Tuesday, 24 March 2026
Employment Law Update: Navigating Shifting Boundaries and Balancing Risk
The employment law landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, marked by significant rulings, rising litigation, and looming regulatory reforms. Recent decisions in employment law have been described by some as dramatically shifting the goal posts, while others view them as restoring fairness to a system under strain with data showing significant increases in unfair dismissal and general protections claims before the Fair Work Commission. With a growing tide of disputes, escalating risks around wage compliance, the limits of contractual set-off provisions and impending restrictions on non-compete clauses the challenges for employers and advisers are clear.
This session will offer clarity for practitioners navigating an evolving legal landscape and address:
- The new landscape: examining key decisions that are reshaping the employment law framework
- Analyse emerging trends: in FWC claims, pay compliance disputes, and restraint of trade reforms.
- Practical takeaways: strategies for practitioners to adapt and advise effectively in light of these developments
Presented by Jessie Murphy-Allen, Special Counsel, Finlaysons Lawyers
Chair
Michelle Hamlyn, Barrister, Murray Chambers
Description
Attend and earn 1 CPD unit in Substantive Law
This program is based on SA legislation
Presenters
Jessie Murphy-Allen, Special Counsel, Finlaysons LawyersJessie is a member of the workplace and litigation teams. She has a broad range of experience across employment matters, workers compensation, professional indemnity, personal injury and public liability. Jessie regularly appears as both instructing solictor and counsel in the State Courts, SAET, SACAT, Australian Human Rights Commission, Fair Work Commission, Equal Opportunity Commission, Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court. Her practice covers the full spectrum of issues arising from employment including industrial, work health and safety, insurance, defamation and worker’s compensation. Jessie specialises in complex matters where different areas of law intersect. Her depth of knowledge across workplace, insurance and litigation means that she is able to unpick complex matters which give rise to claims across different areas of law and jurisdictions.
Michelle Hamlyn, Barrister Murray Chambers
Michelle has a broad civil and commercial practice and accepts briefs to advise and appear in all Australian jurisdictions, including as counsel in alternative dispute resolution processes. She has particular specialist experience practising in the areas of defamation and media law. Other significant areas of practice include contract, property, consumer law, corporations law, intellectual property, administrative law, common law negligence, estates and equity. Prior to joining the independent bar, Michelle enjoyed a broad and varied commercial practice within the Commercial Dispute Resolution team at a top tier national firm for over a decade. During that time, she also gained experience on secondment in-house with ABC Legal.
