Harvey has made its first acquisition, snapping up Hexus, an enterprise AI startup that builds product demos, training videos and onboarding tools. The play is squarely about in-house adoption, helping corporate legal teams actually use AI day-to-day. Meanwhile, USyd and UTS have rolled out Harvey’s Law School Program, giving its students free access to Harvey: Point Blank

⚖️ Trademarks / AI: AI can now clone a person’s voice, face and mannerisms in seconds, turning identity into something that can be copied, scaled and commercialised. That’s why Matthew McConaughey has secured US trade marks over his voice and likeness, including “Alright, alright, alright”, to stop AI-generated content from implying false endorsement. In a world where AI can clone voices and faces in seconds, registered trade marks offer a fast, enforceable way to stop false endorsement and brand misuse. Contrast that with personality rights, which are fragmented, jurisdiction-specific and often slow to deploy against cross-border AI misuse: Madderns

⚖️ Privacy: The NSW Government is permanently expanding surveillance carve-outs under the Surveillance Devices Act, giving Independent Commission Against Corruption and other investigative agencies broader scope to use unlawfully made recordings in investigations. What began as a temporary ICAC exemption will now be hard-wired into legislation, alongside a new public interest exception protecting whistleblowers who pass on illicit recordings they didn’t make, if they do so promptly. The baseline hasn’t shifted, secretly recording private conversations remains an offence: K&L Gates

⚖️ Regulatory: ASIC chair Joe Longo has used his final months to sound the alarm on financial product advertising, warning tech-driven promotion is pushing retail investors into “ruinous” investments. While ASIC can’t set ad rules, it’s ramping up surveillance and enforcement, with private credit, wholesale investor thresholds, mortgage origination incentives, property leverage and high-risk advice all in focus. Expect harder action where conduct crosses the line, even if products are technically lawful: Capital Brief

The Law Society of NSW is admitting what most lawyers already know - the stress comes home with you. To curb lawyer burnout, NSW solicitors can now get free couples counselling through SoWell. Practitioners can access up to three free sessions a year, solo or with a partner, plus 24/7 phone support: Lawyerly

A retiring Skadden capital markets heavyweight is asking whether junior lawyers still get properly trained in the age of AI. David Goldschmidt says the grind, the repetition and the dead-ends built judgment, not just documents. With tools like Harvey swallowing junior work, the risk is fewer reps, thinner instincts, and lawyers who can prompt, but can’t spot when the machine’s wrong: Business Insider

🙅 Paraway Pastoral is shaping as one of 2026’s major agri sales, with Macquarie and APG kicking off a ~$3bn process as beef prices roar. The 4.4m-hectare platform is the jewel in Macquarie’s ag arm, and global pension funds, PE and strategics are circling. IMs land in February, bids due in March: AFR

🏥 Healthscope is back in talks to sell a chunk of its hospital network to Calvary Health Care, after a sweetened bid with Northwest Healthcare Properties REIT was knocked back. Receivers want more to cover transition costs, following recent asset sales to Ramsay Health Care as the breakup grinds on: The Australian