Dean Tolkin
Dean graduated with distinction from the University of Technology, Sydney in 2013 having completed a combined Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Laws degree. During his university career, Dean completed specialist subjects in employment law, insolvency, family law and alternative dispute resolution.
After working for a major national employment relations firm for several years, Dean joined Sasphire Legal as an Associate Director in November 2015. In addition, Dean consults to Keypoint Law and has provided consultancy services to other firms in the area of employment, workplace relations and work health and safety.
Dean works across all of the firms practice areas and has gained extensive experience in a number of complex matters in the employment and industrial relations arena including: drafting contracts, enterprise agreements and workplace policies; advising on restraints of trade issues; union disputes; work health and safety compliance; conducting employment due diligence in transfer of business transactions; award interpretation and compliance; defending Fair Work Ombudsman prosecutions; structuring executive remuneration; performance management; redundancy and change management; corporate governance; sensitive terminations; equal opportunity employment; unfair dismissals and general protections.
Dean has a broad ranging practice and has acted for individuals and both listed and unlisted companies, including overseas corporations, across a number of industries including in the building and construction sector, banking and financial services, aged care, manufacturing and technology, mining and in the retail sector.
Dean is exceptionally client orientated and believes that communicating with his clients in a clear, transparent and concise manner ensures an overall superior experience. This focus on customer service, professionalism and ability to understand the commercial objectives of his clients resulted in Dean being shortlisted as a finalist in 2017, and winner in 2018, for the Lawyers Weekly 30 under 30 Awards in the category of Workplace Relations, Employment and Safety as well as a finalist in the Rising Star of the Year and Senior Associate of the Year categories in the 2018 Australian Law Awards.
In addition to providing advisory services to clients, Dean has also conducted several medium to large litigation matters in employment tribunals and superior Courts, including the Supreme Court of New South Wales and appellate jurisdiction of the Federal Court of Australia.
From a young age and before moving into the legal profession, Dean spent several years on Sydney Harbour working and skippering recreational vessels. Dean continues to be active on Sydney Harbour and enjoys being on the water to the present day.