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overview
Returning for its 18th year, the Obstetric Medico-Legal Conference is a key event in the calendar for legal and medical professionals involved in obstetric care and those committed to improving maternal and infant care quality and safety. The conference will cover a range of topics, including birth injuries, medical errors in prenatal and postnatal care, and emerging medico-legal challenges in obstetrics.
This event provides a unique platform for legal and medical experts to share their knowledge and experiences, discuss emerging trends, and network with colleagues from across the industry. Attendees will also be able to participate in interactive sessions designed to enhance their understanding of both legal and medical aspects of obstetrics care.
With a focus on managing high-risk pregnancies, ensuring timely transfers, and addressing key legal and medical issues, the conference is ideal for those involved in the coordination, delivery, and regulation of maternity services.
Who Attends?
The Obstetric Medico-Legal Conference attracts a diverse audience of professionals dedicated to improving maternal and neonatal care. Attendees include obstetricians, gynaecologists, midwives, nurses, medical and legal practitioners, healthcare administrators, policy makers, and insurers.
Why Attend?
The Congress brings together professionals from both the legal and medical sectors to discuss practical, current issues. It’s an opportunity to:
- Stay informed on emerging challenges at the intersection of law and healthcare.
- Network with professionals from across the medico-legal field.
Gain practical knowledge to help manage complex medico-legal issues in your daily work. - Learn from expert speakers who will cover key issues impacting your practice.
- If you are a lawyer, clinician, or any other professional working in medico-legal fields, this Congress provides a useful forum to stay updated, discuss challenges, and gain insights that can be applied directly to your work.
Register Your Interest
To receive updates on speaker announcements, early bird discounts, and the release of the agenda, register your interest here.
ACM Accredited – 10 Hours of CPD
Approved for RANZCOG CPD, Domains: EA- 9.50, PR-, OM- 1.50.
2026 Speakers
Hilbert Chiu SC
Barrister, Tenth Floor Chambers
Dr Nisha Khot
President, RANZCOG, Clinical Director of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Peninsula Health
Danielle Cordon
General Counsel, Royal Women’s Hospital Melbourne
A/Prof Nathan Emmerich
Associate Professor, ANU, Deputy Chair, ACT Health Clinical Ethics Committee
Ruanne Brell
Senior Legal Advisor, Avant Mutual
Dr Vijay Roach
Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Past President, RANZCOG
Dr John Regan
Head of Obstetrics, Monash Medical Centre
Dr Rashi Kalra
Director of Public Reproductive Service, Royal Women’s Hospital Melbourne
Alice Tuson
Registered Midwife, Westmead Hospital
Susan Heath
High Risk Pregnancy Clinical Midwifery Consultant, Westmead Hospital
Alice Robinson
Director & Principal Lawyer, Polaris Lawyers
Professor Ryan Hodges
Program Director of the Women’s and Newborn Program and Director of Obstetric Services, Monash Health
Serena Pellizzeri
Program Coordinator for MGP & Homebirth Program, Barwon Health
Dr Harsha Ananthram
Senior Staff Specialist O&G, Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD
Erica Thuijs
Partner, Jackson McDonald
Prof Steve Robson
Chief Medical Officer, Avant
Sarah Johnson-Clarke
District Clinical Midwifery Consultant Substance Use in Parenting & Pregnancy, Western Sydney LHD
Dr Amber Moore
Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, St Vincent’s Private Hospital and Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne
Kate Waterford
Managing Partner, Maliganis Edwards Johnson
Associate Professor Danny Tucker
Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Associate Professor, James Cook University
Melissa Freestun
Perinatal Psychologist, PhD candidate, Birth Trauma
Professor Tina Cockburn
Director, Australian Centre for Health Law Research
Prof Linda Sweet
Professor of Midwifery, Western Health
Dr Juliana Loming
Head of Psychiatry, Royal Women’s Hospital Melbourne
Jane Butler
Principal Solicitor, Remedy Law
Agenda
Pricing
Workshop
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP | Wednesday 12th August 2026 | 2:00pm – 5:00pm
From conflict to connection: practical skills for communication at critical moments in maternity care
Maternity care is relational work under pressure, and conflict, whether between clinician and woman, within the team, or across the bedside-to-courtroom continuum, is where outcomes and liability are often decided. In this four-hour interactive workshop, Associate Professor Danny Tucker (Obstetrician and Gynaecologist), Professor Tina Cockburn (Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Director of the Australian Centre for Health Law Research) and Melissa Freestun (Perinatal Psychologist, PhD candidate, Birth Trauma) combine clinical, legal and psychological expertise to work through the real scenarios that produce complaints, claims and harm.
