Enhance your knowledge and skills in employment law and be certain the information that you are giving your client is correct and current. Bring yourself up to speed on the latest developments and best practice for workplace policies and procedures, the modern award system, general protections, work health and safety and unfair dismissals. Join us and receive practical guidance from an experienced speaking panel of employment law experts and accredited specialist working at the coalface.

Presenters

Chris McArdle, Principal, McArdle Legal
Chris McArdle is one of approximately forty lawyers in New South Wales accredited by the Law Society of New South Wales as a specialist in Employment and Industrial Law. Chris has been in legal practice since 1988 and prior to that, served as a Commissioner of the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales. Chris acts for corporate and individual clients with a philosophy of preventing problems and increasing corporate efficiency. Chris has achieved a number of breakthroughs in the anti-discrimination, employment contracts and Registration of Agreements Jurisdictions. Chris is a regular presenter of seminar papers and has published several articles in both mainstream press and specialist journals.


James Mattson, Partner, Bartier Perry
James Mattson has 20 years of experience on the complete range of employment law and industrial relations matters. James has been at Bartier Perry for over 15 years and is the Practice Head of the Workplace Law & Culture Team at Bartier Perry. James regularly acts for employers in the government and private sector. James regularly helps management and HR apply holistic and lasting solutions to workplace issues and in particular often helps dealing with complaints and grievances, managing difficult employees and resolving complex claims involving awards, agreements and employment contracts. He also often represents clients in court as an advocate in unfair dismissal, adverse action and discrimination claims. James is also the author of the Employment Law chapter in the legal text by Lexis Nexis, Social Media and the Law. James regularly presents on an array of workplace topics.


Alex Kostas, Associate, HMB Employment Lawyers
Alex is as Associate at HMB Employment Lawyers, a boutique Melbourne firm dedicated to advising and representing clients in employment, industrial relations and occupational health and safety matters. Originally from Canada, Alex holds a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University and has practiced in employment law for several years. Prior to joining HMB he worked for a leading plaintiff firm where he prepared and ran hundreds of general protections and unfair dismissal cases each year on behalf of individuals. In his current practice he advises Australian businesses across numerous industries on all employment-related matters, but he takes particular enjoyment in defending unfair dismissal and general protection claims from ex-employees. Having presented on key employment law topics for HR representatives and in-house legal counsel in the past, Alex believes it is key for all businesses (and the practitioners advising those businesses) to be aware of the risks inherent in the Australian employment law landscape.


Simon Berry, Partner, Hilliard and Berry Solicitors
Simon has over 25 years experience in workers compensation, insurance litigation, employment law and commercial litigation. Simon was admitted in 1996, after working in London for Reynolds Porter Chamberlain, an insurance law firm acting for Lloyds in the “Lloyds Names Litigation”. Simon commenced at Moray & Agnew ultimately being appointed the National Head of the Workplace Relations Group. In 2007 Simon was a founding partner of an insurance law firm in Sydney establishing Hilliard and Berry Solicitors in 2013. HBS was established after recognising the need for employers to receive advice on employment situations which involve an intersection of insurance, employment and work, health and safety concerns.


Liam Meagher, Barrister, 6 St James Hall Chambers
Liam was admitted to practice in 2013 and joined the Bar in 2022. Liam practices in employment, industrial relations, discrimination, work health and safety, class actions, commercial, and public law. Before joining the Bar, Liam was a Senior Associate in Clayton Utz’s Employment Law and Commercial Litigation Teams, and a Lawyer in the Australian Government Solicitor’s Dispute Resolution – Employment and Compensation Team. In these roles he advised and represented clients in a diverse range of matters, and appeared as a solicitor advocate in tribunals and courts.


Louise Rumble, Partner, Gadens
Louise Rumble is a partner at Gadens and a member of the Workplace Advisory and Disputes group. Louise has over 15 years’ experience advising employers on a range of issues including negotiating employment contracts, compliance with minimum terms and conditions, managing employment issues during the employment relationship and employment-related litigation. Louise routinely provides workplace training and recent topics include appropriate workplace behaviour and managing workplace investigations in times of crisis. Louise represents clients in a range of industries in the public and private sectors.