Kristen Lopes is a partner in the workplace relations team with expertise in employment, industrial relations and human rights law. She has experience in matters of both a litigious and non-litigious nature.
Kristen represents clients in a large number of industries including the service, retail, financial, insurance, manufacturing, clubs, healthcare, education and not-for-profit sectors. She also has extensive experience speaking at conferences and conducting client seminars on workplace issues.
Kristen regularly advises employers on legislation relevant to the workplace, including the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth). In addition, she assists employers to deal with issues arising from employment contracts, the interpretation of industrial awards and related instruments, privacy issues, termination and restructuring strategies, return to work and workplace policies.
Kristen has a special interest in managing workplace discrimination, harassment and bullying. In 2004, she was invited to present a paper at the Oxford University Round Table on discrimination in employment.
In May 2010, Kristen received her master of laws degree with first class honours from the University of Sydney, focusing on comparative employment law. She obtained the prize in advanced employment law in 2007 and was a finalist in the 2008 McCallum Medal Presentation Competition where she presented on workplace bullying. Kristen was also a finalist in the 2013 Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards for the Jacinta Fish Legal Mentor Award.
Kristen was called to the bar in Ontario Canada in 1995 and practised employment law as a partner in one of Canada's leading law firms until she relocated to Australia. Kristen was admitted as a solicitor in NSW and joined Colin Biggers & Paisley in 2006.