Kate Hardy is an Australian lawyer admitted in the states of New York and California in the United States, and in the state of South Australia. She consults to the San Francisco firm of Strike Kerr & Johns Alcoholic Beverage Law, is in-house counsel to the Australian Wine Research Institute, is joining Accolade Wines as Senior Legal Counsel, is a Non-Executive Director of the McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association, and operates a small practice advising clients about legal and business operations connected to the alcohol industry. She can be found on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-hardy-7a7a6b/

She was a partner with Strike & Techel (precursor to Strike Kerr & Johns) for five years, and a senior associate with Nixon Peabody in New York and San Francisco for six years before that. Kate spent three years in Paris, France as Unit Manager for the Law & Economy Commission of the International Wine Organization (OIV), and practised law in Australia before that. She speaks fluent French and Italian and is a qualified French interpreter.