Preventative Law Series - Helping Engineers Manage Personal Liability

Session 3 - The importance of relationships and communication in engineering projects 

Speaker: Melissa Kirby - Legal Director. Sharpe and Able

The law cannot undo what was done.  Not everything can be captured in a contract, a policy, or a handbook, but the power of positive human interactions can overcome any obstacle, or slightly shaky contract.  The right relationship and communication strategy can help you avoid or resolve disputes, or…if mis-managed, they can make a bad situation much worse and add fuel to the fire of a disagreement.  Relationships and communications underpin everything and drive behaviours and actions.

Speaker

Melissa Kirby

Legal Director, Sharpe and Able

Melissa Kirby is a lawyer and strategist who likes difficult problems, wherever and whenever they might occur. She specializes in working with engineering and technical professionals, supporting clients and keeping their businesses safe through difficult times during the Asian Financial Crisis, the Global Financial Crisis and all the times between.

Prior to founding Sharpe & Abel, Melissa was counsel at the NYSE listed multi-billion dollar company, Honeywell, advising its Automation and Control Solutions business group in the Asia Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East regions and a director of its local subsidiary. Melissa has also headed up the legal, regulatory and compliance department of a major Australian utility company. She is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese and holds an LL.B from the Australian National University.