Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?    

Commencing in 2021, I worked closely with two of my colleagues to roll out Plexus Gateway, a new end-to-end contracting system, across the organisation. This was a significant change management piece and ultimately was able to increase productivity – eradicating much of the time, cost, and effort, for both the business and the Legal team, in reviewing, executing, and managing contracts. It has provided an efficient and, where appropriate, autonomous process for our stakeholders to generate, negotiate and sign contracts, and has freed up the Legal team to focus on matters where we can add the most value.    

In 2022, my colleague and I were able to represent the CPA Australia Legal team at the Shared Services and Outsourcing Impact Awards, where we took home the Automated Impact Award for the implementation of Plexus Gateway.  The SSOW Impact Awards are globally recognised, and the impact of delivery is an important point of consideration.   

What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in? 

The CPA Australia legal team engages with stakeholders across all business functions, providing strategic and commercially focused legal advice on a range of matters, including compliance, intellectual property, industrial relations and employment, contract drafting, review and negotiation, privacy, dispute resolution, and procurement. We pride ourselves on being trusted advisors to the business and supporting our stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes for themselves, CPA Australia, and our members. 

Specifically, some of the significant transactions our team has been involved in recently include:  

CPA Australia’s member management and finance (MMF) project, which has involved a major investment in our core operating systems to improve the way we deliver services to members and provide additional safeguards for protecting member data. We have and continue to work closely with the business on drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contractual arrangements for the MMF project, with the new system having gone live in July 2023.    

Supporting the business in the review and refresh of CPA Australia’s Constitution, with a focus on creating a simpler version with clear, contemporary language that was easier to understand, aligned with recent changes to the Corporations Act, and ensuring it was relevant and future-proof. The refreshed Constitution received overwhelming support from our members at CPA Australia’s 2022 Annual General Meeting.  

Providing support for CPA Congress 2023, CPA Australia’s annual flagship conference; in particular, the review and negotiation of all related contracts including for engagement of over 40 speakers. CPA Congress 2023 is a virtual experience, featuring a mix of business leaders, motivational speakers, and CPAs to speak about topics that are relevant to accounting, finance, and business professionals.   

What is a cause, business related or otherwise, that you care about, and why?   

A cause that I am passionate about is animal welfare and being the voice for those who can’t speak for themselves – including through the law. Millions of animals continue to suffer in Australia, and current laws fail to provide the protection they so desperately need. Legal activism in this space could change how people and the law perceive animals, and to allow them appropriate rights to safety and life. I have been able to pursue this passion through my volunteer work at the Animal Law Institute, a community legal centre dedicated to protecting animals and advocating for their interests through the Australian legal system, with a particular focus on combatting the puppy farm industry.