Nicola is an Accredited Specialist in Employment and Industrial Law by the Law Society NSW. Nicola provides solid technical advice that is both practical and business focused and regularly advises companies in the areas of employee relations strategies, contracts of employment, occupational health and safety, anti-discrimination and employment related litigation. Nicola has worked closely with companies in the industries of information technology, manufacturing, aviation, logistics and construction.

Nicola is an experienced advocate and regularly represents companies in Fair Work Australia, Anti-Discrimination Tribunals as well as the Courts in both state and federal jurisdictions.

More recently Nicola was involved in the extensive modernisation of the industrial award system and has developed an intimate knowledge of employment conditions across a large number of industries.

Nicola holds a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Hons)/ Bachelor of Communications and is currently undertaking her Masters in Business Administration.

Meg is an experienced employment lawyer based in our Melbourne office. Prior to joining Ai Group, Meg was employed as a senior associate at a major commercial law firm and was named as one of Melbourne’s top employment lawyers in 2009 in the Australasian Legal Business Magazine.

Meg deals with all areas of workplace relations and occupational health and safety (OHS). For instance, Meg provides legal advice for employers about redundancies, termination of employment, performance management issues, the enforcement of post-employment restraints, employment contracts, policies and bonus schemes and employees returning to work following periods of illness or injury. Further, Meg has defended employers in OHS and ABCC prosecutions and against discrimination complaints and proceedings for breach of the contract of employment.

David has over 20 years experience in employment law, which included him setting up and leading employment law divisions in two law firms with significant employment law practices.

David moved to Ai Group in November 2006 and in addition to working in the capacity of Manager, Queensland - Workplace Relations, is also the Legal Practitioner Director for Ai Group Legal.

David’s experience in the area of industrial law, employment and workplace relations is extensive, working across the whole range of work related issues including WorkCover and workplace health and safety matters.

David has appeared regularly in the Federal Court, the State Courts of Queensland as well as the Federal and State EEO tribunals, the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.

David was a founding member of the Industrial Law Committee of the Queensland Law Society and for a time lectured in employment contracts to the Legal Practice Course at the Queensland University of Technology.

Cecily has a longstanding and respected profile in Workplace Relations and Employment law in Queensland particularly with reference to workers’ compensation, workplace health and safety and EEO matters.

Prior to joining Ai Group in 2009 she was the first female partner in the 80 year history of a highly regarded mid-tier Queensland law firm and headed the Employment law section of that firm. As a nominee of Ai Group Cecily is currently appointed to the Board of Q-Comp (the Regulatory Authority for WorkCover in Queensland).

Cecily holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, a postgraduate Diploma in Education, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice.

Simone has over 10 years experience providing legal advice in all areas of workplace relations including employment law, industrial relations and equal employment opportunity. Prior to joining Ai Group’s team in Melbourne, she was a Senior Associate at national law firm Deacons (now Norton Rose) and previously a lawyer at Andersen Legal. Simone holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Master of Laws specialising in Labour Relations.

Simone has particular expertise in providing strategic and practical advice and defending claims in relation to termination of employment, discrimination/ harassment and transfer of business/restructuring. She also has considerable advocacy experience, having successfully represented employers before Fair Work Australia and various state and federal Equal Opportunity Commissions, Tribunals and Courts.

Simone also assists employers in drafting and advising on employment contracts (including executive contracts), enterprise agreements and a range of HR policies, and regularly presents seminars on current workplace relations law developments.