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Abbey Burns

Special Counsel

Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Commerce

  • Retirement Living
  • Aged Care
  • Health
  • Dispute Resolution
  • Litigation
  • Workplace Relations
  • Employment and Safety
  • Anti-Discrimination and Sexual Harassment
  • Employment Advice
  • Employment Disputes
  • Equal Opportunity and Discrimination
  • Industrial Relations
  • Workplace Health and Safety
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Corporate Advisory

Abbey has been practising for many years in workplace relations, employment and discrimination matters, and has been with Russell Kennedy for 10 years. Abbey’s practice includes advising clients in a broad range of industries on workplace relations, employment law and discrimination matters.

Experience

  • Significant experience in interpreting, drafting and negotiating enterprise agreements and assisting clients with employment law compliance and dealing with the Fair Work Ombudsman

  • Regularly provides clients with strategic advice to work through difficult employee matters, from performance-management, dealing with ill and injured workers and disciplinary matters

  • Advises clients regularly about the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions and works closely with the Corporate and Commercial team on these matters

  • Experienced in drafting, negotiating and advising on employment contracts, independent contractor agreements and policies

  • Advises clients on disciplinary matters, redundancy processes and termination of employment and drafts related documents on behalf of clients

  • Represents clients in unfair dismissal and general protection proceedings including jurisdictional hearings and conciliations in the Fair Work Commission

  • Manages litigation on behalf of clients in the state and federal courts in relation to general protections claims, breach of contract and post-employment restraint claims

  • Advises clients on the interaction between enterprise agreements, transitional awards, modern awards and the National Employment Standards and provides complex award-coverage advice

  • Experienced in assisting with workplace investigations into employee conduct and providing advice on investigation reports

Leadership

  • Member, Russell Kennedy Women’s Network committee
  • Secretary and Board Member, The Stella Prize