Kathy Dalton

Director and Principal, Workdynamic Australia
Contact

0419 871 188

Recognised as one of Australia’s leading employment lawyers by the Australian Financial Review’s ‘Best Lawyers’ since 2014, Kathy’s practice spans over 20 years’ strategic advice and representation for public and private sector employers.

With specialist employment law experience in top tier and national firms, Kathy has managed teams to provide advice to private sector employers, statutory corporations and government agencies across all aspects of employment, industrial relations and discrimination law. This has included clients across a number of specialist industries such as construction, technology, finance, transport, professional services, health and aged care.

Kathy has notable experience managing complex and sensitive workplace investigations into allegations of misconduct and has led a number of high-profile matters which have attracted media scrutiny and resulted in regulatory reporting obligations.

ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS

Kathy holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne.

She is admitted as a Legal Practitioner in the State of Victoria and the High Court of Australia and holds a current practising certificate.

STRATEGIC WORKPLACE RELATIONS

Kathy has considerable industrial relations experience in providing advice to employers on the strategic and operational implications of the Fair Work Act 2009. This has included the making of greenfields and enterprise agreements, good faith bargaining obligations, representing employers in majority support applications, dispute resolution proceedings, applications for protected action and the interaction and interpretation of industrial instruments.

Kathy also has extensive litigation experience, including claims of unfair dismissal, adverse action, breach of contract, breach of restraint, breach of industrial instrument and other employment-related litigation in relevant state and federal jurisdictions.

COMMERCIAL APPROACH

Clients value Kathy’s responsive, insightful and commercial approach, drawing on her extensive knowledge and experience to cut to the key issues. Her ability to think strategically and manage multiple stakeholders helps achieve early resolution of disputes and avoids costly and protracted litigation. Kathy works closely with organisations to develop workplace relations strategies which protect and strengthen their operations.

Kathy’s ability to identify and target key issues relating to commercial success for her clients has been demonstrated in her experience across a number of employment law contexts. This has included the provision of advice in transfer of business transactions, outsourcing, restructuring, independent contracting, redundancy and ordinary customary turn-over of labour issues.