Jessica is a Partner in HWLE’s Workplace Relations & Safety group, specialising in employment, industrial relations and safety law. Jessica specialises in complex workplace disputes, including general protections, unfair dismissal, unlawful discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying, safety prosecutions and underpayment of wages. She also advises on enterprise bargaining, conducts workplace investigations, prepares employment contracts and workplace policies, advises on restructures and redundancies and regularly delivers tailored workplace training and workshops.
Jessica regularly appears before the Fair Work Commission, State and Federal Courts and Tribunals, and is known for her pragmatic, solutions-focused approach to both advisory and litigious matters.
Jessica’s team has been recognised in Doyle’s Guide in 2024 and 2025 as a leading employment law firm in South Australia for employer representation.
Expertise
Experience
- Local Government Conducting a workplace investigation on behalf of a local government organisation concerning serious allegations of bullying and sexual harassment by a senior manager.
- Disability Services Defending an equal opportunity complaint on behalf of a disability service provider in the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal concerning allegations of unlawful discrimination and victimisation.
- Construction Advising a principal contractor in the construction industry during an investigation conducted by the Safety Regulator following a worker fatality.
- Hospitality Successfully representing an establishment before the Federal Court of Australia in an interlocutory application seeking the consolidation of 34 separate mask disability discrimination complaints.
- Airport Representing an airport before the Fair Work Commission in general protections proceedings following the dismissal of an executive.
- Mining Advising an employer in the mining industry in relation to enterprise bargaining and successfully representing the employer before the Fair Work Commission in the approval process.
- Indigenous Corporations Advising indigenous corporations on various employment issues including modern award compliance, rectifying underpayments of wages and record keeping obligations.
- University Conducting various workplace investigations on behalf of universities concerning allegations of bullying, harassment and unlawful discrimination and non-compliance with industrial instruments.
- Global Retailer Advising the Board of a global group of companies in Europe about implementing cost saving measures for its Australian subsidiary caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including restructuring business channels, standing down employees and implementing redundancies.
- Transactions Advising on industrial relations strategies and workplace law obligations arising from major transactions including US based National Flooring Equipment’s acquisition of Syntec Diamond Tools, SAI Parenterals Ltd’s initial public offering and the de-amalgamation of super council, East Arnhem Regional Council, in the Northern Territory.
