Emma Purdue
Special Counsel
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Practice group
Workplace Relations & SafetyProfessional biography
Emma is a highly experienced member of our Workplace Relations & Safety team. Her practice covers all aspects of workplace relations and employment law, with a particular focus on discrimination, human rights, disputes, investigations and training. Emma's legal career has seen her working on a range of significant matters, including an important test case in the High Court of Australia.
Emma's aim is always to provide advice and support in a manner that is practical, efficient and sensitive to the unique personalities and needs of her clients.
Emma's notable experience includes:
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instructing in the landmark Barclay case before the High Court of Australia regarding the protection of union representatives under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth);
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defending a major Australian university and its employees against allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination and victimisation before the Federal Court of Australia;
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conducting sensitive and complex investigations relating to misconduct in the Victorian public sector;
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working in-house to advise a Victorian public sector client on change management and redundancy;
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drafting a handbook on discrimination law for the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission;
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acting pro bono for a remote Indigenous community in a discrimination claim against the Northern Territory government; and
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designing, tailoring and delivering training for clients and their staff on various topics including social media use, ethics and appropriate workplace behavior.
Qualifications:
- Masters of Human Rights Law (Melbourne University)
- BA (Media & Communications)/ LL.B. (Hons) (Melbourne University)
Publications
Scoping reasonable adjustments in the workplace: A comparative analysis of an employer’s obligation to Accommodate a worker’s disability under Australian and Canadian laws (2017) 30 AJLL 185
Memberships / Awards:
- Member of Law Institute of Victoria (LIV)
- Finalist, Lawyers Weekly 30 under 30 Awards (2013)
Admission to practice: April 2009
Emma joined Lander & Rogers in March 2008