Emma researches and teaches in corporate law, with a particular interest in takeover law and policy, and dispute resolution by the Takeovers Panel. She was an academic in the Law Faculties at the University of Sydney and the Australian National University before joining UNSW.

Prior to becoming an academic, Emma had a decade of professional experience in corporate law. This included working on corporate law reform as a senior Federal Government policy officer and practising law as a Senior Associate at Minter Ellison. She has also been an in-house counsel at Westpac Financial Services and a Corporations Law Editor at CCH Australia.