Jo

Jo returned to England in 2009 having migrated to South Australia in 1970 as a child of a single parent, sponsored under the Fairbridge Scheme. With the benefit of a free university education, Jo became a lawyer specialising in workplace safety, industrial relations and equal opportunity complaints and eventually establishing her own legal practice.

Jo gives an insight into her personal experiences as a woman not only in setting up a business but as one who has had some interesting challenges in male dominated organisations.

Jo’s extensive legal career (both as a barrister and solicitor) has covered a broad range of roles in a variety of private, public and voluntary organisations advising employers (including government agencies, academic institutions, international corporations, manufacturers, retailers and small businesses) on legal compliance, good governance, civil liability, industrial disputations, workplace safety, OHS grievances, stress claims, equal opportunity complaints, disciplinary matters, equality and diversity policies and implementation practices.

In 2002 Jo was appointed the Executive Solicitor to the South Australia Police providing legal and policy advice to the Commissioner and senior officers as well as managing the police and civilian staff of Legal Branch.

Jo left SA Police in 2013 to continue her doctoral studies at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge. Findings from Jo’s recent doctoral research into how management styles influence employee decision-choices, motivations and behaviour, provide useful guidance to both staff and management as to how to achieve cultural change. These findings suggest organisations can break down systemic barriers which prevent positive cultural change in the workplace and shows how professionalism can be encouraged through building empathy and confidence.

Jo is a very engaging international speaker who has given presentations in the UK, Australia, India and Portugal.