Corporate Governance

As trusted legal advisers to the boards and senior management of some of Australia's largest listed companies, our Corporate Governance team gives our clients considered, practical advice on the implications of governance rules and regulations for their businesses and operating environments. Complementing this is our work for private companies, government bodies and not-for-profit organisations.

Overview

We offer:

  • detailed and up-to-date advice on the latest developments and current practice in company law to address the heightened levels of scrutiny faced by companies;
  • exceptional experience in advising boards and senior management on the structure; implementation and maintenance of effective governance policies and procedures, including directors' duties and continuous disclosure;
  • a multidisciplinary team providing a seamless and integrated service, whilst effectively managing legal costs; and
  • sound working relationships with key regulators and industry bodies.

Every company is different, so making the linkages between corporate governance, risk management and compliance issues requires sound, commercially-focused legal advice.

Experience

Our Corporate Governance team has significant experience advising the boards and management of public companies on the interplay of corporations law and corporate governance issues. Our work for a range of listed companies has given us unrivalled hands-on experience in advising on the structure, implementation and maintenance of effective governance policies and procedures.

We have been engaged to advise boards and senior management of Virgin, Macquarie Group, amaysim, Westpac Banking Corporation, Salmat Limited, Blackstone, MyState, Woolworths, and Brookfield on a number of key corporate governance matters.

Our clients benefit from the practical, multidisciplinary and holistic approach we bring to their corporate governance needs, including compliance, disclosure, corporate structuring and active risk management. We share with clients our detailed and up-to-date understanding of key regulators' and policy-makers' interpretations of the bare bones of the law, gained through our involvement in law and policymaking processes and good working relationships with key regulators and industry bodies, including the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Australian Securities Exchange, the Foreign Investment Review Board and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Our team to support you

Toolkits

Insights
Corporate 5 Minute Fix 11: climate reporting, JORC Code, AGM season, investor presentations, pre-emptive media releases
25 Sep 2024 | Article
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"Knowingly concerned in": the requirements for accessorial liability clarified by the High Court
22 Aug 2024 | Article
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Continuous disclosure laws subject to Treasury review
20 Jun 2024 | Article
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Whether an offence "involves dishonesty" or not in the automatic disqualification of company directors
23 May 2024 | Article
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ASX decodes data breach continuous disclosure obligations
17 May 2024 | Article
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New mandatory climate reporting laws one step closer
10 Apr 2024 | Article
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Corporate 5 Minute Fix 10: ASX Compliance Update, Corporate Governance Principles, voting intention statements
3 Apr 2024 | Article
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Corporate 5 Minute Fix 09: financial sector oversight, greenwashing crackdown, ASX Compliance Updates, climate-related financial disclosure
28 Feb 2024 | Article
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Corporate 5 Minute Fix 08: proposed merger reforms, ASIC remakes class orders, CHESS solution, cyber security
28 Nov 2023 | Article
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Replumbing financial markets for a sustainable future: the Government's Sustainable Finance Strategy Consultation Paper
17 Nov 2023 | Article
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Corporate 5 Minute Fix 07: continuous disclosure, shareholder communications, schemes of arrangement, cyber risks
9 Nov 2023 | Article
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Company directors must act now and consider nature-related risks, according to new legal opinion
6 Nov 2023 | Article
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