with Jeanette Kinahan, Sarah Adams, Carol Young, Francessca Lee, and Nikkita Venville 
Tuesday, 16 May 2023 | 12.30pm - 2pm AEST (1pm start) | Geelong VIC  | Deakin Law School, Deakin Waterfront Campus

Do you know how to respond when conflict arises in a workplace setting, whether because of workplace behaviour, industrial relations issues or simply commercial differences with others?
Regardless of the reason for the conflict, they are often very difficult to manage given competing and complex circumstances.   

Reduce the stress of dealing with such conflicts and decrease the risk of ending up in Court by equipping yourself with some practical tips to resolve conflict early. This session will expose you to some practical tips and also provide for panel discussion allowing a question/answer forum from a diverse panel of resolution practitioners.

This event will benefit anyone who would like tips on responding to and resolving conflict in a workplace setting, including dealing with commercial disputes, workplace behaviour or industrial relations issues.

The event will inform you about –
• Early conflict resolution strategies 
• Ways of resolving conflict quickly, cost effectively and creatively
• Resolving conflict whist preserving or restoring relationships 
• How to enhance your conflict management skills.

About the trainers

Jeanette Kinahan

Jeanette Kinahan is an awarded and experienced workplace health, injury, conflict resolution and relationship restoration practitioner. Jeanette works with organisations to support individuals and teams experiencing a broad spectrum of challenges to resolve work capacity, productivity, and interpersonal relationships.

Sarah Adams

Sarah is a lawyer and an accredited commercial mediator who specialises in construction disputes.  She brings a proactive and commercial approach to problem solving and dispute resolution, informed by more than 25 years’ experience in construction and engineering contracts and disputes. 

Sarah has worked in leading construction practices in England, New Zealand and Australia (including 8 years as a partner of a national law firm) with experience across a wide range of sectors, including renewables, water/wastewater, manufacturing, commercial, residential and industrial buildings (prisons, museum, multipurpose stadium, large mixed use developments, cold stores, distribution centres), roads and marinas. 
Sarah is always willing to engage with not only legal, but also technical and commercial issues, to assist parties resolve their differences. 

Carol Young

Carol specialises in workplace related disputes. She has been trained in various types of conflict management inclusive of group conferencing. She has experience working within organisations and as a Contractor completing dispute resolution activity. She also works as a Conflict Management Coach assisting individuals to establish skills in resolving presenting matters and preparing them for positive future conflict resolution activity. She assists organisations to proactively ensure relationships are maintained and a fair outcome is achieved.

Francessca Lee 

Francessca Lee is an employment and industrial relation solicitor with extensive experience in private practice, federal industrial regulators and now in state government as Senior Legal Counsel at WorkSafe Victoria. She has run employment, industrial and civil penalty litigation in various jurisdictions including the Fair Work Commission, the Federal Circuit Court and the Federal Court of Australia and has excellent conflict resolution skills.

Nikkita Venville 

Nikkita is Senior Legal Counsel in industrial relations and employment in Corporate Legal at WorkSafe Victoria.  Nikkita is a senior employment and industrial relations practitioner with over 10 years’ experience working in State and Federal Government, the Fair Work Commission and the Union movement. She has particular expertise in gender employment issues having ran an equal pay case for 80,000 early childhood educators and advocated for female Victorian Police members in respect of workplace discrimination, parental leave, sexual harassment and workplace flexibility.

Thanks to Deakin Law School, for generously hosting this event.