MichaelTamvakologos
Partner
Employment and Industrial Relations Law
mtamvakologos@seyfarth.com
PROFILE
NEWS & INSIGHTS
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
An experienced litigator and adviser, Michael has a strong understanding of the commercial side of his clients’ organisations and he is adept at executing on long term plans to make his clients’ businesses stronger and more profitable.
More About Michael
Chambers and Partners recognises Michael as a “trusted adviser by clients who value his collaborative and results driven approach,” also highlighting he is "particularly highly regarded for employment and industrial litigation". Doyle’s Guide recognises Michael as a ‘Preeminent’ Employment & Industrial Relations Lawyer in Australia (2012-2020), and he has been listed in Best Lawyers since 2013 for Labour and Employment and Employee Benefits (Woodward/White Inc.) (2013-2019).
Michael has completed executive education courses in leadership and strategy at Harvard University in Boston and has an Executive MBA from INSEAD University.
Our Australian practice operates as Seyfarth Shaw Australia, an unincorporated legal practice. Legal services provided by Seyfarth Shaw Australia are provided only by the Australian legal practitioner partners and employees of Seyfarth Shaw Australia.
Michael has completed executive education courses in leadership and strategy at Harvard University in Boston and has an Executive MBA from INSEAD University.
Our Australian practice operates as Seyfarth Shaw Australia, an unincorporated legal practice. Legal services provided by Seyfarth Shaw Australia are provided only by the Australian legal practitioner partners and employees of Seyfarth Shaw Australia.
Education
Click to expand content section
Education
- EMBA, INSEAD
- LLM, University of Melbourne
- BComm, Deakin University
- LLB, Deakin University
Honors
Admissions
Click to expand content section
Admissions
- An Australian legal practitioner admitted in Victoria
Related Services
Related Services
Related Regions
Related Regions
Blogs
Blogs
Related News & Insights
-
Recognition
12/12/2024
Seyfarth Ranked as Australia’s Only Band 1 Firm in Employment & Safety in Both New South Wales and Victoria by Chambers Asia Pacific for 2025
-
Blog Post
Aug 22, 2024
Why the negative impact of non-competes is overstated (Part 2)
-
Blog Post
Aug 20, 2024
Why the negative impact of non-competes is overstated
-
Recognition
03/27/2024
Seyfarth Ranked as Tier 1 Firm in Employment in Australia by Doyle’s Guide 2024
Select Recognition
Click to expand content section
Select Recognition
- Rated Band 2 by Chambers Asia Pacific for Employment (2021–2025)
- Recognised in Best Lawyers Australia for Employee Benefits Law; Labour and Employment Law (2013–2025)
- Recognised as a Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers for Employee Benefits Law (2023–2024)
- Recognised by Chambers Asia Pacific for Employment (2012–2024)
- Rated Preeminent in Employment Law by Doyle’s Guide (2018–2024)
- Recognised in International Employment Lawyer Global Elite (2022–2023)
Leadership & Professional Affiliations
Click to expand content section
Leadership & Professional Affiliations
- Law Institute of Victoria
Publications
Click to expand content section
Publications
- Co-Author, “The next ten years: Seyfarth’s partners discuss the future of employment and workplace safety law in Australia,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 5, 2024)
- Co-Author, “A decade in Australia: Seyfarth’s partners reflect on changes in employment and workplace safety law,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 29, 2024)
- Co-Author, “IR laws top CEO concerns,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 16, 2022)
- Co-Author, “Multi-employer bargaining under “Secure Jobs, Better Pay” – 10 implications for employers,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 5, 2022)
- Co-Author, “The psychological assumption behind multi enterprise bargaining,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 22, 2022)
- Co-Author, “The end of enterprise bargaining,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 8, 2022)
- Co-Author, “Should pay secrecy clauses stay or go?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 12, 2022)
- Co-Author, “What do the Jamsek and Personnel Contracting High Court cases really mean for the future of contracts and the performance of work?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 28, 2022)
- Author, “The evolution of casual employment regulation,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 26, 2021)
- Co-Author, “The gig economy – a new category of worker on the horizon?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 21, 2021)
- "The Frontiers of Restraint of Trade Litigation Protecting Goodwill: Policy, Principles and Practice," Australian Business Law Review (August, 2020)
- Author, “The six investment principles to apply to win in litigation,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 4, 2020)
- Author, “Will we win? The odds of success in restraint of trade cases,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 16, 2019)
- Co-Author, “Cyber restraints of trade in the new era of digital markets,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 13, 2019)
- Author, “No silver bullet for wages growth, but there are solutions,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 15, 2019)
- Co-Author, “5 years on – in human resources, industrial relations and workplace health and safety law,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 12, 2018)
- Author, “The post-employment restraint as a business asset,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 4, 2018)
- Author, “Preparing Australian employers for increases in employment class action lawsuits,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 20, 2018)
