Case Studies

In 2016 I was the Director, People and Culture at a Queensland Government Agency. In my role I was responsible for all employment-related issues concerning staff, including performance management and handling staff complaints. During this time we were faced with an extremely complex matter when we received a complaint from an entire team regarding the behaviour of their line managers towards them. Compounding the complaint was union involvement, counter complaints, and a very complicated cultural shift towards accountability and ownership from of actions and behaviours for all staff across the organisation. We knew this complaint required  investigation and that we needed help. After considering some options, I picked Devaneys based on their reputation and the quality of work I had seen before from one of their lead investigators, Efthimia Voulcaris. From the outset I was extremely impressed with Efthimia’s thorough approach and consideration of the issues and sensitivities involved with such a complex investigation. Ultimately this investigation required interviews with witnesses, collation of evidence from multiple sources and an ability to grasp difficult and complicated facets of the particular environment. It also was required to be delivered within a set timeframe. I am pleased to say that the experience I had with Devaneys met all of the above requirements and was professional down to the finest detail. The work put in by Efthimia was outstanding and I would highly recommend her and Devaneys. I have no hesitation in working with them again.

We engaged Devaneys to conduct an investigation for a NGO client. It was an extremely sensitive matter with potentially significant consequences for the organisation. Efthimia was able to draw on her extensive experience as an employment lawyer in navigating the complexities of this investigation, which allowed our client to proactively (and successfully) manage the process and the outcome. Not only did this benefit the NGO, but also enabled them to continue providing the valuable services they do to vulnerable members of our community.

I have known Efthimia and her family for more than a decade. Efthimia worked for me as a young lawyer and even then it was clear that she was highly intelligent, hard working, determined, hard-nosed when required but also a charming and loyal person once you earned her respect. More recently I have worked with Efthimia in a number of legal and investigative contexts and all of those qualities I saw 10 years ago have blossomed into a formidable investigator and corporate adviser. Efthimia brings a rare mix of a sharp intellect, genuine compassion, drive and ambition and those qualities when combined with her top tier legal training and experience and her highly developed emotional intelligence, mean that as an investigator and adviser she brings a unique set of skills and experience and it has been my experience that she always delivers above and beyond her client’s expectations. Devaneys has a well-balanced yet diverse set of skills, qualifications and practical experience. Together they offer a step change in investigative services in the Queensland market. I highly recommend that if you have an issue you might require investigative or advisory assistance with, that you pick up the phone and call Devaneys. I know you will be pleased you took that step.