Presenters

Chris Molnar, Partner, Kennedys
Chris Molnar is a workplace relations partner at Kennedys. He has practised in the area of workplace relations for over 25 years. He has extensive experience and knowledge in industrial relations, employment law, occupational health and safety, and discrimination. Chris is accredited as a specialist in Workplace Relations by the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV). He was the recipient of the prestigious President’s Award in 2009 from the Law Institute of Victoria for his contribution to the specialisation scheme. In 2016 he was awarded the LIV Rogers Legal Writing Award for the best contribution in 2015 to the Law Institute Journal. Chris has acted for individuals, corporations and public sector agencies in a wide range of areas including: enterprise bargaining including strategy, communications with employees and negotiations with unions; drafting individual and collective industrial agreements; employment contracts, restraint clauses, protection of intellectual property, performance management and remuneration systems; termination of employment including unfair and wrongful dismissals; industrial disputes including proceedings in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, Fair Work Australia, Fair Work Commission and the Federal Court; award variations; the industrial relations and employment law implications of business restructuring, mergers and acquisitions; discrimination and sexual harassment; and occupational health and safety including advice on employer or occupier duties, corporate and managerial responsibility, incident management and prosecutions. Chris is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is a former Chairman of the Workplace Relations Specialisation Committee and Past Chairman of the Workplace Relations Section of the Law Institute of Victoria, which is responsible for co-ordinating activities of workplace relations lawyers in Victoria such as educational programs, research and recommendations for law reform. He is a member of the Specialisation Board of the Law institute of Victoria. Chris obtained his Bachelor of Laws from Monash University. He also holds a Master of Laws degree from Monash University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Melbourne. He is listed in Doyle's Guide for 2016 and 2017 as one of Melbourne's leading Employment and Industrial Relations lawyers. He is a Recommended Lawyer for 'Dispute Resolution: Litigation (Australia)' in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021.


Lauren Townsend, Partner, Thomson Greer
With over 15 years' experience advising and acting for Australian and international employers in relation to the full range of Australian employment law issues across the employee lifecycle, Lauren is well regarded by her clients for being able to explain complex legal issues in a digestible manner and for her pragmatic and timely advice. Lauren's practise encompasses all aspects of employment law, industrial relations, work health and safety, discrimination law and workplace investigations. This includes employment/executive contracts, enterprise bargaining, industrial action and other industrial disputes, enterprise agreement and modern award compliance, management of ill and injured workers, management of employee misconduct and underperformance (including termination of employment), transfer of business, employee/contractor distinction, workplace bullying and employment related litigation. Lauren's legal expertise is complemented by her experience as an independent workplace investigator, having conducted external misconduct investigations for a range of private and public sector clients. For example, Lauren has conducted workplace investigations for a major public hospital in Melbourne, Universities, Victorian Government Departments, Victorian Government emergency services (police and ambulance), and the APS. Lauren regularly provides presentations and training to in house counsel and HR professionals.

Presenters

Chris Molnar, Partner, Kennedys
Chris Molnar is a workplace relations partner at Kennedys. He has practised in the area of workplace relations for over 25 years. He has extensive experience and knowledge in industrial relations, employment law, occupational health and safety, and discrimination. Chris is accredited as a specialist in Workplace Relations by the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV). He was the recipient of the prestigious President’s Award in 2009 from the Law Institute of Victoria for his contribution to the specialisation scheme. In 2016 he was awarded the LIV Rogers Legal Writing Award for the best contribution in 2015 to the Law Institute Journal. Chris has acted for individuals, corporations and public sector agencies in a wide range of areas including: enterprise bargaining including strategy, communications with employees and negotiations with unions; drafting individual and collective industrial agreements; employment contracts, restraint clauses, protection of intellectual property, performance management and remuneration systems; termination of employment including unfair and wrongful dismissals; industrial disputes including proceedings in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, Fair Work Australia, Fair Work Commission and the Federal Court; award variations; the industrial relations and employment law implications of business restructuring, mergers and acquisitions; discrimination and sexual harassment; and occupational health and safety including advice on employer or occupier duties, corporate and managerial responsibility, incident management and prosecutions. Chris is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is a former Chairman of the Workplace Relations Specialisation Committee and Past Chairman of the Workplace Relations Section of the Law Institute of Victoria, which is responsible for co-ordinating activities of workplace relations lawyers in Victoria such as educational programs, research and recommendations for law reform. He is a member of the Specialisation Board of the Law institute of Victoria. Chris obtained his Bachelor of Laws from Monash University. He also holds a Master of Laws degree from Monash University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Melbourne. He is listed in Doyle's Guide for 2016 and 2017 as one of Melbourne's leading Employment and Industrial Relations lawyers. He is a Recommended Lawyer for 'Dispute Resolution: Litigation (Australia)' in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021.


Lauren Townsend, Partner, Thomson Greer
With over 15 years' experience advising and acting for Australian and international employers in relation to the full range of Australian employment law issues across the employee lifecycle, Lauren is well regarded by her clients for being able to explain complex legal issues in a digestible manner and for her pragmatic and timely advice. Lauren's practise encompasses all aspects of employment law, industrial relations, work health and safety, discrimination law and workplace investigations. This includes employment/executive contracts, enterprise bargaining, industrial action and other industrial disputes, enterprise agreement and modern award compliance, management of ill and injured workers, management of employee misconduct and underperformance (including termination of employment), transfer of business, employee/contractor distinction, workplace bullying and employment related litigation. Lauren's legal expertise is complemented by her experience as an independent workplace investigator, having conducted external misconduct investigations for a range of private and public sector clients. For example, Lauren has conducted workplace investigations for a major public hospital in Melbourne, Universities, Victorian Government Departments, Victorian Government emergency services (police and ambulance), and the APS. Lauren regularly provides presentations and training to in house counsel and HR professionals.