highlight the implications for employers who have not yet implemented a sophisticated payroll system to generate necessary records. #CornwallsLaw #OurPeople #EmploymentLaw

What a great afternoon at the next instalment in our Cornwalls & Connecting Lawyer Mums™️Mind|Body|Spirit boardroom lunch series. This time, we explored the concept of Human Design, with high performance coach, Amanda Leigh Walker. Amanda is a co-founder of the iconic plant-based restaurant chain, Lord of the Fries, and uses her decades of entrepreneurial and leadership experience to help professionals understand their own unique decision-making and communication styles. Amanda's engaging and interactive session was enjoyed by all. Thanks for showing us how to support focus, communications, and well-being in both our legal and personal lives. Lauren Cassimatis AccS(Crim) | Anna Lozynski | Sofie Filippone #CornwallsLaw #OurPeople #WomenInLaw

On 11 September 2025, the Victorian government released the Building Legislation Amendment (Fairer Payments on Jobsites and Other Matters) Bill 2025. The significant changes introduced by the Bill are the product of a major inquiry announced in 2023. The Legislative Assembly - Environment and Planning Committee prepared and published a report on 28 November 2023. It set out 28 recommendations for the Victorian Government to consider as part of their review and overhaul of the existing Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2002 (Vic) (SOP Act). The SOP Act was last substantively amended around 2007. In this article, Richard Hutchings, Partner and Nikola (Nik) Reljic, Associate, highlight some of the key changes to the SOP Act under the current wording of this Bill. If the Bill is passed largely unamended, the effects of the Bill will most likely require contract templates, ancillary documents and processes to be revised and updated for principals, contractors and subcontractors. Click here or on the image below to read the full article. https://lnkd.in/gTXUGuWK #CornwallsLaw #OurPeople #ConstructionLaw

Cornwalls X Reinventadas en Australia Are you a Latin founder or entrepreneur building a business in Australia? Or looking to build your local network? Join our lawyers, Natalia Andrade, Sofia Saba, and Eliana Lozano at this insightful webinar series. Our Latin team will guide small business owners through the key steps of starting and protecting their business in Australia. Over three sessions, they will cover everything from choosing the right structure for your business and understanding your legal responsibilities, to navigating the practical steps required to get started. You will learn about essential employment law obligations, including how the workplace relations system operates and what every employer needs to know to stay compliant. They will also discuss leasing for small businesses, highlighting the main differences between retail leases and other agreements, key points in negotiations, and common pitfalls to avoid. To register for this free webinar series, click here https://lnkd.in/gadUnBwB #CornwallsLaw #OurPeople #HispanicLaw

When an individual executes an agreement, it is often a requirement for that execution process to be witnessed. Many individuals, prior to executing an agreement, will not even stop to think about the risks involved in this seemingly innocuous process. Further, many legal practitioners do not view the witnessing process as “risky” and would not, as a standard practice, advise their clients of the risks involved in relation to it.   In this article, authored by Glenn Hughes, Partner, with initial contributions by Difan Qu, he considers a number of scenarios and provides some practical tips to reduce associated risks. It is a must-read if you think there is little or no risk involved with a witness witnessing the execution of an agreement. https://lnkd.in/gttU4gZc #CornwallsLaw #OurPeople #Witness