Lejla recently graduated from a Bachelor of Laws and Arts with a major in Politics and International Relations from the University of Adelaide. During her studies, Lejla developed a passion for employment law, with a particular interest in advocating for the issues that affect women and vulnerable workers.

Lejla deeply values the work done by the Working Women’s Centre, and believes it is the perfect place for her to enhance her legal skills.

Suzy is studying for a Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Adelaide, and is passionate about criminal and employment law.

Eager to gain practical legal experience and communication skills, Suzy is volunteering at the Working Women’s Centre to contribute meaningfully to advancing justice and equity for all women.

Suzy is deeply motivated to understand not only the theoretical underpinnings but also how the laws manifest in practice, particularly in the context of women’s rights and workplace equality.

India is a proud feminist, unionist and advocate for standing up for yourself and others.

India studied Women’s Studies and Legal Studies at university and has a longstanding interest in Employment Law and politics. This has provided her with a sound understanding of the Australian legal system and the issues that workers face.

India is a natural people person who has worked in various customer service roles for the past 15 years. She has first-hand experience navigating the complaints process for a breach of employment law (as an employee in previous employment), and she is empathetic to the varied emotions and stress this can involve.

Sarah is the Client Services Officer and is the first point of contact for incoming enquiries to the Centre.

She is a long-serving staff member of the WWC and has extensive insight into the issues that workers face and a wide referral knowledge of other relevant organisations.

She has a Certificate III in Business Administration and a Certificate IV in Front Line Management. Before working at the Centre, Sarah worked in Administration at a Freight Group, in client services and the hospitality industry.

Sarah is a mother to three beautiful girls and is raising them to be strong, independent young women, who can strive to do anything they want.

Jacqui has over 40 years of bookkeeping experience in the not-for-profit sector, including over 28 years of providing long term consultant bookkeeping services to various organisations within the Disability, Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander and other Community and Social Service sectors in South Australia.

When Jacqui’s not “sorting out the numbers”, she enjoys reading, cooking, looking after her family and socialising with friends.

Cassandra has been working as a Training Officer with the Working Women’s Centre SA since 2019. Prior to this role she was employed in various education and community development positions for over 10 years and actively advocated for civic and gendered issues in the Northern Territory developing experience in adult, community, and youth education. These roles included work in government and not for profit sectors, including a position as Parliamentary Educator for the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly and Educator for Ruby Gaea Darwin Centre Against Sexual Violence.

She holds a Master of Education in Popular Education and Social Change from the University of Technology Sydney, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment from the Australian Institute of Technology Transfer, and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and English from the University of South Florida/Stony Brook University.

Cassandra also holds accreditation and training in Mental Health First Aid training, Youth Mental Health First Aid training, Our Watch Change the Story training, White Ribbon Australia workplace accreditation training, Domestic and Family Violence Risk Assessment and Safety Planning and Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect – Education and Care.

In 2019, Cassandra was a recipient of the SafeWork SA Augusta Zadow Award for her project: Training for hairdressers in recognising and responding to domestic and family violence.

Cassandra is a mother of two young boys, whom she is raising as conscious feminists committed to equity, respect, and the prevention of gendered violence.

Angela has a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice from Flinders University. She completed her Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice in June 2022 and was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of South Australia in August 2022. She completed her Practical Legal Training at the Centre in February 2022 and continued to volunteer thereafter.

Angela has always had a passion for social justice and wanted to use her law degree to create a meaningful impact in the community. She has volunteered for organisations such as the Smith Family and the Salvation Army and Women’s Legal Service SA (WLSSA). Angela volunteered on the Legal Advice Intake Line at WLSSA for almost 2 years, prior to commencing her role as their Project Officer/Paralegal. This involved conveying legal advice about domestic and family violence, children’s matters, and property law.  In her subsequent role she worked on the Warm Up & Serve Soup Drive, 25^th Anniversary Gala Dinner and the Ask Maria Project. This involved working with services that help women living in rural, regional, and remote South Australia.

