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Workplace Law Conference

Regulatory reform and case law pronouncements have meant that workplace law has been ever-changing over the last year. Unpack the latest developments in with the experts. From “same job, same pay” and the evolving positive duty under Respect@Work, to managing confidentiality, restraints and the emerging impact of medicinal marijuana on workplace safety, gain sharp, practical insights into the issues employers and advisors face now. Plus focus on your own professional excellence and take a deep dive into enhancing your practice management, practical skill development and the ethical challenges for employment lawyers.

Thursday, 26 March 2026
12.15pm to 1.15pm The Impact of Medical Marijuana on Workplace Safety and Fitness for Work

 

  • Medicinal marijuana: Is it a risk in the workplace?
  • Strategies to manage medicinal marijuana in the workplace
  • Discrimination considerations when managing medicinal marijuana

Presented by Louise Hogg, Partner, Holding Redlich

Practical Legal Ethics
4.15pm to 5.15pm The Many Hats of the Employment Lawyer

 

  • Examine some of the ethical challenges that may arise from the diverse roles employment lawyers perform
  • Consider potential ethical fault lines and with some contemporary examples, invite reflection on the practical responsibilities and the professional obligations that arise in practice

Presented by Richard Diqer, Barrister, Aspect Chambers

10.00am to 11.00am Respect@Work: The Positive Duty in the Sex Discrimination Act

 

  • The Australian Human Rights Commission's 2025 Report
  • What the positive duty means for employers
  • A snapshot of recent case law
  • Practical guidance on complying with the positive duty

Presented by Rose Dimitrious, Partner, Thomson Geer

Session 1: Case update, Respect@Work, Restraint of Trade and Medicinal Marijuana

Chair: Mitchell Devine, Principal, Devine Lawyers

11.00am to 11.15am Morning Tea
Session 2: Ethics, Professional Skills and Practice Management for Employment Lawyers

Chair: Emma Treherne, Senior Legal and Compliance Manager, Isuzu UTE Australia

9.00am to 10.00am Same Job Same Pay: Review of cases

 

Review recent “Same Job, Same Pay” cases and decisions to understand how the new provisions are being interpreted, applied and tested in practice across workplaces and labour hire arrangements.
Presented by Matthew Cameron, Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

4.00pm to 4.15pm Afternoon Tea
Description

Attend and earn 7 CPD units including:
4 units in Substantive Law
1 unit in Practical Legal Ethics
1 unit in Practice Management & Business Skills
1 unit in Professional Skills
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories

11.15am to 12.15pm Restraint of Trade and Breach of Confidential Information

 

  • Best practice drafting and enforceability of restraint of trade clauses
  • Recent cases
  • Protecting confidential information
  • What to do if you suspect there has been a breach

Presented by Deacon M Johnston, Barrister, Sir Harry Gibbs Chambers

Professional Skills
3.00pm to 4.00pm Skills for Effective Handling of Workplace Sexual Harassment Complaints Internally

 

  • How to elicit crucial information from HR professionals and management to effectively understand and address sexual harassment complaints
  • Strategies to ensure that legal teams, whether external or internal (such as in-house counsel), can gather and analyse the necessary details to formulate an appropriate approach to these sensitive issues
  • Developing effective communication skills when dealing with both employee complainants and respondents involved in sexual harassment cases raised internally
  • Techniques to facilitate clear, respectful and empathetic interactions, ensuring that all parties feel heard and understood throughout the process balanced with fairness towards all

Presented by Emma Treherne, Senior Legal and Compliance Manager, Isuzu UTE Australia

Practice Management and Business Skills
2.00pm to 3.00pm Building an Employment Law Team

 

Explore key considerations and effective approaches for establishing and developing a strong, well-functioning employment law team
Presented by Erin Prout, Principal Lawyer, Aitken Partners

Presenters


Rose Dimitrious, Partner, Thomson Geer
Rose has a strong reputation for providing clear, strategic and commercially sensible legal advice to her clients. Rose’s practice covers all aspects of the employment relationship. She specialises in preparing employment agreements and policies, drafting executive employment agreements, advising on Award coverage and interpretation, managing employee misconduct, managing underperforming employees, managing ill and injured employees, defending workers’ compensation matters, redundancy and dismissal. With an extensive contract law background and experience in working on complex transactions, Rose assists her clients to navigate the employment aspects of business and asset purchases and sales. Rose acts for major Australian and International organisations across a range of industries. Rose’s clients appreciate her understanding of the issues affecting human resource managers and business owners, and her focus on reaching practical solutions which are tailored to the business’ needs. Rose is a member of the Practical Law Consultation Board.


