Julie is acknowledged as a leading expert in Australia in health, aged care and retirement living. Her combination of deep industry knowledge and legal expertise means she is uniquely placed to advise on complex regulatory and commercial projects.
Julie acts for a large range of residential aged care providers, home care providers, retirement village operators, disability services providers, not-for-profit organisations and faith-based entities.
Her clients include a broad spectrum of providers from the largest providers in the country to stand alone operators. Her clients include publicly listed groups, private groups, not-for-profits and faith-based organisations.
Julie has advised many not for profit and faith-based organisations over many years and has a deep understanding and respect for the need to respect the principles of those organisations in commercial and regulatory arrangements.
Julie’s practice covers the full range of regulatory and corporate advice to the health, aged care and retirement sectors.
Her depth of expertise in health law is underpinned by a Masters of Law with a major in health law and a Graduate qualification from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
She brings particular expertise in guardianship and substitute decision making, and has developed a practice that covers both the advisory and contentious dimensions of aged care and retirement living work.
When the Call Comes: A Crisis Workshop for Aged Care Boards and Executives
Aged care providers are increasingly required to navigate scenarios where complexity, consequence and scrutiny converge. A single incident or decision can trigger overlapping legal, regulatory, operational, financial and reputational pressures. Serious complaints, adverse care events, whistleblower allegations, media scrutiny, Commission engagement, transaction stress and lender concerns can all place immediate pressure on boards, executives and operational leaders to make sound decisions under intense time constraints.
This interactive workshop will step delegates through a series of realistic hypothetical aged care crisis scenarios. Each scenario will test how organisations respond when legal risk, stakeholder expectations and regulatory scrutiny collide. Participants will be guided through the practical questions that arise in the first hours and days of a crisis: what must be escalated to the board, what management should handle, how legal risk should be assessed, how to preserve privilege, how to engage with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, and how to communicate with residents, families, staff, funders, counterparties, lenders and the media.
The session will focus on the role of the board and executive in crisis governance, including oversight, decision-making, accountability and the boundary between governance and management. It will also examine how organisations can manage competing stakeholder relationships while maintaining trust, meeting regulatory expectations and protecting reputation. We will also address transactional and lending risks that may emerge when a crisis affects funding, covenants, acquisitions, disposals or broader strategic activity.
Delegates will leave with clearer insight into the legal and governance risks that arise in high-pressure situations, a better understanding of regulator, stakeholder and financier dynamics, and practical strategies to build resilience and effective governance.