- Co-Author, “7 proven ingredients in successful enterprise bargaining,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 11, 2018)
- Author, “Why “future proofing” is a myth,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 4, 2018)
- Co-Author, “Changing an employee’s duties: Is that a redundancy?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 8, 2018)
- Co-Author, “A Modern Slavery Act for Australia,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 18, 2017)
- Co-Author, “Proposal to outlaw “unrepresentative” enterprise agreements – when will an enterprise agreement be undone?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 19, 2017)
- Author, “Agreement terminations on the up – 5 union response strategies,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 9, 2017)
- Author, “What does business success look like for leading employers?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 28, 2016)
- Author, “Prescribing the “minimum effective dose,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 21, 2016)
- Co-Author, “You get to write the script for this story…,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 11, 2016)
- Co-Author, “Back to the future: The digital disruption debate,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 30, 2016)
- Co-Author, “What lies beyond enterprise bargaining?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 27, 2016)
- Co-Author, “Key success factors in enterprise bargaining,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 24, 2016)
- Co-Author, “Successful enterprise bargaining – Move from being a “price taker” to a “price maker,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 18, 2016)
- Co-Author, “AFL “list management” – a polite term for age discrimination?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 24, 2015)
- Co-Author, “Zero tolerance – the new standard in the construction industry,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 16, 2015)
- Author, “Leveraging employment restraints to protect business assets,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 25, 2015)
- Author, “Managing redundancy entitlements in loss of contract situations,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 9, 2015)
- Co-Author, “The sharing economy – what’s the potential?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 9, 2015)
- Co-Author, “A classic case of mistaken identity,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 1, 2015)
- Co-Author, “The devil is in the detail – the new gender reporting requirements,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 26, 2015)
- Co-Author, “The difference between winning and losing restraint litigation is often good housekeeping,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 19, 2015)
- Author, “The new industrial revolution – digitisation in the workplace,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 6, 2015)
- Co-Author, “Recovering wasted costs and combatting the “trial by media” litigation strategy,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 12, 2014)
- Author, “Productivity to be front of mind under proposed bargaining law amendments,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 28, 2014)
- Author, “Responding to pornography in the workplace,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 18, 2014)
- Author, “Mutual trust and confidence” not necessary in Australia,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 11, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Protest action – employees walking off the job,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 28, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Simplifying transfer of business within group companies,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 7, 2014)
- Author, “Looking to the future – your workplace in a rapidly changing world,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 31, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Restraint payments – compliance issues,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 26, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Changes to Commonwealth procurement requirements: repeal of the “Fair Work Principles” from 1 July 2014,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 16, 2014)
- Author, “Record fines for CFMEU criminal contempt,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 4, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Drafting and litigating post-employment restraints – Tailoring your restraint to ensure the right fit,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 31, 2014)
- Author, “Don’t stand so close to me – Fair Work Commission makes detailed anti-bullying orders,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 25, 2014)
- Author, “Drafting and litigating post-employment restraints – Prescribing the “minimum effective dose,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 13, 2014)
- Co-Author, “First round of IR changes under the new Government pending,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 3, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Enterprise award modernisation process kicks off in earnest,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 10, 2014)
- Co-Author, “New anti-bullying laws: How will unions respond?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 23, 2014)
- Co-Author, “7 top tips to successfully manage bullying complaints,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 9, 2014)
An experienced litigator and adviser, Michael has a strong understanding of the commercial side of his clients’ organisations and he is adept at executing on long term plans to make his clients’ businesses stronger and more profitable.
