Our Principal Solicitor, Simone Farrar, was selected as an independent employment lawyer to conduct a significant review of the internal operations of a political organisation and its workplace culture.
Simone recommended and implemented workplace changes to promote a positive workplace culture and improve governance. These changes are described by the political organisation as some of "the most comprehensive governance measures in the history of Australian Politics" (Rules Report Annual State Conference 2016).
Simone also drafted a Code of Conduct for the organisation’s political staff and its many thousands of members. This significant and historic piece of work is enshrined in the political organisation's Rules.
Some of the workplace changes and governance measures Simone recommended and implemented include:
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Drafting and introducing an employee complaints procedure to seek to resolve all employee disputes at the earliest opportunity
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Negotiating, drafting and introducing a suite of employment contracts for all classifications of staff
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Drafting, negotiating and introducing a suite of policies to fulfill legislative requirements and establish legislative defences to employee claims in relation to employment law matters
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Managing staff over the period of the introduction of the new workplace arrangements (including during a Federal Election Period)
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Investigating and mediating workplace complaints
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Advising on the impact of the political organisation’s Rules on employment relations matter
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Providing Customised Corporate Training for staff and members on:
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Employment Contracts
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Employment Policies
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Discrimination, Bullying and Harassment
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Introducing new policies and standards for the organisation in relation to Volunteers and developing Volunteer Guidelines
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Drafting and introducing Confidentiality Agreements tailored to meet the needs of the organisation
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Drafting and introducing Consultancy Agreements tailored to meet the needs of the organisation
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Drafting and introducing Independent Contractor Agreements tailored to meet the needs of the organisation
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Political Organisation
Providing advice to the General Manager, on an as needs basis, on all aspects of employment law including:
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Performance Management
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Termination of Employment, including Unfair Dismissal and Redundancy
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Contract Law
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Anti-Discrimination Legislation
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Interpretation of relevant Awards
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Interpretation of the relevant Enterprise Agreement
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Advising on a pre-school restructure
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Preparing contracts for staff and other legal correspondence
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Preparing and negotiating Deeds of Release
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Meeting with union bodies
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Representation at the Fair Work Commission Conciliations and Tribunal hearings
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Leading Private School
Providing advice to the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Management Team, on an as needs basis, on all aspects of employment law including:
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Performance Management
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Termination of Employment, including Unfair Dismissal and Redundancy
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Contract Law
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Anti-Discrimination Legislation
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Introducing a suite of employment contracts for all classifications of staff
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Advising on the contractual status of workplace policies
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Conducting Customised Corporate Training for all staff on discrimination, bullying and harassment
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Drafting and implementing a workplace complaints policy
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Drafting and implementing a discrimination, bullying and harassment policy
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Advising on the restructure of childcare services
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Major
Childcare Service Provider
Advising on a significant potential claim under anti-discrimination legislation impacting thousands of workers across the State of NSW. This included consideration of the complimentary and co-extensive obligations arising from both relevant Federal and State anti-discrimination legislation, the impact of Federal funding for State programs and jurisdictional issues.
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Large Union
Advising on and preparing correspondence for a potential claim of discrimination because of sex and family responsibilities. This included consideration of obligations arising from both relevant Federal and State anti-discrimination legislation and alternative claims for breaches of the contract of engagement.
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Female Partner in a Prominent City Law Firm
Advising the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Management Team in relation to a restructure of services.
Providing advice to Managers on an as needs basis on all matters pertaining to employment law including:
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Performance Management
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Termination of Employment, including Unfair Dismissal and Redundancy
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Contract Law
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Anti-discrimination Legislation
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Interpretation of relevant Awards
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Large Catholic Agency
Advising in relation to asserted performance management issues and the threatened termination of employment of the celebrity under the celebrity’s employment contract and the policies of the entertainment sector employer.
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Celebrity Television Journalist
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Conducting a workplace investigation into an allegation of sexual harassment.
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Drafting a report complete with recommendations for the Board in respect of the complaint of sexual harassment.
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Advising the Board in respect of likely costs and damages in relation to the claim of sexual harassment.
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Drafting and negotiating Deeds of Release.
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Not For Profit Housing Company
Advising and representing a female public service employee in respect of her claim before the Australian Human Rights Commission of sexual harassment against a well known head of a public service organisation.
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Public
Service Female Employee
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Advising on, and drafting all relevant correspondence for, the Management Committee, in relation to the Termination of the employment of the Chief Executive Officer.
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Representation at the Fair Work Commission and, in particular, the preparation of the Employer Response, addressing the Small Business Exemption issues arising in the Application and attendance at the Conciliation.