Deacon M Johnston, Barrister, Sir Harry Gibbs Chambers
Deacon Johnston was called to the Queensland Bar in 2024. He maintains a broad commercial practice, and is highly experienced in building and construction disputes, employment and industrial law, taxation law and all other aspects of civil litigation. He appears regularly, both led and unled, in State and Federal Courts, Tribunals, and in mediations. Deacon was formerly an associate to a Justice of Appeal, and practises out of Sir Harry Gibbs Chambers in Brisbane.


Louise Hogg, Partner, Holding Redlich
Louise is a highly experienced employment and industrial relations lawyer who has practised in this area of law for over a decade. She has a detailed knowledge of all matters affecting the employment life cycle and works collaboratively with clients to achieve best outcomes. Louise has an in depth knowledge of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and its application to the employment relationship, including enterprise bargaining, industrial disputes, right of entry, interpretation of industrial instruments, general protections claims and litigation relating to termination of employment. She is also experienced in interpreting and applying the Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld) and other legislation regulating to public service employment in Queensland, particularly in the health sector.


Richard Diqer, Barrister, Aspect Chambers
Richard has a broad commercial practice, with a particular focus on employment and industrial relations matters. Prior to being called to the bar, Richard was Senior Legal Counsel at NBN Co Limited where, in addition to providing strategic advice, he managed a diverse portfolio of litigation and dispute matters. Richard has also held Senior Associate positions at national mid-tier, Colin Biggers & Paisley, and specialist employment and industrial relations firm, IRIQ Law, where he often appeared as a solicitor advocate. Throughout his career, Richard has developed an expertise in workplace disputes, industrial litigation and strategy, whistleblowing, and discrimination matters. He is also experienced in conducting investigations, including whistleblower and workplace investigations as well as Crime and Corruption Commission referrals. Richard has sat on the management committee of the Industrial Relations Society of Queensland since 2021


Emma Treherne, Senior Legal and Compliance Manager, Isuzu UTE Australia
Emma Treherne is the Senior Legal and Compliance Manager at Isuzu UTE Australia. Admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2011, she has worked in employment law since 2007 and has built experience across private practice, the community sector, government, employer associations, and in-house roles in Australia, as well as a short period in the Republic of Ireland. In her current in-house role, Emma focuses on employment law, data privacy and commercial matters, and supports broader governance and compliance initiatives with a practical, business-focused approach.

Mitchell Devine, Principal, Devine Lawyers
Mitchell Devine is the Principal, Devine Legal and a dual Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law and Workplace Relations. He holds a Bachelor of Laws and Masters of Laws and is a member of the Industrial Relations Society of Queensland, Australian Lawyers Alliance and Australian Labour Law Association. Mitchell was previously a member and chair of the Queensland Law Society Workplace Relations Advisory Committee. Mitchell lectures in employment law at the University of the Sunshine Coast and practises exclusively in areas of personal injuries and workplace relations. He is a recommended employment lawyer in the Doyle’s Guide from 2017 to date for both employer and employee representation.


Matthew Cameron, Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Matthew Cameron is an employment lawyer with a particular focus on enterprise bargaining, industrial disputes, employment litigation, complex investigations and disciplinary processes. He has a broad practice across a range of sectors including mining and resources, energy, manufacturing, logistics and government.


Erin Prout, Principal Lawyer, Aitken Partners
Erin is a trusted litigation lawyer with experience in a broad range of commercial disputes, based in our Brisbane Office. Erin’s matters often include contractual disputes, shareholder and director disputes, consumer law claims, franchising disputes and recovering personal and company debts. Erin acts for a variety of medium-sized businesses through to ASX listed companies and insolvency practitioners. Erin prides herself on her commercial nous and acknowledging that a resolution must be tailored to address the parties’ ongoing relationship, amount in dispute, underlying interests and company values. Erin also has many years’ experience in drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, which gives her a unique perspective when resolving disputes which are centred around them. In her practice, Erin’s matters are regularly heard throughout the Courts in Victoria, Queensland and the Federal Court.




This seminar is part of a series

Ethics, Professional Skills and Practice Management for Employment Lawyers (26 March 2026)

Thursday, 26 March 2026

Join leading employment law practitioners for a focused core units program designed to strengthen capability, judgement and leadership in employment practice. Learn practical approaches to building and developing a strong employment law team, including the structures and processes that support effective delivery. Gain essential skills for handling workplace sexual harassment complaints raised internally, with guidance on gathering critical information, analysing sensitive issues, and communicating with fairness and empathy to ensure all parties are heard. Conclude with a timely examination of the ethical challenges employment lawyers face across multiple roles, with practical insight into managing professional responsibilities and avoiding common fault lines.

