Portrait photograph of Michael Byrnes
Michael Byrnes
Partner

As Valentine’s Day approach­es, many law firms are ask­ing whether mod­ern work­place dynam­ics require clear­er guide­lines around romance, bound­aries, and con­sent. In this episode of Lawyers Week­ly, experts explore whether firms should intro­duce a ​‘Valentine’s Day clause’ into their sex­u­al harass­ment poli­cies — and how proac­tive, trans­par­ent frame­works can bet­ter pro­tect employ­ees while reduc­ing legal risk

Michael Byrnes appeared on the Lawyers Week­ly Show pod­cast with Jerome Doraisamy to dis­cuss poten­tial work­place law issues relat­ed to Valen­tine’s Day

To lis­ten to the full pod­cast click here

If you would like to repub­lish this arti­cle, it is gen­er­al­ly approved, but pri­or to doing so please con­tact the Mar­ket­ing team at marketing@​swaab.​com.​au. This arti­cle is not legal advice and the views and com­ments are of a gen­er­al nature only. This arti­cle is not to be relied upon in sub­sti­tu­tion for detailed legal advice.

Publications

A Frus­trat­ed FWC: Look­ing beyond the ​“Plumber’s Crack”

The recent Fair Work Com­mis­sion (FWC) deci­sion in Antho­ny Davitkov v Wool­worths Group Lim­it­ed [2026] FWC 1655 has attract­ed much mirth…

Aus­tralian Anti-Mon­ey Laun­der­ing AML/CTF Tranche 2 laws are coming

Australia’s Anti-Mon­ey Laun­der­ing and Counter-Ter­ror­ism Financ­ing (AML/CTF) Act is designed to stop ille­gal funds from enter­ing the finan­cial sys­tem. It…

Ober­to Pty Ltd v The Own­ers Stra­ta Plan No 2004 No 2 [2026] NSW­CATCD 24 & costs in Stra­ta Dis­putes – Rule 38 of Civ­il and Admin­is­tra­tive Rules 2014

After a lot own­er was suc­cess­ful in its claim for dam­ages in an apart­ment build­ing as a result of an own­ers cor­po­ra­tion’s…

In the News

2026 Insol­ven­cy & Financier Drinks | Thank you to our clients and friends

Marc Bad­dams, Michael Hayter, Ger­ald Carides, Nick Dale, and Swaab’s Insol­ven­cy team would like to extend their thanks to our…

Michael Byrnes is quot­ed in the arti­cle, ​“Cus­tomer and con­trac­tor ordered to pay $116,000 for homo­pho­bic harass­ment of man­ag­er”, pub­lished in the Aus­tralian on 18 May 2026

Michael Byrnes is quot­ed in the arti­cle, ​“Cus­tomer and con­trac­tor ordered to pay $116,000 for homo­pho­bic harass­ment of man­ag­er”, pub­lished…

Michael Byrnes appeared on McK­night Tonight with Robert McK­night on 12 May 2026 to dis­cuss the lat­est court doc­u­ments in the sep­a­rate legal pro­ceed­ings com­menced by Kyle Sandi­lands and Jack­ie ​‘O’ Hen­der­son against ARN

Michael Byrnes appeared on McK­night Tonight with Robert McK­night on 12 May 2026 to dis­cuss the lat­est court doc­u­ments in the…

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