2024 The Sir George Turner Lecture (Sydney)

Presented by Allison Herren Lee
former US Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission

Almost all organisations - and their advisers - are having to confront rapidly changing contexts and transitioning economies. Companies, financial markets and governments are all having to navigate the challenges presented by climate change, energy transition, cost of living pressures, geopolitical instability, showing up in volatility and uncertainty in markets and in increasing litigation. The regulatory and reporting environment is also responding to shifting expectations about disclosure, performance and responsibility for social and environmental factors. Former US Securities & Exchange Commission Acting Chair, Allison Herren Lee, will deliver the Sir George Turner Lecture, speaking on the global shifts in regulation in sustainability risks, state of play in the US, and the steps leaders need to be taking now to be responsive and future-fit in this fast-moving global environment.

Former SEC Acting Chair and Commissioner Allison Herren Lee served as Commissioner from June 2019 through July 2022. She served as Acting Chair of the Commission from Jan. 21, 2021 to Apr. 17, 2021. During her tenure, Commissioner Lee focused on bringing transparency and accountability to markets on issues related to climate change and other ESG-related information.

Commissioner Lee has been a securities law practitioner for over 25 years. Recently elected to the American College of Governance Counsel, she has written, lectured, and taught courses internationally in Spain and Italy on financial regulation and corporate law. She is a member of the board of directors of the International Foundation for Valuing Impacts with a mission to build a global impact economy translating environmental and social impact into the language of currency.

Commissioner Lee served for over a decade in various roles at the SEC, including as counsel to Commissioner Kara Stein and as Senior Counsel in the Division of Enforcement’s Complex Financial Instruments Unit. In addition, she has served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, was a member of the American Bar Association’s former Committee on Public Company Disclosure, and participated on a USAID project in Armenia assisting in the drafting of periodic reporting and disclosure provisions for a comprehensive law of the Republic of Armenia on Securities Market Regulation.

Prior to government service, Commissioner Lee was a partner at Sherman & Howard LLC, focusing on securities, antitrust, and commercial litigation.

The keynote address will be followed by a session moderated by Harold Ford Professor of Commercial Law, Professor Rosemary Langford, in discussion with Commissioner Lee and Professor Rosemary Addis AM followed by audience Q&A.

Melbourne Law School and Allens, Sydney hope you can join us for this special lecture event presented by the former US Commissioner, Allison Herren Lee. Please join us from 5:30 pm for networking with drinks and light refreshments. The lecture starts at 6:00 pm.

This lecture is taking place in Sydney at Allens on level 28, Deutsche Bank Place,
126 Phillip Street(Corner Hunter & Phillip Streets).
Please for the same lecture event in Melbourne on August 13.

Sir George Turner Lecture series is an annual lecture series named in honour of Australian politician Sir George Turner (1851-1916). Sir George was admitted to practice in 1881. He was Mayor of St Kilda from 1887 to 1888, elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1889 and became Solicitor-General for Victoria in 1892. In 1894 he became Premier of Victoria. The lecture series was established by Turner’s daughter Grace Melvin Turner upon her passing in 1959.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Allens, 126 Phillip Street, Sydney, Australia