Angela believes strongly in advocating for vulnerable members of the community, particularly fighting for women’s rights (in every facet of life – work, home and everywhere in between). As a committed feminist and unionist, Angela wants to work towards a world where everyone who identifies as a woman feels safe, is valued, is paid correctly, and can live the life they choose.

In her spare time Angela loves exploring social justice topics in her book club, enjoying good food with good people, growing chillies, exploring new wineries, and spending time with her furbabies.

Caitlin is one of our Graduate lawyers at the Working Women’s Centre SA. Caitlin graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from Flinders University in June 2022 and was admitted to the South Australian Supreme Court in August 2022. She completed her Practical Legal Training at the Centre in February 2022 and continued to volunteer thereafter.

Throughout her studies, Caitlin has worked in litigation teams at various private practice law firms representing both union members and workers from diverse backgrounds. This has made her very resourceful, and she draws upon this practical experience when representing vulnerable workers at the Centre.

In a stint at the SA Unions Young Workers Legal Service in 2020, Caitlin assisted in the provision of legal advice to non-members. Caitlin has family ties to the Builders Labourers Federation which sparked her special interest in labour history early on in her career. Accordingly, she is a natural advocate and firmly believes in empowering marginalised persons with the skills and knowledge to assert their legal rights.

Caitlin takes a trauma informed approach towards clients and is an advocate for the de stigmatisation of mental illness. She is a committed feminist and is keen to continue fighting against sexual harassment in her capacity as a lawyer at the Centre. In her spare time Caitlin enjoys thrifting sustainably sourced clothing and evoking meaningful conversation with her comrades.

Dharani holds a Juris Doctor from the University of New South Wales. She was admitted as a Solicitor in NSW in 2021 and in South Australia in 2022. Dharani also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Toronto.

Since she was a law student, Dharani has worked mainly for not-for-profit organisations, including Community Legal Centres in inner Sydney, the Cancer Council Pro Bono Program and NSW government.

Before joining the Working Women’s Centre, Dharani was the Coordinator & Solicitor of Homeless Legal at JusticeNet SA, a legal outreach service helping people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. There, she assisted with a wide range of civil law queries, including tenancy matters in South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

As a migrant immigrating to different countries since she was a child, Dharani has been acutely aware of systemic injustice from a young age and became interested in progressive causes, including feminism, anti-racism and workers’ rights. She is driven by a desire to empower women, workers, tenants, migrants and other undervalued peoples.

In her spare time, Dharani enjoys traveling, photography, world cinema, listening to R&B and attempting to recreate her mom’s recipes.

Alice graduated from a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of International Studies from the University of Adelaide in 2016 and was admitted to practice as a solicitor and barrister in 2017.

After two years as a Judge’s Associate at the District Court of South Australia, in 2019 Alice began working as a lawyer on the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. In this role, Alice conducted investigations exposing serious negligence and misconduct at aged care facilities and instructed Counsel Assisting during public hearings held around the country. She would also travel to regional areas to meet and interview vulnerable older Australians receiving care and their families including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTIQ+ people and those living with disabilities, and prepare them to give evidence during public hearings.

Before coming to the Working Women’s Centre, Alice spent three years as a Federal Prosecutor at the Commonwealth Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. In this role, she prosecuted contested and uncontested summary and major indictable Commonwealth offences including online child sexual abuse, tax and social security fraud, drug importation, and carriage service offences related to stalking and domestic violence. As an experienced criminal prosecutor, Alice has appeared in the Magistrates Court, District Court and Supreme Court in metropolitan Adelaide as well as regional circuits in Port Augusta and Mount Gambier.

Since joining the Working Women’s Centre, Alice has expanded her love of employment and industrial law. As a fierce and tireless advocate, she has dedicated her legal career to championing the rights and personal safety of all, particularly women and children. As a committed feminist unionist, she is also a vocal advocate against workplace sexual harassment.

