Catriona McPherson

Assistant Crown Solicitor

Catriona joined Crown Law in 2007 as a law clerk after completing a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business (Accounting) at the Queensland University of Technology.

Catriona specialises in employment and discrimination law, workers’ compensation, disciplinary matters, statutory interpretation and advisory work. She is experienced in advising and representing clients in a broad range of matters.

Catriona’s skills and experience include:

  • discrimination and unfair dismissal claims, and statutory workers’ compensation appeals
  • ill-health retirement processes under Chapter 5, Part 7 of the Public Service Act 2008
  • disciplinary matters, including suspension and termination
  • public service appeals to the Appeals Officer
  • employment law, administrative law and work health and safety
  • contracts of employment and industrial instruments.

Catriona’s significant matters include:

  • representing the State in defending an institutionalised racism claim lodged in the Federal Court of Australia under the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)
  • representing the State in defending a fair treatment appeal in relation to a large scale recruitment process
  • advising on the consultation obligations of various Queensland Government agencies with respect to organisational change and restructuring, in light of the decision of Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia v QR Limited [2010] FCA 591 (11 June 2010).

Catriona has advised and represented Queensland Government clients in the:

  • Queensland Industrial Relations Commission and Industrial Court of Queensland
  • Industrial Magistrates Court Queensland
  • Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland
  • Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal and Appeal Tribunal of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal
  • Australian Human Rights Commission
  • Federal Court of Australia and Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia.