The Legal Practice Section's Charities and Not-for-Profit Committee, the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand (CLAANZ) and the Supreme Court of Victoria will host the seventh John Emerson Oration and CLAANZ Annual Lecture in Melbourne on 19 November 2026.

The Oration will be presented by Honourable Justice Kevin Lyons, Supreme Court of Victoria, titled “Judicial Observations: Practical and Legal Issues for Charitable Trusts and Court Applications.”

The John Emerson Oration is in honour of John Emerson AM. John retired from Herbert Smith Freehills, where he was a partner for almost four decades. He remains recognised as an expert in the tax laws applicable to charities in Australia. John was also a member of the Board of Taxation and a number of other legal and public sector committees. He was a key contributor to the reform of laws which led to the establishment of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. John is a Member of the Order of Australia for services to law and to the community, particularly through the provision of advice to charities and not-for-profit organisations and the development of public administration reform to encourage philanthropy in Australia.