When she’s not fighting for the best possible outcome for her clients, Alice likes to potter around her vegetable garden with her dogs, knit, and watch garbage television.

She graduated from the University of New England with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Law in 2012. Emma was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of NSW in 2013.

Before making the move to Adelaide, Emma worked for six years in both private practice and the Community Legal Centre sector in NSW.

In 2013 Emma worked at a private law firm in Central West NSW.  She gained experience in commercial law, family law, wills and estates and traffic matters.  Emma successfully represented clients in the Local and District Courts of NSW as well as the Federal Circuit Court of Australia.  

In 2015 Emma obtained a generalist solicitor position with a Community Legal Centre in Dubbo NSW. It was here, she found her passion for employment law and representing vulnerable clients.  She obtained diverse and extensive experience representing clients in the Fair Work Commission, Australian Human Rights Commission, NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Federal Circuit Court and Local and District Courts.  

Since joining the Working Women’s Centre Emma has developed her love for employment law matters. She has been successful in recovering substantial underpayments for her clients including pecuniary penalties.

Emma currently sits on the following committees: Women’s Lawyers Association SA & the South Australian Abortion Action Coalition.

In her spare time, Emma enjoys having a drink with friends, playing water polo and walks along Henley Beach.

Nikki is the Deputy Director at the Working Women’s Centre SA.

Nikki is a practising lawyer and has been admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of South Australia. Nikki has a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice and a Bachelor of Arts from Flinders University. Nikki also studied political science and international law at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Nikki has 15 years experience working in the employment law arena, representing disadvantaged workers and union members.

In 2010 Nikki was accepted into the Law Graduate Program at the Fair Work Commission (Melbourne) where she worked for several years. She was promoted to a position in the Unfair Dismissal Team and later worked as an Associate of the Commission.

From 2012 Nikki worked as the Principal Industrial Officer at the Queensland Working Women’s Service where she prosecuted sexual harassment and discrimination matters in the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunity Commission.

Nikki was also the Coordinator of the Young Workers Legal Service where she trained and mentored Law Student Volunteers to assist young people with wage theft claims, unfair dismissals and discrimination matters.

Before coming to the Working Women’s Centre, Nikki spent five years as a Legal Officer and Advocate in the Construction and Maritime Divisions of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union, where she assisted union members in a wide a range of employment matters including disputes, industrial action, and enterprise bargaining issues.

Nikki is on the Australian Labour and Employment Relations Association (ALERA) South Australia Committee. ALERA is an organisation committed to fostering discussion, research and education in the field of industrial relations and employment matters. Nikki is also a member of the Policy Council of the South Australian Council of Social Services.

By trade, Abbey Kendall is an employment and industrial lawyer and is the principal solicitor of the Working Women’s Centre. Over the last decade, Abbey has worked for small and national labour law firms and unions.

Abbey has dedicated her career to representing and advocating for worker’s rights and has successfully represented organisations against unlawful police raids, defended employees against dodgy traineeships enforced by national food franchises, and represented hundreds of workers in discrimination, sexual harassment, dismissal and worker’s compensation matters.

Abbey holds a Bachelor of Law and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.  Abbey also holds governance qualifications from the Governance Institute of Australia.

Abbey is a member of the Respect@Work Council and of the South Australian Gender Pay Gap Taskforce. Abbey is the Vice President of the Australian Labour and Employment Relations Association (ALERA) national committee and the President of the ALERA SA committee. She is also a member of the SA Union’s Women’s Standing Committee, the Welfare Rights Coalition, and on the South Australian Concessions Review Reference Group. In 2019, Abbey was elected to the Policy council of the South Australian Council of Social Service.

Abbey is a feminist unionist and advocates for collectivist gender, sexual and political justice. Presently, Abbey is working in the movement calling for the full implementation of the 55 recommendations of the Respect@Work report.