Events

Directors’ Duties and Politics

Pre-lecture refreshments | 5:15pm - 6pm MLS Building Ground Floor Foyer
Public Lecture | 6pm - 7pm The David P. Derham Theatre, Mezzanine

From Coors Brewing Company to Tesla, some company directors have been so renowned for imposing their personal political views on their company’s corporate speech they have become embedded within pop culture.

In Australia, recent political debates including the Voice referendum, climate-change, and gender-diversity issues have all been subject to corporate stances. 

Directors owe an obligation to the company to act in its best interests, and to avoid situations where their interests might conflict with the interests of the company.

So, if a director of an Australian company imposes their own personal political values on the company’s corporate speech, could this breach their fiduciary duties as director?

The Hon. Justice Simon Steward AC of the High Court of Australia will discuss the extent to which Australian directors can institute their own politics on corporate speech without breaching their obligations as directors.

About the lecture series

This lecture is named in honour of Melbourne Law School’s distinguished alumnus, Professor Harold Ford, who passed away in September 2012. Professor Ford spent almost his entire career at Melbourne Law School following his appointment to the Law School in 1949. He was Dean of the Law School in 1964 and from 1967 to 1973. He is remembered as a gifted teacher by several generations of law students.

Professor Ford also made many important contributions to law reform and co-authored a leading text titled Principles of the Law of Trusts and other influential books. The Harold Ford Memorial Lecture celebrates the many contributions of Professor Ford to Melbourne Law School, the legal profession, and to the development of corporate law and trusts law.

The Harold Ford Memorial Lecture is proudly sponsored by Clayton Utz.

Please join us for pre-lecture refreshments from 5:15pm prior to the lecture commencement at 6pm.

Melbourne Connect Innovation Week returns in 2025, bringing together the cutting-edge research of The University of Melbourne with the insights and capabilities of industry, startups, and government in Australia’s premier innovation precinct.

Running from 1 to 5 September, this five-day celebration of discovery and collaboration will spotlight bold ideas and transformative technologies tackling some of society’s most pressing challenges. From artificial intelligence and sustainability to biomedical breakthroughs, creative practice, and future-focused panels, Innovation Week invites you to explore the forefront of research and innovation in Australia.

This year’s theme, “Redefine the Future,” highlights how organisations and institutions across the innovation ecosystem are harnessing research and emerging technologies to drive transformation and societal change.

Join a dynamic community of researchers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, students, and creatives for a week of more than 30 events spanning talks, workshops, showcases, and networking opportunities.