Jane Wright, WorkDynamic

Since her admission as a legal practitioner in 2000, Jane has developed a reputation as a specialist in workplace investigations, employment and discrimination/diversity issues. Jane’s knowledge and experience comes from her work as a director of Workdynamic Australia since 2013 and her thirteen years working for top tier law firm, Herbert Smith Freehills.

Jane has also worked in London for a year where she acted for the UK Law Society dealing with interventions into practices the subject of closure for misconduct or bankruptcy.

ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS

Jane has a Bachelor of Commerce with Merit (Specialising in Accounting and Economics) and a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours). Jane was the recipient of the University Medal for law in 2000 and the CPA Accounting Medal in 1998. Jane holds a current practising certificate.

WHEN EXPERIENCE COUNTS

Jane has extensive experience and knowledge in all areas of employment and discrimination/diversity laws. This experience spans advice based work (for example, legal advice on specific issues, policy/contracts reviews), litigious work including representation at hearings, conciliations and conferences and strategic advice. Jane has also considerable experience working in in-house roles, particularly in the University sector.

Jane is also recognised for her expertise in managing and conducting workplace investigations. Her experience ranges from small issue specific investigations to large scale investigations involving a large number of witnesses and issues across both private and public sectors. Jane also has considerable experience managing legal firms, union or employee representatives and clients as part of this process and always ensures that the report or conclusion of the investigation accords with the client’s needs.

RECOGNISED SPECIALIST

Jane is regularly asked to speak at external conferences in respect of her knowledge of investigations and employment law issues. Jane’s decision to found Workdynamic Australia, and her experience working in an innovative job-share arrangement with co-founder Lauren Barel, has been featured in the Australian Financial Review, Business Review Weekly, the Australian, Lawyers Weekly and Women’s Agenda. Jane and Lauren were also finalists in the 2013 National Australia Bank/ Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards for Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year. Jane also participated in the “Women in Leadership” series with IBM.

For over 4 years, Jane played a key role in writing and updating the Australian chapter of Jordan’s “EU and International Employment Law Journal”.

Jane has published a number of newsletters on sites such as Lexology regarding employment, investigation and discrimination/diversity issues. In particular, Jane has published widely on the issues of workplace bullying and adverse action claims.