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Not For Profit Community Centre
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Advising the Managing Director in relation to the termination of the employment of the Chief Executive Officer who had been threatening violence at the workplace.
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Advising on practical strategies for dealing with the Chief Executive Officer and conducting settlement negotiations.
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Preparing and negotiating a Deed of Release.
If you need legal advice contact us.
An Entertainment and Lifestyle Employer
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Drafting and negotiating an Executive Contract for the most senior staff member in Australia.
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Advising on issues in respect of Restraint of Trade and drafting applicable restrictions within the employment contract under Australian Law.
If you need legal advice contact us.
A UK Based Technology Company
Advising and preparing an employment contract for a medical practitioner.
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Medical Practice
Representing a construction company in Fair Work Commission unfair dismissal proceedings brought by an employee that was represented by a large union. This included representation at conciliation, negotiating the settlement of the proceedings and finalising the deed of release.
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Construction Company
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Advising the Centre Manager in relation to performance management and dismissal.
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Drafting and negotiating Deeds of Release.
If you need legal advice contact us.
An Indigenous Pre-school
Advising and representing a specialist doctor in relation to a claim of disability discrimination and bullying before the Australian Human Rights Commission.
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Specialist Doctor
Advising a Senior Merchant Banker on contract law and restraint of trade issues arising under the employment contract when new opportunities were presented by an alternative employer to the Merchant Banker.
If you need legal advice contact us.
A Senior Merchant Banker
Our Principal
Solicitor
Simone Farrar
Simone Farrar is the Principal of Farrar Employment Law. Simone frequently provides expert legal advice to employers and employees in a variety of industries in relation to all aspects of employment law.
Simone is a regularly called upon to handle highly complex and media sensitive employment law matters.
Simone also has extensive experience in:
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Advising, investigating and managing Sexual Harassment claims
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Advising and implementing Workplace Cultural Change
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Conducting Mediations and Conciliations
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Delivering Customised Corporate Training in relation to all aspects of employment law to assist employers and employees in meeting their legal obligations
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Undertaking Workplace Investigations
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Drafting and Negotiating Employment Contracts and Enterprise Agreements
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Drafting submissions on behalf of large employer organisations in relation to Government policy on employment law
Prior to opening her own firm Simone worked as:
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The Senior In-House Lawyer at the Catholic Commission for Employment Relations (CCER) where she was the Contracts and Discrimination Law Specialist. CCER provides employment law advice to the Catholic Church which is the second largest employer in Australia.
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An Investigator and Conciliator at the Australian Human Rights Commission where she investigated and mediated discrimination complaints across Australia. Simone specialised in investigating and mediating sexual harassment complaints.
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An Employment Law Solicitor at PricewaterhouseCoopersLegal and Australian Business Lawyers.
RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA
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The Workplace Conflict Guide -Launched at Parliament House and featured on Channel 10 Eyewitness News
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Simone's work as an employment lawyer has also been referred to in:
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The Sydney Morning Herald
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The Australian
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The Daily Telegraph
RELEVANT APPOINTMENTS
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Admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of NSW
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Treasurer of the Eastern Suburbs Law Society
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Member of the Law Society of NSW
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Member of CatholicCare Social Services Council 2013 -2016
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Member of the Bondi Chamber of Commerce
EDUCATION
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Sydney University Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)(First Class Hons)
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Twice Awarded the Walter Reid Scholarship for Outstanding Academic Achievement
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Awarded First Class Honors (Distinction Average)
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Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, The College of Law
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Sydney University Bachelor of Arts (BA)
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Vietnam National University, Certificate in Vietnamese Legal Systems, International Law
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Australian Human Rights Commission Certificate in conducting Conciliations
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Australian Human Rights Commission Certificate in conducting Investigations
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NSW Ombudsman certificate in conducting Investigations
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LEADR Mediation Training Certificate
If you wish to contact Simone Farrar, contact us.
02 8095 6430
sfarrar@farraremploymentlaw.com
Mon - Fri: 8:30am - 6:00pm
Suite 2201, Level 22, Tower 2
101 Grafton Street
Bondi Junction NSW 2022
CONTACT US
We assist our clients with all aspects of employment law including:
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Advice
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Discrimination
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Sexual Harassment
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Legal Documentation
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Workplace Cultural Change
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Customised Corporate Training
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Conciliation and Mediation
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Workplace Investigations
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Representation
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Governance
For further information, please contact us.
Copyright 2017 Farrar Employment Law
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