Rachael is the Practice Leader for the firm's national Mergers & Acquisitions practice team, and Partner in Charge of the Canberra office of KWM. Rachael is a member of our national telecommunications, media, entertainment and technology team. She has experience in large-scale systems integration projects, software licensing, telecommunications regulation and contracting and other large commercial contracts involving regulated infrastructure, IT procurement and technology related services agreements.

Rachael is a telecommunications expert, having acted extensively on all manner of telecommunications matters. She has advised on the Telecommunications Act and its related legislation, facilities access (including access to mobile transmission towers, ducts and exchanges) and other telecommunications service access arrangements (including declared services under the Competition and Consumer Act). Rachael has advised on wholesale and retail telecommunications contracts and has a deep understanding of the telecommunications regulatory framework in Australia, having acted on some of the largest telecommunications transactions (including involving the National Broadband Network).

Rachael also has significant experience in Commonwealth procurement (acting for both vendors and the Commonwealth). She has advised the Commonwealth on issues arising under the Commonwealth Procurement Rules, the Intellectual Property Principles and other Commonwealth legal and policy requirements, and has worked on a number of whole of Australian Government procurements. Rachael has also acted for tenderers and has negotiated with the Commonwealth in relation to significant Commonwealth ICT procurement contracts.

Dr Michelle Worthington is a Lecturer at the ANU Law School. An interdisciplinary scholar, Dr Worthington’s work focuses on the design of legal systems and devices, with a particular focus on the role that values play in design. Dr Worthington is currently working on a series of projects at the intersection of law, ethical theory and regulatory theory, including a monograph on the various ways ethical theory can be used to improve the function of the for-profit corporation. Her research is informed by her experience working in the private, community and public legal sectors.

Hugh is the co-founder of Hazelbrook legal. He recently won the Corporate Partner of the Year and Financial Services Partner of the Year at the 2022 Lawyers Weekly Australian Partner of the Year awards. He brings a unique perspective, with a science law background and as a financial services and regulatory expert. Hugh has worked for over a decade in Big Law in Sydney and Hong Kong (Clayton Utz and Allen & Overy).