Franceska practises in commercial and public law with a particular focus on industrial relations and employment law.

Franceska has represented employees, employers and government regulators in a range of employment and industrial relations matters in the Federal Court, Federal Circuit Court, Victorian Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Victoria, Magistrates’ Court, the Fair Work Commission and VCAT. She regularly advises on employment matters, industrial relations disputes (industrial pickets, enterprise bargaining disputes, industrial action and right of entry), contract and fiduciary duties disputes, employment entitlements, restraints of trade, discrimination, workplace investigations, and workplace safety.

In 2021, Franceska was recognised in the Doyle's Guide as a Leading Employment Law Junior Counsel in Victoria.  In 2022, the Legal 500 ranked Franceska as one of the Rising Stars of the Australian Bar.

Franceska's recent cases include:

• Ittyerah v Coles Supermarkets (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] FCA 412 (unled)
• Riggs v IBM Australia Ltd [2021] FedCFamC2G 235 (unled) 
• Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services Union v Powercor Australia Ltd & Citipower Pty Ltd [2021] FWC 4526 (unled) 
• CMLA Services Pty Ltd v Finance Sector Union of Australia [2021] FWC 5054 (unled) 
• Phillips v Victoria Police (Human Rights) [2021] VCAT 940 (unled)
• Howard v National Patient Transport Pty Ltd [2021] FWCFB 5334 (led by E White) (and at first instance [2021] FWC 3488) 
• Lyon v Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd t/a Jetstar Airways [2021] FWCFB 960 (led by R Dalton QC)  
• Applications by the Health Services Union, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation and the Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association [2021] FWCFB 3537 (led by J Bourke QC) 
• Senasekera v First Choice Business Brokers Pty Ltd [2020] FWC 4312 (unled) 
• Australian Building and Construction Commissioner v Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union [2019] FCA 468 (unled) 
• Esso Australia Pty Ltd T/A Esso v The Australian Workers’ Union; the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia; the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union [2019] FWC 6143 (led by F Parry QC and R Dalton QC)
• Australian Building and Construction Commissioner v Powell (No 2) [2019] FCA 972 (led by R Dalton QC) 
• Attorney General and Minister for Industrial Relations v Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board [2019] FWCFB 6255 (led by J Firkin QC) (and at first instance [2019] FWC 106)
• Australian Building and Construction Commissioner v Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (The Laverton North and Cheltenham Premises Case) [2018] FCAFC 88 (led by D Star QC)
• Esso Australia Pty Ltd v Australian Workers Union and others (SC I 2017 05150) (consent undertakings made in respect of picket at the Longford Gas Site) (led by F Parry QC)
• Hine v Macquarie Bank Limited [2018] VSC 181 (led by J Bourke QC)
• Bowden v Murray Valley Aboriginal Cooperative [2018] VSC 591 (led by N Harrington) 
• Crowe Horvath (Aust) Pty Ltd v Loone [2017] VSCA 181 (led by A Moses SC and N Harrington)
• Ali v Minister for Immigration & Anor [2018] FCCA 1221 (unled)
• AHL15 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] FCA 1178; [2017] FCCA 232 (unled)
• Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry on behalf of ANZ Banking Group Limited (led by M Collins QC and K Williams SC)

Prior to coming to the Bar, Franceska was Associate to the Honourable Justice RRS Tracey AM RFD of the Federal Court of Australia.  She assisted in trial and appellate proceedings concerning employment, industrial relations, public law and migration matters.  Prior to that, Franceska practised as a solicitor in the employment practice group at Ashurst.  In that role, she advised and acted in a range of industrial, employment and discrimination matters.

Franceska holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours from Monash University.

Memberships

• Industrial Bar Association
• Commercial Bar Association
• Women Barristers Association