Adriana Reina

Adriana is an experienced practitioner in employment, workplace relations, WHS and migration law, with a unique ability to advise on workforce issues where these areas intersect.

She acts for national and global businesses and insureds across technology, fintech, media, hospitality, health care, fitness, consulting firms and high‑growth start‑ups.

Adriana provides strategic, commercially focused advice to executive leadership and HR teams navigating complex and fast‑moving workforce challenges. Her practice spans the full spectrum of workplace matters, including:

• complex disciplinary issues, strategic terminations and litigation risk management
• pre‑ and post‑termination claims and investigations
• oversight and management of employment litigation, including discrimination, adverse action, contractual disputes, dismissal‑related claims and common law actions
• drafting and negotiating executive employment agreements, senior leadership contracts and associated commercial documentation
• policy development, implementation and organisational change management
• award and enterprise agreement coverage, minimum entitlements analysis and compliance frameworks
• workforce restructuring, redundancy planning and execution, including separation strategies and documentation
• Fair Work Commission proceedings, discrimination and harassment complaints
• conciliation, mediation and litigation management in higher courts

In addition, Adriana assists global employers and insurers with complex employment claims and disputes, including matters involving sponsored workers and visa holders. Her combined expertise in employment and migration law allows her to manage disputes where performance, conduct, termination or safety issues interact with visa compliance. She regularly advises on:

• defending employment claims involving sponsored employees
• managing termination and disciplinary processes with migration consequences
• responding to Fair Work Ombudsman and WHS regulator investigations involving visa‑holding workers
• coordinating strategy between insurers, employers and migration stakeholders in high‑risk disputes
• responding to Fair Work Ombudsman and WHS regulator investigations into alleged breaches of employment, WHS and migration legislation
• managing high volumes of Australian visa applications
• managing merits review applications within the Administrative Appeals Tribunal

This integrated approach helps employers and insurers resolve matters more efficiently by streamlining strategy and mitigating both employment‑ and migration‑related exposure.

Adriana also has significant experience advising and representing employers in work health and safety investigations and prosecutions, including serious incident responses, regulator engagement strategies, compulsory examinations, section 155 notices, improvement and prohibition notices, and the defence of WHS prosecutions in the District Court. She regularly assists clients to navigate complex regulatory environments and mitigate exposure arising from critical safety incidents.

Adriana also delivers tailored training and workshops for boards, executives and HR teams on policy implementation, compliance and legislative change.