ALERA Unfair Dismissal Masterclass: Session 4

Deputy President Bernadette O’Neill, Fair Work Commission

Bernadette O’Neill was appointed a Deputy President of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) in October 2022, having been a Commissioner since April 2021. Prior to her appointment as a Member of the FWC, Bernadette had been the FWC General Manager since 2012. She has also held senior executive positions in the Commission and the Victorian Government in workplace relations along with extensive experience in private legal practice and the trade union movement. Bernadette holds a Bachelor of Laws degree, ANZSOG Executive Master in Public Administration and has been a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She was also appointed as the President of the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal for a five year period commencing 20 July 2023. 

Joel Zyngier, Gilchrist Connell

Joel is the national head of Gilchrist Connell’s Workplace practice. He has extensive experience in workplace relations and safety law, and in 2012 was certified by the Law Institute of Victoria as an Accredited Specialist in Workplace Relations. Joel advises and represents employers and senior executives across all types of employment law matters. He also acts for employers and individuals in response to investigations and prosecutions by work health and safety regulators. However, notwithstanding his extensive experience as a Workplace lawyer, Joel’s most vigorous negotiation opponents to date remain his teenage daughters.

Nick Wilson as MC

Nick has significant workplace relations and compliance experience, having been a Commissioner in the Fair Work Commission for 12 years until May 2025, working across all types of Fair Work Act matters, collective and individual, private and public sector.  Before appointment to the Fair Work Commission he was a Commonwealth Agency Head for a decade, including as the first Fair Work Ombudsman, forming and leading Australia’s ground-breaking workplace information and compliance agency.