More About Michael
Chambers and Partners recognises Michael as a “trusted adviser by clients who value his collaborative and results driven approach,” also highlighting he is "particularly highly regarded for employment and industrial litigation". Doyle’s Guide recognises Michael as a ‘Preeminent’ Employment & Industrial Relations Lawyer in Australia (2012-2020), and he has been listed in Best Lawyers since 2013 for Labour and Employment and Employee Benefits (Woodward/White Inc.) (2013-2019).
Michael has completed executive education courses in leadership and strategy at Harvard University in Boston and has an Executive MBA from INSEAD University.
Our Australian practice operates as Seyfarth Shaw Australia, an unincorporated legal practice. Legal services provided by Seyfarth Shaw Australia are provided only by the Australian legal practitioner partners and employees of Seyfarth Shaw Australia.
Michael has completed executive education courses in leadership and strategy at Harvard University in Boston and has an Executive MBA from INSEAD University.
Our Australian practice operates as Seyfarth Shaw Australia, an unincorporated legal practice. Legal services provided by Seyfarth Shaw Australia are provided only by the Australian legal practitioner partners and employees of Seyfarth Shaw Australia.
Education
Click to expand content section
Education
- EMBA, INSEAD
- LLM, University of Melbourne
- BComm, Deakin University
- LLB, Deakin University
Honors
Admissions
Click to expand content section
Admissions
- An Australian legal practitioner admitted in Victoria
Related Services
Related Services
Related Regions
Related Regions
Blogs
Blogs
Related News & Insights
-
Recognition
12/12/2024
Seyfarth Ranked as Australia’s Only Band 1 Firm in Employment & Safety in Both New South Wales and Victoria by Chambers Asia Pacific for 2025
-
Blog Post
Aug 22, 2024
Why the negative impact of non-competes is overstated (Part 2)
-
Blog Post
Aug 20, 2024
Why the negative impact of non-competes is overstated
-
Recognition
03/27/2024
Seyfarth Ranked as Tier 1 Firm in Employment in Australia by Doyle’s Guide 2024
Select Recognition
Click to expand content section
Select Recognition
- Rated Band 2 by Chambers Asia Pacific for Employment (2021–2025)
- Recognised in Best Lawyers Australia for Employee Benefits Law; Labour and Employment Law (2013–2025)
- Recognised as a Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers for Employee Benefits Law (2023–2024)
- Recognised by Chambers Asia Pacific for Employment (2012–2024)
- Rated Preeminent in Employment Law by Doyle’s Guide (2018–2024)
- Recognised in International Employment Lawyer Global Elite (2022–2023)
Leadership & Professional Affiliations
Click to expand content section
Leadership & Professional Affiliations
- Law Institute of Victoria
Publications
Click to expand content section
Publications
- Co-Author, “The next ten years: Seyfarth’s partners discuss the future of employment and workplace safety law in Australia,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 5, 2024)
- Co-Author, “A decade in Australia: Seyfarth’s partners reflect on changes in employment and workplace safety law,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 29, 2024)
- Co-Author, “IR laws top CEO concerns,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 16, 2022)
- Co-Author, “Multi-employer bargaining under “Secure Jobs, Better Pay” – 10 implications for employers,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 5, 2022)
- Co-Author, “The psychological assumption behind multi enterprise bargaining,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 22, 2022)
- Co-Author, “The end of enterprise bargaining,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 8, 2022)
- Co-Author, “Should pay secrecy clauses stay or go?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 12, 2022)
- Co-Author, “What do the Jamsek and Personnel Contracting High Court cases really mean for the future of contracts and the performance of work?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 28, 2022)
- Author, “The evolution of casual employment regulation,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 26, 2021)
- Co-Author, “The gig economy – a new category of worker on the horizon?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 21, 2021)
- "The Frontiers of Restraint of Trade Litigation Protecting Goodwill: Policy, Principles and Practice," Australian Business Law Review (August, 2020)
- Author, “The six investment principles to apply to win in litigation,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 4, 2020)
- Author, “Will we win? The odds of success in restraint of trade cases,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 16, 2019)
- Co-Author, “Cyber restraints of trade in the new era of digital markets,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 13, 2019)
- Author, “No silver bullet for wages growth, but there are solutions,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 15, 2019)
- Co-Author, “5 years on – in human resources, industrial relations and workplace health and safety law,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 12, 2018)
- Author, “The post-employment restraint as a business asset,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 4, 2018)
- Author, “Preparing Australian employers for increases in employment class action lawsuits,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 20, 2018)
