NSW Cracking the Code: Mastering Australian Employment Legislation Changes

Tanya Steigerwalt, Chief Human Resources Officer, A2B Australia

A highly experienced HR professional, Tanya has held senior HR leadership roles for several listed companies across numerous industries, including GFG Alliance, Toll Holdings, Westpac Group and Singtel Optus.

Tanya was appointed Chief Human Resources Officer for A2B Australia in November 2021 and is accountable for all aspects of human resource management, internal communications, safety, and wellbeing.  Tanya is a member of the executive team responsible for delivering the successful turnaround for the A2B business over the past two years.



Brigid Maher, Partner, Baker & McKenzie

Brigid is a partner with Baker McKenzie, Sydney and practices in all aspects of employment law with a focus on industrial relations, enterprise agreement making, modern award coverage and compliance and negotiations with trade unions. As a secondee, she has gained significant experience in employee and industrial relations in the media, banking and
finance, and manufacturing industries. Brigid regularly provides training in employment law, human resources and industrial relations issues. She also has significant experience in employment-related litigation. Brigid joined Baker McKenzie's Employment and Industrial Relations Group in May 2007. Before commencing at the Firm, she was a research associate to Justice Wright, President, Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales.

Brigid's experience ranges from advising on and drafting enterprise agreements and the agreement making process; advising on and defending employment-related litigation including preparation of affidavits/witness statements, subpoenas and motions in various industrial state and federal courts and tribunals; and general employee relations advice. She has appeared and had carriage of matters in the Federal Court of Australia, the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the Fair Work Commission, various state industrial courts and tribunals in New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia. She worked on secondment in various industries including media and entertainment, banking and financial services and manufacturing, advising on enterprise bargaining and industrial relations strategy, commercial transactions impacting employees, general employee relations and compliance
issues, among others.



Lucienne Gleeson, Partner - Employment, Baker McKenzie

Lucienne advises on all aspects of employment law. She has appearedi n the Federal Court, Supreme Court, Fair Work Commission and the Australian Human Rights Commission to represent clients in a variety of cases. This has included adverse action, discrimination, breach of contract, unfair dismissal and restraint of trade matters. Lucienne conducts workplace investigations into employee misconduct including discrimination, bullying, harassment, conflicts of interest and breach of policy.

She is a regular presenter on legal workplace topics.



Vered Keisar, Chief People Officer, ResMed

Vered Keisar was appointed ResMed Chief People Officer in March 2021, responsible for driving the company’s global culture and People strategy. She previously served as vice president and General Counsel for ResMed’s Asia and Latin America regions. Vered has over 25 years of broad industry experience ranging from healthcare and pharmaceuticals to defense and insurance. Before joining ResMed in 2012, she worked in leading law firms in the UK, Australia, Japan, and Israel.

Vered is qualified to practice law in England and Wales, Australia, and Israel. She has an MBA from the Sydney Graduate School of Management, a Diploma of Laws in European Competition Law from King’s College in London, and a Bachelor of Laws from the College of Management Academic Studies in Israel. 

From 2016 to 2020, Vered was the elected chairperson of the Australian Diversity and Inclusion Committee for the Association of Corporate Counsel, the world’s largest organization dedicated to in-house counsel. Since 2012, Vered has been an ambassador and speaker for the Australian National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Lori Middlehurst, Sr Director, Global Employment Law (ANZ, ASEAN, Japan and India), Salesforce

My entire in-house career has been in the technology sector, both in the US and Australia (where I have been based for 22 years), in US and cross-jurisdictional roles. I am licensed in both California and NSW. Since 2020, I've been the Senior Director for Global Employment Law (JAPAC) for Salesforce, where I manage the Asia Pacific employment law and compliance team and support internal clients across the region and work on global DEI and AI issues. I’m the former President of ACC- NSW, a recipient of ACC’s Robert I Townsend global award for service to the in house community and the NSW Women Lawyers’ 2023 In-House Lawyer of the Year. I provide pro-bono employment law advice to Redfern Legal Center clients and to Lou’s Place, a day shelter for women and serve as a director on the board of Inala, a non-profit disability services provider.





Nada George, Vice President- Employee Success (APAC)Vice President- Employee Success (APAC), Salesforce

Nada is a dynamic and results-driven and commercial HR professional, with Board level experience. A strong partner to the business, Nada aligns Company strategy and values to HR priorities and outcomes, delivering positive business impact, building high performing cultures, and lifting employee engagement.

Nada has worked in mature and emerging markets across: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. Her experience includes greenfield/start up, acquisition, expansion projects, global transitions, off-shoring, in-sourcing, plant shutdowns and divestitures. She has industry experience in: Financial services, manufacturing, engineering, informational technology and publishing.

Nada earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Sydney, a Harvard/American Express Certificate in Leadership, and Certification in Six Sigma and PROSIC change management. 




Sean Melbourne, Managing Director, Source

Sean is a founder and Managing Director of Source Workplace. He is known for his commercially astute advice and much-loved down-to-earth style.

Sean has over 20 years' experience advising employers on all aspects of employment law. Prior to joining Source, Sean worked for 10 years in employment law and commercial litigation at international law firm Baker & McKenzie, servicing corporates in a wide range of industries, including engineering, construction, mining, IT and consulting.



Erin Wilson, Director, Source

Erin has over 15 years’ experience as a specialist employment lawyer. She previously worked at EY in an in-house senior legal role, and in private practice at Johnson, Winter & Slattery and Maddocks Lawyers. She graduated with a Masters of Labour Law and Relations from the University of Sydney and finished first in her graduating year. 

Erin works with clients on their most sensitive and significant workplace issues including major restructures, senior executive appointments and separations, whistleblowing disclosures, complex workplace investigations and claims and disputes.



Michael Byrnes, Partner, Swaab

Michael Byrnes is a workplace relations lawyer with over 20 years' experience in assisting clients navigate employment and work health and safety issues.

He provides advice on all aspects of the employment relationship including the hiring process (terms of employment, contract negotiation and drafting, modern awards and enterprise agreements), day-to-day operations (anti-discrimination and diversity, sexual harassment, bullying, performance and conduct, managing illness and injury, industrial disputes, work health and safety) and termination of employment (unfair dismissal, adverse action/general protections, confidential information and post-employment restraints). Michael runs specially tailored training programs and seminars for clients (including at board level). He also drafts and reviews workplace policies and undertakes complex and sensitive workplace investigations.

Michael is an experienced advocate who has appeared in various courts, tribunals and commissions in both interlocutory and final hearings on matters including breach of employment contract, statutory underpayment claims, industrial disputes, unfair dismissal hearings, work health and safety plea hearings and colonial inquests.

As well as regularly presenting at conferences, Michael is often called upon for expert opinion in the media. He has appeared on numerous radio segments and quoted in publications including The Australian Financial Review, The Age, ABC News, Lawyers Weekly, Workplace Express, OHS Alert, SmartCompany and InTheBlack on workplace relations and WHS law issues. Michael is also co-author of the LexisNexis publication "Annotated Fair Work Act & Related Legislation" and the Thomson Reuters publication "Fair Work: A user-friendly guide".