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Kelly is an experienced employment and industrial relations lawyer who has acted for clients across a variety of industries including in the private, public and community sectors. She places a strong focus on client and stakeholder relationships and has an in-depth appreciation of the relevance of business drivers and objectives having worked in large corporate environments prior to coming to the law.

Kelly’s expertise includes legal and strategic advice in the areas of general employment, discrimination, industrial relations and litigation advice and support. Kelly has experience appearing on behalf of her clients in the Fair Work Commission and other federal tribunals.

Recent examples of work undertaken by Kelly include:

• Assisting clients with COVID-19 related employment issues including JobKeeper, stand down, redundancy and impacts on rostering and award rates due to business operation restrictions
• Advising on the review of decisions into complaints by employees about various aspects of their employment
• Advising on long service leave entitlements stemming from pre-reform awards
• Conducting large scale investigations involving multiple respondents and advising on breaches of numerous policies
• Advising and managing the day-to-day matters in unfair dismissal and general protections claims in the Fair Work Commission and Federal Court of Australia
• Assisting clients with discrimination claims through VCAT, the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Supreme Court of Victoria
• Assisting a client to successfully object to a subpoena and win an order for costs
• Providing strategic industrial advice and preparing organisations for enterprise bargaining
• Assisting a client to terminate an enterprise agreement
• Supporting and advising clients to manage prolonged absenteeism and performance issues
• Advising clients on restraint of trade and post-employment confidentiality obligations

Kelly is a member of the Industrial Relations Society of Victoria, the Law Institute of Victoria and Victorian Women Lawyers. She has provided pro-bono assistance to not-for-profit employers and vulnerable individuals. Kelly has published numerous articles on employment law and enjoys mentoring students and new lawyers.