Declining recommended care and coercion, as recently ventilated in Gawthrop v Bendigo Health [2026] VSC 157; adverse outcomes; vicarious trauma in the workforce; and the clinician-disclosure and duty-of-candour conversations that follow. Participants leave with a personal conflict profile, practical communication frameworks, and the skills to de-escalate before a clinical moment becomes a complaint, a claim or a psychiatric injury.
Associate Professor Danny Tucker, Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Associate Professor, James Cook University
Melissa Tucker, Perinatal Psychologist, PhD candidate, Birth Trauma
Prof Tina Cockburn, Director, Australian Centre for Health Law Research
Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities
Don’t miss this opportunity to get involved in the Obstetric Medico Legal Conference! Showcase thought leadership in the program or explore our brand opportunites associated with the event, get in touch today to learn more!
There are many opportunities for networking including social events such as networking drinks, lunch and refreshments breaks making this not just a conference… but an all-encompassing industry experience.
Sponsorship or exhibiting will allow your organization to:
- Build relationships with potential and existing clients
- Generate leads from a high-level, targeted audience
- Close sales in a more personal manner than via phone
- Demonstrate your product in person
- Network with the industry
- Build brand awareness
To see what is on offer please contact:
Danielle Newman
Senior Business Development & Partnership Manager
+61 2 9080 4318
[email protected]
Insights
Improving the accessibility of drugs for pregnant women
Reproductive age women make up a substantial portion of the general population, yet are seldom represented in clinical trials for pharmaceuticals – including ones that cater to common pregnancy-related ailments. Read more >>
The appropriate way for doctors to handle surrogacy births – insights from a surrogate mother and lawyer
The world of surrogacy is often a foreign one to health professionals, with many clinicians feeling as though they are in treading in a legal quagmire when handling the care of surrogate mothers. Read more >>
Why all clinicians need to learn trauma-informed care
Clinicians have long known that women who misuse drugs and alcohol, experience domestic violence, or have a history of trauma, are considered ‘vulnerable’ along the child-bearing continuum, but a striking proportion have not yet received training on how to care for this patient cohort. Read more >>
How this male midwife is building trust with his patients
Read more >>
Using technology for better obstetric decision making
Read more >>
Increasing maternal awareness of DFM – a suitable stillbirth prevention measure?
Read more >>
Rethinking morbidity and mortality review meetings in maternity care
Read more >>
Perinatal mortality cases – what can we do better?
Read more >>
Speaker Interviews
ConnectMe event app
ConnectMe • Networking enhanced
All of our events utilise a bespoke dynamic smartphone app, ConnectMe – which guarantees attendees a premium event experience. Logins are sent prior to the conference commencement allowing you to check who’s attending, schedule in meetings and catch ups, participate in live Q+A and interactive polls, and much more. ConnectMe ensures you never miss a beat prior, during and post event. For more information visit our ConnectMe page
Sustainability
Our Commitment to Sustainability
In Australia, we are committed to running our events in an environmentally and socially responsible way. Across Informa Connect we are focusing on the short and long-term sustainability impacts we have on customers and colleagues alongside the communities we work in.
We recognise that it’s not just about the way we produce our events and products but recognising that we have a role to play in providing a space to work in partnership together with our markets to inspire the sustainable development of the industries we serve.
To read more on our latest sustainability reports and Faster Forward initiatives – click here.
Event Code Of Conduct
We want everyone who comes to our events to have a great experience. This code explains our expectations and rules, which includes general good practice behaviour, and how to report anything witnessed or experienced that goes against them. Read our Event Code of Conduct here.
when & where
13 - 14 Aug 2026
Novotel Melbourne on Collins
270 Collins St,
Melbourne VIC 3000
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION RATE
We have secured a special accommodation rate of 15% discount on the public flexible rate for conference attendees for the nights of the 12-14 August 2026 inclusive.
To book this rate, click here.
* Room availability and rates are subject to availability. Book early to avoid disappointment.
contact
Still have a question?
General Information & Registration
Customer Service
+61 2 9080 4307
[email protected]
Speaking Enquiries
Tammie Wang
Conference Producer
[email protected]
Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities
Danielle Newman
Senior Business Development & Partnership Manager
+61 2 9080 4318
[email protected]
Marketing & Media Enquiries
Libbie Sinclair
[email protected]