The past year has seen a huge raft of changes in workplace law, with further reforms on the horizon. Join leading experts to unpack the implications of these developments and what they mean for you and their clients, together with practical insights for compliance and risk management. Navigate managing psychosocial hazards under the new Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 and leadership strategies to adopt in the psychosocial legal environment, flexible work rights and mental health considerations in termination. Explore strategic responses to the supported bargaining stream and unpack recent case law updates. Designed for professionals advising in the workplace space, be equipped to navigate the reforms, mitigate risk and deliver informed, proactive solutions in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.

Presenters

Ross Jackson, Partner - Employment, Safety & People, Maddocks
Ross Jackson acts for public and private sector organisations in all employment-related matters, including strategic industrial relations and human resource management issues, terminations and anti-discrimination claims, work health and safety matters, and negotiation and drafting of enterprise agreements and executive contracts. Ross has a long history as an advocate before the courts and federal and state employment and anti-discrimination Commissions and Tribunals. He is known for his particular expertise in public sector industry matters, and has successfully represented employers, including the State of Victoria, in each of these jurisdictions. Clients include major State Government departments, statutory authorities and both public and private companies. A highly regarded employment lawyer, Ross features regularly features in various legal directories, including Chambers Asia, Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Best Lawyers and Doyle Guide. He has more than 20 years' experience in employment matters and has been a partner of the firm for over 25 years. Ross has worked at Maddocks since 1985 and is currently a Board Member of Maddocks.

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.

Catherine Dunlop, Partner, Employment Safety & People, Maddocks
Catherine Dunlop is a Partner in the Employment, Safety and People team and heads the Maddocks safety practice. She advises clients on workplace and public health and safety compliance, good regulation and conduct. She acts in a wide range of Inquests and Royal Commissions and safety matters and prosecutions. She is ranked as a leading lawyer in Legal 500 and Doyles and listed in Chambers and Best Lawyers, and is a Visiting Fellow at the University of Melbourne lecturing on health and safety law.

Caroline Mense, Principal Lawyer, Legal Enablers
Caroline Mense Principal Lawyer at Legal Enablers, advising corporates and executives on workplace and employment law. She is known for her strategic, people focused approach. She is Co-Chair of the Workplace Relations Committee at the Law Institute of Victoria and a regular Chair and Presenter at national legal conferences and publishes in the law journal on workplace law and technology. Caroline holds a Bachelor of Laws from Deakin University and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the College of Law. She is currently completing a Connected Leadership certificate at Yale University and has studied Pricing Strategy at Harvard Business School Online. She is active in mentoring, volunteering, and supporting wellbeing initiatives across the legal community.

Renato Marasco, Head of Industrial Relations (VIC), The BelRose Group
Renato is a senior Employee Relations and Human Resources professional with extensive experience in multiple industries including manufacturing, hospitality, retail, distribution and telecommunications. He has over 15 years’ experience in employee relations and employment law having worked in both highly unionised and non unionised working environments. He has previously held senior industrial relations roles at Woolworths, Boeing and NBN. His expertise in employee relations includes strategic enterprise bargaining, managing industrial disputes, Award and enterprise agreement interpretation and compliance, investigating employee claims and whistle-blower complaints, defending adverse action, unfair dismissal, discrimination and bullying claims, appearing at the Fair Work Commission and other courts and tribunals.

Dr Nadia Stojanova, Barrister; Svenson Barrister
Nadia Stojanova's practice at the Victorian Bar specialises in employment law, industrial relations and regulatory law. Nadia is a recommended junior counsel by Doyles Guide. Nadia runs a busy practice where she is regularly briefed for litigation, advice, drafting and complex workplace matters (such as high-risk investigations and media-sensitive disputes). Nadia has a special interest in regulatory schemes specific to employment law around Australia (such as the wage theft and labour hire licensing schemes) as well as cases involving the interpretation of enterprise agreements and modern awards. Nadia has managed a wide range of employment matters involving a broad suite of industrial issues such as breaches of employment contracts/modern awards/enterprise agreements/statutes, industrial negotiations, sham contracting, Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) civil remedy provision contraventions, underpayment claims, workplace bullying, discrimination, general protections, unfair dismissal, annualised salary concerns, bonus scheme disputes and employee record exemption issues under privacy legislation. Nadia is an Honorary (Senior Fellow) in Law and Lecturer at the University of Melbourne and an Accredited Advocacy Instructor with The Australian Advocacy Institute.


Andrew Douglas, Managing Director, FCW Lawyers
Andrew Douglas is the Managing Director of FCW Lawyers – a workplace and commercial law firm based in Australia. Andrew is a leading senior legal practitioner with more than 30 years’ experience working with publicly listed businesses, companies, and substantial SMEs across a range of industries including manufacturing, agriculture, construction, government, NFP, education, health, and financial services. Andrew practices a range of workplace law, including employment, health and safety, workers’ compensation, dispute resolution, privacy, and investigations. Andrew is an accomplished speaker and chair of masterclasses in workplace law throughout Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. He has also authored several books on health and safety law and is a widely published legal practitioner on workplace wellbeing. Every Friday, Andrew co-hosts the Friday Workplace Briefing with members of the Workplace Relations team, informing a growing audience of senior HR professionals and business leaders on the latest legal news and developments impacting their organisations. Andrew is renowned for his leadership effectiveness, and commitment to his staff, their development and future. Prior to establishing FCW Lawyers in 2018, Andrew led large teams for several national law firms in the roles of National Head of Workplace Relations and Head of Dispute Resolution. He left ‘big law’ to build a firm that sees the world through ‘client eyes’, and cultivates a work environment of excellence, equality, flexibility and compassion.

James Stedman, Senior Associate, Holding Redlich
James is a Senior Associate in the Employment and Industrial Relations group in Melbourne with broad experience in all aspects of employment law. James’ expertise includes contractual disputes, disciplinary and termination matters including unfair dismissals, discrimination and general protection disputes. With his comprehensive employment law background, James has experience acting for employees, independent contractors, senior executives, trade unions and not-for-profits.

William Marshall, Partner, Gadens
William has significant experience advising clients on employment law, employment litigation and industrial relations issues. William works closely with HR, WHS specialists and industrial relations advisors across all industries and sectors, delivering timely and practical advice to his clients. He has a deep understanding of the need to deliver clear, practical and commercial solutions to the often-complex legal issues in these areas of the law. William has significant experience in relation to workplace litigation. This includes in relation to a range of publicly listed and large privately owned businesses. He assists businesses in relation to a raft of industrial relations, litigation and general employment and safety issues. William was nominated and recognised as a Best Lawyer in the area of Labour and Employment Law in the 2023 and 2024 editions of the Best Lawyers in Australia.