Our Experts

Michael Selinger is a partner in the Sydney office of Holding Redlich. He practises in all areas of workplace relations with a special focus on occupational health and safety. He has extensive litigation experience in employment disputes and defending health and safety prosecutions. Michael’s expertise includes:

• occupational health and safety, including structuring WHS management systems, agreements, policies and procedures;
• conducting internal workplace investigations;
• dealing with investigations by regulatory agencies, including WorkCover;
• worker’s compensation, personal injury and return to work issues and claims;
• preparing employment contracts; and
• managing employment issues with transfer of business and company restructuring.

Michael is a regular presenter of seminars and training on workplace issues.

Charles Power is a Partner in the workplace relations department of Holding Redlich in Melbourne. He has practised in employment and industrial relations since 1992. Charles has a strong practice representing employers in all aspects of employment and industrial law, and is accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria as a workplace relations specialist. He is a member of the advisory board to the Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law, the University of Melbourne and the Australian Human Resources Institute.

Angela Godfrey is an HR professional with more than 20 years of successful and diversified HR generalist experience gained in medium-to-large blue chip organisations. She has previously worked for Federated Investors, a large global funds management company as their Head of HR, Asia Pacific, and in financial services, including at Victorian Funds Management Corporation and Aviva Australia.

Andrew Douglas leads a national legal team helping clients to develop compliance with workplace legislation through a range of training programs. He writes, presents and practises on a range of topics, including:

• health and safety law;
• employment law;
• workers’ compensation;
• industrial relations;
• equal opportunity;
• privacy;
• social media; and
• surveillance.

He focuses on developing employee wellbeing programs that increase productivity, improve workplace health and safety and reduce workers’ compensation premiums.

Gary Rowe is the founder and CEO of Safety Action Pty Ltd. He has over 25 years of experience in safety and risk management programs. His areas of specialty include:

• Safety systems.
• Safety culture and leadership.
• Risk assessments.
• Independent audits.

Gary is a Fellow of the Safety Institute of Australia, a non-executive director of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Victoria and the chairperson of its Governance Committee.

Kelly has more than 15 years of legal experience. She provides advice, assistance and representation to employees, employers and independent contractors in all areas of employment, industrial and workplace law. Kelly takes the time to understand her clientsâ?? needs and what they wish to achieve, no matter how big or small the matter or who the client is. Kelly is readily accessible and strives to provide a cost-effective and efficient service to her clients. Kelly presents seminars on topical areas of employment law and is the Industrial Law and Relations Section Editor of the Australian Business Law Review.

Ray Bedson is a self-employed health and safety consultant, event safety officer and trainer in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. He has over 30 years of experience in production and operations management, specialising in safety, quality and environmental management. He also has extensive experience in auditing, process technology, and industrial and project engineering.

Corey Innes currently coordinates organisational health and safety at St Vincent’s Private Hospital Melbourne. Corey Innes has extensive experience in:

• Workplace health and safety assessments.
• Training.
• Audits.
• Occupational monitoring programs.
• Workplace hazardous materials assessments.

Corey is a Chartered Professional Member of the Safety Institute of Australia and a Provisional Member of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists.

Bruce Clayton has extensive experience in quality, safety and environmental management system consulting and auditing across a broad range of industry classifications. He has worked with small and medium businesses to develop, implement and gain certification in accordance with Australian and international standards.

Gella Rips is the regulatory advisor and lead employment lawyer in the corporate services division of Settlement Services International. She focuses on:

• Advising management on key areas of regulatory and compliance risk.
• Implementing industrial and workplace relations strategies.
• Drafting and revising workplace policies and procedures.
• Developing contractor management systems.
• Drafting and negotiating contractor agreements.

She has previously worked as a lawyer in the Sydney office of Holding Redlich and practises in all areas of workplace relations.

Saide Bittar has vast experience in OHS and Workers’ Compensation having commenced her career as an OHS Consultant, and later engaging in private legal practice as a Solicitor in the Workplace Relations Department of Macpherson Kelley Lawyers. Saide has also held the position of Legal Advisor to the Victorian Medical Panels, providing technical and policy advice to the Convenor and Medical Specialists. Saide now works specifically in Workers’ Compensation under the Comcare scheme for the National Australia Bank (NAB). Saide is passionate about workplace safety and strives to uphold NAB’s People vision of all employees being 100% well at work.

Dr Stephen Weber is a safety advisor at Safety Action Pty Ltd and holds a PhD in optics and lasers. His areas of specialty include:

• Chemical risk assessments.
• Lighting and noise surveys.
• Auditing confined spaces.
• Developing safety manuals.

Emily is a corporate and commercial lawyer with particular expertise in intellectual property and privacy issues. Emily assists a broad range of clients including those in the media and advertising industries. She has experience in:

• media and entertainment;
• regulatory;
• sports law;
• privacy;
• intellectual property; and
• commercial agreements.

Rachel is a highly experienced workplace lawyer specialising in employment and industrial relations issues, including:

• industrial bargaining;
• workplace disputes;
• Federal Circuit Court and Fair Work Commission litigation;
• employee misconduct investigations;
• professional misconduct defence;
• business sponsorship and migration;
• defamation disputes;
• work health and safety;
• contract disputes;
• discrimination;
• managing discipline and dismissal; and
• transmission of business.

Rachel is a certified professional member of the Australian Human Resources Institute and a Registered Migration Agent specialising in successful business visas. She has been named in the 2014 to 2020 editions of Best Lawyers in Australia for the area of Labour and Employment Law. She has also been included in the Asia Pacific Legal 500 Publication for Corporate/M&A.

Michel Moutia is a certified practising risk manager and director of Risk Program Management Pty Ltd, and has over 22 years of industry experience in engineering, manufacturing operations, quality, safety, property, sustainability, environmental and business risk management. Michelâ??s previous professional experience includes strategic consultation in business risk, workersâ?? compensation, health and safety, asset and property protection, sustainability and environmental strategies.

Joel Zyngier works as the national head of Gilchrist Connell’s employment practices/management liability practice. He defends insurers and self-insured businesses from employment law litigation claims, and assists businesses to address their liability risks. He has also worked in the employment and industrial relations department of Holding Redlich and an associate at the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. Joel has also worked in litigation at a large national commercial law firm. Joel has gained broad litigation experience in a wide range of areas in courts and tribunals across Australia.

Evan Willis is a Senior Associate and an Accredited Specialist in Workplace Relations at Holding Redlich. He commenced his career at Holding Redlich in 2008 working as a legal research assistant, and was admitted to legal practise in 2011, upon which he joined the Workplace Relations and Safety practice group. Evan represents and advises employers and in both litigious and non-litigious matters in the areas of employment, industrial relations and occupational health and safety.

Andrea Rowe has been working as a safety and risk advisor with Safety Action Pty Ltd since 2005. During this time, she has gained extensive international experience, having facilitated machinery safety workshops in countries including the UK, US, India, Europe and Asia. Andrea has a strong background in biomedical research and safety. Her areas of specialty include:

• Safety audits.
• Risk assessments.
• Dangerous goods management programs.
• Safety support for small businesses.