Our team is led by Executive Director Zana Bytheway, who has been with JobWatch for over 20 years. Collectively, the lawyers in JobWatch’s Legal Practice have over 80 years of experience in practicing and interpreting employment law.
Our team is supported by a significant number of law students, who assist JobWatch on the Telephone Information Service (TIS) and the Legal Practice. We are grateful for their contributions.
Zana Bytheway, Executive Director
Over her 22 years at JobWatch, Zana has made a significant contribution as a strong advocate for workers’ rights.
A practicing lawyer and qualified mediator, Zana was admitted to practice in 1986 and is an experienced senior executive, board member, committee member, and mentor for young lawyers. Zana is an Honorary Senior Fellow in Law at the University of Melbourne.
In her spare time, Zana enjoys walking, reading and spending time with family and friends.
Gabrielle Marchetti, Principal Lawyer
Gabrielle Marchetti is a principal lawyer at JobWatch. Gabrielle represents clients in contentious employment law matters involving unfair dismissal, general protections disputes, equal opportunity and underpayment of wages as well as undertaking law reform and policy work.
She has a particular interest in the intersection of family violence and employment law, and other employment law issues affecting vulnerable women.
Melissa Favasuli, Lawyer/Office Manager
Melissa Favasuli has worked with JobWatch since 2012. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Laws and is a member of the Monash University Chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society. Prior to JobWatch, Melissa spent several years as a court recorder and a conveyancing assistant.
In her spare time Melissa enjoys spending time with her family and reading.
John O’Hagan, Senior Lawyer
John joined JobWatch as an intern in 2015 and never really left. He enjoys spending time with his partner and two daughters, and getting remedies for people whose employment rights have been ignored.
Prior to his legal career, John enjoyed a thirty-year career as a musician, including a ten-year stint touring the globe with Circus Oz. He still plays double bass on the weekends.
Héloïse Williams, Senior Lawyer
Héloïse (Elle) has worked with JobWatch since 2016. Elle holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice and a Masters in Employment and Labour Law. Prior to her legal career, Elle worked managing bookshops, slinging beers in European countries and teaching in Asia.
Elle’s spare time is taken up with reading improbable fiction, watching South Korean films and catering to her spoiled Labrador, Justice Kirby.
Michael Giannopoulos, Senior Lawyer
Michael Giannopoulos is an employment lawyer.
For more than a decade, Michael has appeared regularly in the Fair Work Commission and the Federal Circuit Court.
Michael has been interviewed for:
Monash University’s Thought Capital (listen to the podcast); and
the Society for Human Resource Management (see the article).
Notable cases Michael has acted in include Butlin v ACA Home Improvements Pty Ltd & Ors [2018] FCCA 3555 (see the decision, commentary on the decision and further commentary).
Before commencing with JobWatch, Michael worked for various other organisations, including Anderson Gray Lawyers and Ryan Carlisle Thomas Lawyers.
Francis Stagg, Lawyer
Francis has recently joined our team, having come from a generalist (law) background. He has a keen interest in employment law, and he holds a Juris Doctor at the University of Melbourne.
Francis brings a tenacious enthusiasm with him, and he is committed to assisting JobWatch clientele to the best of his abilities.
Prior to his becoming a lawyer, Francis worked across a range of Melbourne-hospitality roles; this has fostered in him a love for all things culinary.
In his spare time, Francis enjoys nature walks and finetuning his tennis game.
Lilian Tang, Lawyer / Office Manager
After being personally affected by underpayment, knowing her legal rights helped Lilian to understand what she could do – and she wants to share this knowledge with everyone.
She has been working at JobWatch since completing her placement in 2017. Lilian is the crafty one at JobWatch – she sews and crochets.
Priscilla Tung, Accountant
Priscilla first joined JobWatch in 2017 as the accountant extraordinaire. With over 30 years of experience in accounting practice in Australia and Singapore, she loves variety in her day-to-day work, from everyday accounting tasks to providing informed budgeting, accounting and financial analysis advice through a problem-solving lens.
Outside of work, Priscilla loves to relax by reading historical novels with a focus on the Tudor dynasty, listening to classical music and playing table tennis. She’s particularly interested in politics and world affairs.
Geoff Charles, TIS Staff
Geoff brings over 40 years of experience working in industrial relations to his work at JobWatch. He has worked with employer associations in multiple industries, negotiating with unions and employees and appearing in the then Australian Industrial Relations Commission (now Fair Work Commission).
After enjoying a short-lived retirement, Geoff decided to return to work and has been operating in the Telephone Information Service at JobWatch since 2007. Geoff is a music fan, with a particular fondness for classical music of the baroque era. He’s also a book collector (his Zoom background is filled with overflowing bookshelves!) and relaxes by reading.
Alan Hawkey, TIS Staff
Alan worked for over 40 years in industrial relations, human resource management and as a consultant. He has worked in employer organisations as well as the mining and manufacturing industries. In these roles he has had to actively negotiate with employees and unions on the creation and renewal of many enterprise agreements. He has appeared at the AIRC (now the Fair Work Commission) and its predecessors to process award variations, advocate for the certification of agreements as well as handle most other matters related to employment law.
Alan has worked on the TIS since 2010 and he enjoys trying to help callers understand their employment law rights and options. He enjoys playing golf, cycling and reading in his spare time.
Our experienced Committee of Management ably guide our strategy and operations.
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JobWatch acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we are located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors, and Elders, past, present and emerging.
