Vanessa Harkess

Vanessa joined Gordon Legal as an Associate in the Industrial & Employment Law team in 2026.

Prior to joining Gordon Legal, Vanessa worked in commercial disputes and litigation and has experience in several different jurisdictions including Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and Federal. She has appeared in disputes before the Fair Work Commission, the Australian Human Rights Commission, and instructed Senior Counsel in the Federal Court of Australia.

Vanessa is passionate about advocating for workers’ rights and committed to the union movement and holding employers to account. She has a particular interest in representing employees who have been subjected to bullying, discrimination, and harassment in the workplace.

Vanessa holds a Bachelor of International Studies from Deakin University (2017) and a Juris Doctor from the Australian National University (2022).