Innovate Legal Summit 2026

Sarah O’Carroll, Editor-in-Chief, Forbes Australia

Legal work is changing. Not just in how it’s done, but in who gets access to the tools that move it forward. Jack Newton, Founder & CEO of Clio takes the stage to share his perspective on where the legal industry is headed, what’s driving the next wave of change, and how firms of every size can build momentum without burning out.

Drawing on industry data, customer insight, and Clio’s latest platform developments, Jack will explore how technology is helping solo, mid-sized, and large firms reduce friction, systematise operations, and spend more time on the work that actually matters. It’s a clear-eyed look at the state of legal work today and what it takes to stay competitive, resilient, and human as the profession continues to evolve.

Every transformation strategy looks great on paper, until it meets a live firm. In this panel, law firm leaders who’ve been through it get candid about what actually worked, what they’d do differently, and the moments that nearly derailed them.

The client proposition for law firms is being rewritten and GCs are the ones writing it. In this session, general counsel and legal ops leaders speak directly to the profession about how their own transformation is changing what they expect and value from outside counsel.

As AI strips legal work back to its purest form, people are what’s left to differentiate one firm from the next. In this panel, law firm leaders share how they’re making sure their firm is the one the best talent wants to work for, and how they’re rethinking culture, flexibility, and career paths to get there.

Practical insights from partners deploying AI in different practice areas with real implementation stories, lessons learned, and what’s working on the ground.

In this special podcast recording of Fear & Greed, business journalist Sean Aylmer puts Clio CEO and Co-Founder Jack Newton, President and COO Ronnie Gurion alongside industry insider Terri Mottershead in the hot seat.

Armed with brand-new, unreleased Australian data, they’ll cut through what’s actually working and what’s falling flat across small and large firms, including what AI is really doing to the billable hour, and whether traditional pricing models can survive.

Expect an honest discussion and gain clear, direct insight into the forces driving client expectations, technology investment, and firm profitability.

Pull up a front-row seat to the conversation before it hits your podcast feed.

We will be joined by John Eales, Former Wallabies Captain, Author and Business Leader for this locknote session. Renowned for his leadership and integrity on the field, John has built an equally impressive career off of it as founder of the Mettle Group and Chair of Trajan Group Holdings.

In his locknote session, John will draw on his experience of captaining Australia’s Wallabies during the team’s most successful eras to explore what it takes to build high-performing teams, lead with composure under pressure, and create a culture that lasts, with lessons as relevant to the legal profession as they are to elite sport.

Sarah O’Carroll, Editor-in-Chief, Forbes Australia

When the programme wraps, it moves outside: cocktails, caviar, and canapés on the terrace as the sun drops behind the skyline and the harbour lights come up. Join us from 5 p.m – 7.30 p.m. No agenda, just good company and a proper send-off to the year.