Denise O’Reilly

Denise O'Reilly is a Principal Lawyer with over two decades of comprehensive experience in advising businesses on workplace issues. Her career began with Freehills, now known as Herbert Smith Freehills, where she worked with large corporates. After moving to the Gold Coast, she expanded her focus to include smaller businesses, and she now advises a diverse clientele ranging from start-ups to publicly listed companies. Denise is known for her expertise in industrial relations, employment-related litigation, diversity, and workplace health and safety. Her passion for industrial relations is evident as she continually stays abreast of legal developments, ensuring her clients are well-informed about the latest trends and changes in the law. Denise values relationship-driven work, prioritising collaboration and ensuring her clients grow increasingly knowledgeable and self-sufficient in handling employment issues. Having grown up in a large family on a farm in Tasmania's Tamar Valley, Denise brings a grounded perspective to her practice. She is a mother of two, with a love for wine, food, travel, and politics. Throughout her expansive career, Denise has held significant roles, including her current position as Principal Lawyer at O'Reilly Workplace Law since 2011. Prior to this, she served as Legal Counsel for the Emergency Medical Service Protection Association and as a Senior Associate at both Ffrench Legal and Freehills. Denise holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Tasmania, where she specialised in law and political science.