Tamsin Lawrence

Tamsin is a highly credentialed employment lawyer with Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA) and leads the Melbourne office. She performs a mix of litigious and advisory work in workplace relations and is a regular author and presenter on a range of bargaining, employment, discrimination and work health and safety related topics.

Tamsin is a Nationally Accredited Mediator and can facilitate the mediation process to resolve workplace disputes before they reach litigation and the courts.

Tamsin applies her deep subject matter expertise to support clients across all aspects of the employment relationship, including employment litigation, equal opportunity and discrimination, termination of employment, enterprise bargaining strategies, industrial disputes, workplace relations policy, investigations and regulatory support.

Tamsin was deeply involved in the consultations around Respect@Work legislation changes, representing employer voices and helping to shape the legislation. Her ingenuity and commitment to helping businesses saw her write the DIY Toolkit on Positive Duty obligations for businesses which was launched in 2023. 

Prior to joining ABLA, Tamsin was Deputy Director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Workplace Relations team. In that role, she represented the business community on workplace relations law and policy matters. She appeared before the Senate Education and Employment Committee, the Council of Industrial Legislation, and the Attorney General’s Workplace Relations Working Groups. She also represented employers before the Fair Work Commission on issues of industry importance. Additionally, she acted as an employer advocate during the Annual Minimum Wage Review.

Tamsin was closely involved in responding on behalf of employers to the National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces. She led the Chamber’s response to the introduction of the Respect at Work Act. This included addressing the new prohibition on sex-based harassment in the workplace. She also served as an associate employer representative member on the newly formed Federal Government Respect@Work Council.

Tamsin also previously served as an advisor to the Federal Minister for Small and Family Business, Deregulation and the Workplace on workplace policy and legislation.

Given her previous experience, Tamsin takes a keen interest in and is often at the forefront of IR changes, including  providing feedback and advice to Government and employer groups on the implications of reforms.

Tamsin holds a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts from Monash University. She is admitted as a solicitor in the Supreme Court of Victoria.