Welcome to the Law – 4 Part Seminar Series – Seminar 3
SEMINAR 3: DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE & EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE IN PRACTICE
Have you ever wished you could handle difficult people, conversations or situations better? Join us for our third event of the Welcome to the Law Series on 15 May 2025.
Hear open and honest experiences from our panel about what being a lawyer is really like, including the people and problems you will encounter along the way.
Come join us the panel discuss insights into emotional intelligence and resilience; and learn how to master skills to make your lawyer life (in whatever way you experience it) your best life!
Thank you to Piper Alderman for hosting this evening.
SEMINAR 3
15/05/2025, 5.45-8pm
LOCATION: Piper Alderman, Level 23, Governor Macquarie Tower, 1 Farrer Place, Sydney NSW 2000
OR Online via AV Link (details will be emailed prior to the event).
COST:
MEMBERS: $30 EACH SESSION NON-MEMBERS: $40 EACH SESSION
MODERATED BY HANNAH LAWSON
IMPORTANT NOTE: HOW TO ACCESS MEMBERSHIP TICKETS.
MEMBERSHIP TICKETS CAN BE ACCESSED ON THE TICKETS PAGE BY TYPING IN YOUR MEMBERSHIP EMAIL ADDRESS INTO THE ‘ACCESS CODE’ AREA AND CLICKING APPLY.
SPEAKERS:
Penny Thew
(BARRISTER AT STATE CHAMBERS)
Called to the Bar in 2005, Penny is highly regarded for her expertise in all aspects of employment and discrimination law, contractual disputes and restraints of trade. With over 24 years’ experience in advocacy, advising and dispute resolution, Legal 500 and Doyle’s Guide rank Penny as a leading barrister in her areas of expertise.
Penny appears in the Federal Court, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, the Supreme Court, District Court and the Fair Work Commission, and is entered on the High Court of Australia Register of Practitioners.
Penny is in addition appointed as a sessional Senior Member of the Administrative Review Tribunal, a sessional Appeal Panel and Tribunal Member of the Actuaries Institute of Australia Disciplinary Scheme and a sessional Tribunal Member of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Penny is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
Penny is an executive member of the Australian Labour Law Association and the Women Lawyers Association of NSW, as well as a member of the Bar Association’s Industrial, Employment, Health and Safety Committee and Bar News.
Prior to being called to the Bar, Penny practised as a solicitor for five years before which she was a policy adviser with (what is now) the Australian Human Rights Commission. She has tutored in Civil Practice for the Law Faculty of the University of Technology, Sydney, performed an internship with the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland and was retained as the employment law legal adviser to the NSW Bar Association. Penny also drafted the Bar Association’s inaugural Model Best Practice Guidelines on the prevention of bullying, harassment and discrimination and is frequently called upon to present CPDs and papers on the topic of workplace bullying, harassment and discrimination.
FAY CALDERONE
(PARTNER – HALL & WILCOX)
Fay is a Partner at Hall & Wilcox who has paved a path as a lawyer passionate about wellbeing and inclusion having practiced for nearly 25 years as an employment lawyer. She is recognised for Labour & Employment Law – Sydney in The Best Lawyers and Doyle’s Guide; as a 5-star Employment Lawyer by HR Director Australia and by the Lawyers Weekly Partner of the Year Awards as a Wellness Advocate and Employment Partner.
As a strategic advisor to top-tier employers, she has shaped policies that foster safe, inclusive and respectful workplaces. She’s a sought-after as a trainer for leaders and boards; a speaker at industry conferences; and is a trusted voice for media on all matters touching the workplace. She sends the elevator back down by mentoring young lawyers and emerging leaders in legal practice. Capturing her life’s work, her book, “Broken to Safe” offers empowers leaders to tackle toxic workplace cultures and burnout to create safe and inclusive workplaces.
Olena Brodovska
(PARTNER – PIPER ALDERMAN)
Olena Brodovska is a dual-qualified corporate and commercial lawyer with over 20 years of experience, having practised in firms across Australia and Ukraine. She specialises in the technology sector, working closely with emerging growth and later-stage tech companies across Australia.
Olena advises on a broad range of corporate and commercial matters. This includes assisting private and public companies with venture capital, private equity, and IPO fundraising, as well as advising on mergers, acquisitions, and divestments, including cross-border transactions and corporate restructuring.
She also has extensive expertise in drafting and negotiating vast range of technology agreements, including, among other, software development and maintenance agreements, procurement and supply agreements, licence agreements and intellectual property assignment deeds. Olena provides strategic advice on protection of intellectual property, trade mark registration, data security, and compliance with Australian Privacy Law and GDPR.
Olena’s expertise covers the whole life span of a startup, from structuring of the business, venture funding and scaling up its business, to exit. She is experienced in establishing companies and trusts, setting up employee share schemes and preparing transaction documents for various stages and types of financing. She also advises on corporate governance, directors duties and liabilities and a variety of commercial transactions. Beyond corporate and commercial law, Olena brings a strong background in property development and public law.
Her clients span diverse industries, including technology, media and entertainment, healthcare and biotechnology, manufacturing, retail, and property development.
With extensive experience in cross-border transactions, Olena has also advised European government bodies and private companies on a wide range of corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters.
Please note that we require 5 business days’ notice for refunds of tickets unless otherwise advised. You are welcome to provide a substitute guest.
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