Profile
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, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Victoria, Magistrates’ Court, the Fair Work Commission and VCAT. She regularly advises on termination of employment matters (unfair dismissal and adverse action), 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.
Franceska's recent cases include:
- Application by Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations and Minister for Women [2019] FWC 1922 (on behalf of the Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations) (led by J Firkin QC)
- Application by the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board [2019] FWC 106; [2019] FWCA 1023, (on behalf of the Minister for Workplace) (led by J Bourke QC, J Firkin QC and R Preston)
- 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)
- Australian Building and Construction Commissioner v Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union [2019] FCA 468 (unled)
- Findlay v MSS Security Pty Ltd [2018] FWC 799 (unled)
- Kurucuk v Mining One Pty Ltd Pty Ltd [2018] FWC 6620 (unled)
- Bhattacharyya v Accenture Australia Pty Ltd (H23/2018) (summary dismissal of discrimination application) (unled)
- 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.
In 2019, Franceska was recognised in the Doyle's Guide as a Leading Employment Law Junior Counsel in Victoria. She was also previously named by the Doyle's Guide as an Emerging Employment & WHS Junior Counsel in Victoria in 2017.
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