Professional Skills
3.00pm to 4.00pm Skills for Effective Handling of Workplace Sexual Harassment Complaints Internally

 

  • How to elicit crucial information from HR professionals and management to effectively understand and address sexual harassment complaints
  • Strategies to ensure that legal teams, whether external or internal (such as in-house counsel), can gather and analyse the necessary details to formulate an appropriate approach to these sensitive issues
  • Developing effective communication skills when dealing with both employee complainants and respondents involved in sexual harassment cases raised internally
  • Techniques to facilitate clear, respectful and empathetic interactions, ensuring that all parties feel heard and understood throughout the process balanced with fairness towards all 

Presented by Emma Treherne, Senior Legal and Compliance Manager, Isuzu UTE Australia

Practice Management and Business Skills
2.00pm to 3.00pm Building an Employment Law Team

 

Explore key considerations and effective approaches for establishing and developing a strong, well-functioning employment law team 
Presented by Erin Prout, Principal Lawyer, Aitken Partners

Practical Legal Ethics
4.15pm to 5.15pm The Many Hats of the Employment Lawyer

 

  • Examine some of the ethical challenges that may arise from the diverse roles employment lawyers perform
  • Consider potential ethical fault lines and with some contemporary examples, invite reflection on the practical responsibilities and the professional obligations that arise in practice 

Presented by Richard Diqer, Barrister, Aspect Chambers

Description

Attend and earn 3 CPD units including:
1 unit in Practical Legal Ethics
1 unit in Practice Management & Business Skills
1 unit in Professional Skills
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories

4.00pm to 4.15pm Afternoon Tea
Chair:

Emma Treherne, Senior Legal and Compliance Manager, Isuzu UTE Australia

 

View series listing

263Q18

Workplace Law Conference

CHOOSE YOUR SESSION AND
DELIVERY MODE BELOW

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Join leading employment law practitioners for a focused core units program designed to strengthen capability, judgement and leadership in employment practice. Learn practical approaches to building and developing a strong employment law team, including the structures and processes that support effective delivery. Gain essential skills for handling workplace sexual harassment complaints raised internally, with guidance on gathering critical information, analysing sensitive issues, and communicating with fairness and empathy to ensure all parties are heard. Conclude with a timely examination of the ethical challenges employment lawyers face across multiple roles, with practical insight into managing professional responsibilities and avoiding common fault lines.

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All Sessions
Thursday, 26 March 2026
9.00am to 5.15pm Australia/Brisbane
CPD Points 7
$795.00
Face to Face 20260602 20260326

Interactive On Demand

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*Check your rules on interactive recordings.
Online 20260602 20260326

Interactive On Demand

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Claim uncapped CPD units from this interactive program.

*Check your rules on interactive recordings.
On Demand 20260602 20260326

Interactive On Demand

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Register
Claim uncapped CPD units from this interactive program.

*Check your rules on interactive recordings.
[{date=26/03/26, venue=InterContinental Brisbane, zoom_event_id=FBRe3S87SQG5It3xWs1vGw, seminar_description_for_website=

Join leading employment law practitioners for a focused core units program designed to strengthen capability, judgement and leadership in employment practice. Learn practical approaches to building and developing a strong employment law team, including the structures and processes that support effective delivery. Gain essential skills for handling workplace sexual harassment complaints raised internally, with guidance on gathering critical information, analysing sensitive issues, and communicating with fairness and empathy to ensure all parties are heard. Conclude with a timely examination of the ethical challenges employment lawyers face across multiple roles, with practical insight into managing professional responsibilities and avoiding common fault lines.

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Morning Session
Thursday, 26 March 2026
9.00am to 1.15pm Australia/Brisbane
CPD Points 4
$505.00
Face to Face 20260602 20260326

Interactive On Demand

Register
Register
Claim uncapped CPD units from this interactive program.

*Check your rules on interactive recordings.
Online 20260602 20260326

Interactive On Demand

Register
Register
Claim uncapped CPD units from this interactive program.

*Check your rules on interactive recordings.
On Demand 20260602 20260326

Interactive On Demand

Register
Register
Claim uncapped CPD units from this interactive program.

*Check your rules on interactive recordings.
[{date=26/03/26, venue=InterContinental Brisbane, zoom_event_id=FBRe3S87SQG5It3xWs1vGw, seminar_description_for_website=

Join leading employment law practitioners for a focused core units program designed to strengthen capability, judgement and leadership in employment practice. Learn practical approaches to building and developing a strong employment law team, including the structures and processes that support effective delivery. Gain essential skills for handling workplace sexual harassment complaints raised internally, with guidance on gathering critical information, analysing sensitive issues, and communicating with fairness and empathy to ensure all parties are heard. Conclude with a timely examination of the ethical challenges employment lawyers face across multiple roles, with practical insight into managing professional responsibilities and avoiding common fault lines.

, timezone=Australia/Brisbane, hs_object_id=44937005716, event_name=Ethics, Professional Skills and Practice Management for Employment Lawyers (26 March 2026), id=44937005716}]
Afternoon Session
Thursday, 26 March 2026
2.00pm to 5.15pm Australia/Brisbane
CPD Points 3
$420.00
Face to Face 20260602 20260326

Interactive On Demand

Register
Register
Claim uncapped CPD units from this interactive program.

