Recorded Webinar: 3 CPD Compulsory Topics for Property Lawyers

This webinar comprises 3 one-hour sessions covering each of the compulsory CPD subjects for property lawyers for the CPD year ending 31 March 2019. This is a national webinar and is suitable for property lawyers Australia wide.

Session 1: Legal Ethics: Electronic Conveyancing – New Practice Platforms and Ethical Dimensions

Electronic conveyancing is here and with it some practical ethics challenges.

This session looks at what they are and how to handle them effectively, including:

• Transitioning to electronic conveyancing – is there a client cost issue to consider?
• Client identification and timing issues –ethical risks and how to manage it
• When you have to revert to a paper-based settlement – the risks of delay
• Skill base of conveyancers – the risks of inadequate training
• Disclosure issues on fees – legal and ethical risks examined
• Fraud risk and the responsibility to contain it
• Managing conflicts of interest arising in econveyancing procedures
• Ethical and practical issues arising from the entry of multiple Electronic Lodgment Network Operators
• Case studies

Session 2: Professional Skills: Drafting and Negotiating Agreements for Lease

An agreement for lease is an agreement to grant a lease in the future without actually granting a right of possession to the proposed lessee. While they commonplace in commercial leases, they come with some complex challenges. This session refreshes practitioners on agreements to lease, and includes:

• When is it appropriate to use an agreement for lease?
• The contents of the agreement to lease and how they differ from the lease
• Timing: commencing the fitout before the lease commences
• When does the ‘rent-free’ period commence?
• Managing joint work – some fitout done by the landlord and some by the tenant
• Who is the principal contractor?
• Managing, allocating and insuring risk in the construction phase
• Security, ownership and PPSA issues of the fitout

Session 3: Practice Management Business Skills: Cyber Security and Risk Management for Property Lawyers

2018 saw a number of PEXA-related cyber security issues splashed across the media headlines. With cyber security arguably the most pressing risk management issue facing property lawyers today, it has never been more important to examine what you can to mitigate the risks to your practice. This session covers:

• Minimizing legal exposure from cyber risk in your practice
• Identifying key areas of vulnerabilities within your practice
• What are your professional obligations following a cyber incident?
• Insurance and cyber security - are you covered?
• Managing client relationships and reputational fall-out
• Case study – lessons from recent cyber breaches involving e-conveyancing