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Maurice Blackburn names new head of employment law in Qld
National plaintiff firm has appointed a former 30 Under 30 winner as the new state head of its employment law practice in Queensland, taking over from Giri Sivaraman, who was recently appointed Australia’s race discrimination commissioner.
Jerome Doraisamy
Last month, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced the appointment of Maurice Blackburn principal Giridharan Sivaraman as the new race discrimination commissioner.
Assuming Sivaraman’s role as head of employment law in Queensland will be principal Patrick Turner (pictured), who won the workplace relations, employment and safety category at the 30 Under 30 Awards in 2017.
In his new role, Turner will continue to work closely with unions to ensure workers’ rights are protected and enforced, the firm said in a statement.
The news also follows Maurice Blackburn’s recent promotion of 24 lawyers to more senior roles in December.
Speaking about his new role, Turner said: “We have built a reputation for excellence representing unions and workers in Queensland through hard work and tenacious advocacy.
“I am proud to lead a team with a strong legacy and a bright future. It is a privilege to work with the mighty union movement in Queensland.”
“When people are dismissed, discriminated against, bullied or otherwise mistreated in the course of their employment, this can pose a serious threat to their financial state and mental health,” Turner continued.
“At Maurice Blackburn, we practise employment law to fight for those who have suffered wrongs and who most need an advocate.”
The firm noted that Turner has represented hundreds of employees since joining Maurice Blackburn and has recovered millions for wronged workers, including recovering nearly $6 million for underpaid 7-Eleven workers who had been systematically exploited.
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.
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