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Folau hires Macpherson Kelley for fight against Rugby Australia
Former Wallabies player Israel Folau has engaged national firm Macpherson Kelley and industrial relations barrister Stuart Wood AM QC to represent him in his employment dispute against Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs.
Jerome Doraisamy
The dispute follows the tearing up of Mr Folau’s contract on the basis that he breached its code of conduct by sharing a quote from the bible on social media. At the time, Lawyers Weekly spoke with Marque Lawyers managing partner Michael Bradley, who said that the termination of his employment was about contract, not human rights.
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Speaking about the firm’s engagement by Mr Folau, Macpherson Kelley principal George Haros said: “We believe Rugby Australia and the Waratahs have acted unfairly and unlawfully in their treatment of Israel.”
“Israel has several options available to him at this point, and we are considering his next steps.”
Mr Folau, in a statement, said he felt he required legal representation after the hearing left him without confidence in Rugby Australia’s tribunal process.
“I was disappointed by the way Rugby Australia handled my hearing, and it has been difficult to read stories in the media that are simply untrue,” he said.
“All I ask is to be treated fairly and by the law. I feel confident in my team’s ability to defend and protect my legal rights.”
The legal team is currently working closely with Mr Folau, Macpherson Kelley noted, as he considers his options and decides his course of action.
Recently, Lawyers Weekly spoke with Swaab partner Michael Byrnes, who posited that lawyers have more freedom on social media than public figures like Mr Folau do. Shine Lawyers legal consultant Samantha Mangwana took a different position, arguing that lawyers (especially senior practitioners and partners) should exercise more restraint, to avoid reputational damage to their law firm.