*Check your rules on interactive recordings.
Online 20260602 20260326

Interactive On Demand

Register
Register
Claim uncapped CPD units from this interactive program.

*Check your rules on interactive recordings.
On Demand 20260602 20260326

Interactive On Demand

Register
Register
Claim uncapped CPD units from this interactive program.

*Check your rules on interactive recordings.
[{date=26/03/26, venue=InterContinental Brisbane, zoom_event_id=FBRe3S87SQG5It3xWs1vGw, seminar_description_for_website=

Join leading employment law practitioners for a focused core units program designed to strengthen capability, judgement and leadership in employment practice. Learn practical approaches to building and developing a strong employment law team, including the structures and processes that support effective delivery. Gain essential skills for handling workplace sexual harassment complaints raised internally, with guidance on gathering critical information, analysing sensitive issues, and communicating with fairness and empathy to ensure all parties are heard. Conclude with a timely examination of the ethical challenges employment lawyers face across multiple roles, with practical insight into managing professional responsibilities and avoiding common fault lines.

, timezone=Australia/Brisbane, hs_object_id=44937005716, event_name=Ethics, Professional Skills and Practice Management for Employment Lawyers (26 March 2026), id=44937005716}]
[{date=26/03/26, venue=InterContinental Brisbane, zoom_event_id=FBRe3S87SQG5It3xWs1vGw, seminar_description_for_website=

Join leading employment law practitioners for a focused core units program designed to strengthen capability, judgement and leadership in employment practice. Learn practical approaches to building and developing a strong employment law team, including the structures and processes that support effective delivery. Gain essential skills for handling workplace sexual harassment complaints raised internally, with guidance on gathering critical information, analysing sensitive issues, and communicating with fairness and empathy to ensure all parties are heard. Conclude with a timely examination of the ethical challenges employment lawyers face across multiple roles, with practical insight into managing professional responsibilities and avoiding common fault lines.

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[{date=26/03/26, venue=InterContinental Brisbane, zoom_event_id=FBRe3S87SQG5It3xWs1vGw, seminar_description_for_website=

Join leading employment law practitioners for a focused core units program designed to strengthen capability, judgement and leadership in employment practice. Learn practical approaches to building and developing a strong employment law team, including the structures and processes that support effective delivery. Gain essential skills for handling workplace sexual harassment complaints raised internally, with guidance on gathering critical information, analysing sensitive issues, and communicating with fairness and empathy to ensure all parties are heard. Conclude with a timely examination of the ethical challenges employment lawyers face across multiple roles, with practical insight into managing professional responsibilities and avoiding common fault lines.

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[{date=26/03/26, venue=InterContinental Brisbane, zoom_event_id=FBRe3S87SQG5It3xWs1vGw, seminar_description_for_website=

Join leading employment law practitioners for a focused core units program designed to strengthen capability, judgement and leadership in employment practice. Learn practical approaches to building and developing a strong employment law team, including the structures and processes that support effective delivery. Gain essential skills for handling workplace sexual harassment complaints raised internally, with guidance on gathering critical information, analysing sensitive issues, and communicating with fairness and empathy to ensure all parties are heard. Conclude with a timely examination of the ethical challenges employment lawyers face across multiple roles, with practical insight into managing professional responsibilities and avoiding common fault lines.

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[{date=26/03/26, venue=InterContinental Brisbane, zoom_event_id=FBRe3S87SQG5It3xWs1vGw, seminar_description_for_website=

Join leading employment law practitioners for a focused core units program designed to strengthen capability, judgement and leadership in employment practice. Learn practical approaches to building and developing a strong employment law team, including the structures and processes that support effective delivery. Gain essential skills for handling workplace sexual harassment complaints raised internally, with guidance on gathering critical information, analysing sensitive issues, and communicating with fairness and empathy to ensure all parties are heard. Conclude with a timely examination of the ethical challenges employment lawyers face across multiple roles, with practical insight into managing professional responsibilities and avoiding common fault lines.

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[{date=26/03/26, venue=InterContinental Brisbane, zoom_event_id=FBRe3S87SQG5It3xWs1vGw, seminar_description_for_website=

Join leading employment law practitioners for a focused core units program designed to strengthen capability, judgement and leadership in employment practice. Learn practical approaches to building and developing a strong employment law team, including the structures and processes that support effective delivery. Gain essential skills for handling workplace sexual harassment complaints raised internally, with guidance on gathering critical information, analysing sensitive issues, and communicating with fairness and empathy to ensure all parties are heard. Conclude with a timely examination of the ethical challenges employment lawyers face across multiple roles, with practical insight into managing professional responsibilities and avoiding common fault lines.

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