Emma is a Special Counsel in the Workplace Relations and Safety team with over 10 years post-admission experience. She advises and represents employers across Australia in relation to employment, industrial relations and work health and safety law, with a particular focus on complex disputes and strategic workforce matters.
Emma regularly represents clients in the Fair Work Commission, State and Federal Courts, acting in complex civil disputes, unfair dismissal, general protections, sexual harassment, underpayment of wages and broader employment and industrial claims. She is experienced in conducting sensitive and high‑risk workplace investigations and frequently delivers workplace training on compliance, work health safety, bullying, sexual harassment, discrimination, and psychosocial hazards.
Emma’s practice also includes advising on employment contracts, employee entitlements, workplace policies and procedures, modern award and agreement interpretation, enterprise bargaining, disciplinary processes, performance management, misconduct, workplace change, restructuring, and the management of ill and injured workers. Her pragmatic and solutions‑focused approach assists clients to navigate workplace issues efficiently and with confidence.
Expertise
Experience
- University Acting for a large university in Supreme Court proceedings brought by a former student who alleged negligence and breach of statutory duty, claiming the university was vicariously liable for staff conduct and seeking equitable relief.
- University Acting for a large university in various proceedings brought by a PhD candidate who alleged negligence, negligent misrepresentation, breach of statutory duty and breach of contract arising from the rejection of a scholarship application.
- Public Sector Acting for the public sector in a two‑day arbitration regarding a dispute as to whether specific on‑call services provided by neurologists were voluntary or whether the services formed part of their contracts of employment.
- Construction Acting for a large construction company during an investigation by SafeWork SA following the fatality of a worker on site.
- Utilities Undertaking complex workplace investigations for a private utilities company regarding allegations of sexual harassment, bullying and misconduct.
- Aged Care Acting for a large aged-care provider in undertaking a work practices review and audit regarding non‑compliance and underpayment of wages.
- Health Care Acting for a large private client in the health care industry in relation to proceedings brought by a former contractor asserting he was an employee.
- Hospitality Acting for a large employer in Federal Court proceedings in the Northern Territory concerning claims by the club’s former General Manager that he was misclassified and underpaid.
- Labour Hire Acting for a large labour hire company in a dispute with the Portable Long Service Leave Board regarding the application of portable long service leave in the South Australian construction industry.
- Indigenous Corporations Advising a large Indigenous corporation on employment contracts, policies, procedures and work practices.
- Private Representing a private client in unfair dismissal and general protections claims in the Fair Work Commission.
