Jacquie has practiced employment and industrial relations law since 1990 in New South Wales and Victoria.
She has guided clients through four major reforms to the federal industrial relations system, including the system created by the Fair Work Act 2009.
An experienced litigator in employment and industrial relations, Jacquie has specialist expertise in discrimination, unfair dismissal, breach of contract claims, industrial disputes, and prosecutions for breach of industrial and safety laws. She is a tough negotiator, and looks for commercial and non-litigious solutions where possible.
Jacquie has expertise across a wide range of industries including education, health and aged care, community services, financial services, IT, retail, manufacturing, transport and agribusiness. She works in both the public and private sectors.
She is recognised as a leading discrimination lawyer, and is an industry leader in designing and presenting tailored compliance training programs for employers.
Jacquie is a member of the New South Wales organising committee of both the Australian Labour Law Association, and the Australia and New Zealand Education Law Association. Her work is published in legal and industry publications, and she is sought after as a conference speaker.
Recent experience includes:
- Assisted a large international services organisation to enter the Australian market during changes to federal laws, including advising on transmission of business and award coverage issues under both the Workplace Relations Act 1996 and the Fair Work Act 2009, and preparing all necessary employment-related documents.
- Advised a major post-secondary education provider about a restructure of its businesses across Australia, including the strategy for implementation and communication of a large number of redundancies.
- Acted for a large trade employer association in the award modernisation process in 2009 and modern award review process in 2014
- Advised and negotiated on behalf of a community service provider with 58 locations in making its enterprise agreement. The project involved reshaping the agreement to suit Fair Work Act requirements, and successfully challenging the union on jurisdictional issues.
- Acted for a national aged care provider in relation to its acquisition of an aged care facility with its own enterprise agreement. This raised industrial and administrative issues in terms of integrating affected employees. Provided strategic advice and representation in the Fair Work Commission, obtaining an order to terminate the facility’s enterprise agreement.
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