- Co-Author, “7 proven ingredients in successful enterprise bargaining,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 11, 2018)
- Author, “Why “future proofing” is a myth,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 4, 2018)
- Co-Author, “Changing an employee’s duties: Is that a redundancy?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 8, 2018)
- Co-Author, “A Modern Slavery Act for Australia,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 18, 2017)
- Co-Author, “Proposal to outlaw “unrepresentative” enterprise agreements – when will an enterprise agreement be undone?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 19, 2017)
- Author, “Agreement terminations on the up – 5 union response strategies,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 9, 2017)
- Author, “What does business success look like for leading employers?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 28, 2016)
- Author, “Prescribing the “minimum effective dose,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 21, 2016)
- Co-Author, “You get to write the script for this story…,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 11, 2016)
- Co-Author, “Back to the future: The digital disruption debate,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 30, 2016)
- Co-Author, “What lies beyond enterprise bargaining?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 27, 2016)
- Co-Author, “Key success factors in enterprise bargaining,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 24, 2016)
- Co-Author, “Successful enterprise bargaining – Move from being a “price taker” to a “price maker,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 18, 2016)
- Co-Author, “AFL “list management” – a polite term for age discrimination?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 24, 2015)
- Co-Author, “Zero tolerance – the new standard in the construction industry,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 16, 2015)
- Author, “Leveraging employment restraints to protect business assets,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 25, 2015)
- Author, “Managing redundancy entitlements in loss of contract situations,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 9, 2015)
- Co-Author, “The sharing economy – what’s the potential?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 9, 2015)
- Co-Author, “A classic case of mistaken identity,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 1, 2015)
- Co-Author, “The devil is in the detail – the new gender reporting requirements,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 26, 2015)
- Co-Author, “The difference between winning and losing restraint litigation is often good housekeeping,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 19, 2015)
- Author, “The new industrial revolution – digitisation in the workplace,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 6, 2015)
- Co-Author, “Recovering wasted costs and combatting the “trial by media” litigation strategy,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 12, 2014)
- Author, “Productivity to be front of mind under proposed bargaining law amendments,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 28, 2014)
- Author, “Responding to pornography in the workplace,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 18, 2014)
- Author, “Mutual trust and confidence” not necessary in Australia,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 11, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Protest action – employees walking off the job,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 28, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Simplifying transfer of business within group companies,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 7, 2014)
- Author, “Looking to the future – your workplace in a rapidly changing world,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 31, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Restraint payments – compliance issues,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 26, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Changes to Commonwealth procurement requirements: repeal of the “Fair Work Principles” from 1 July 2014,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 16, 2014)
- Author, “Record fines for CFMEU criminal contempt,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 4, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Drafting and litigating post-employment restraints – Tailoring your restraint to ensure the right fit,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 31, 2014)
- Author, “Don’t stand so close to me – Fair Work Commission makes detailed anti-bullying orders,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 25, 2014)
- Author, “Drafting and litigating post-employment restraints – Prescribing the “minimum effective dose,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 13, 2014)
- Co-Author, “First round of IR changes under the new Government pending,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 3, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Enterprise award modernisation process kicks off in earnest,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 10, 2014)
- Co-Author, “New anti-bullying laws: How will unions respond?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 23, 2014)
- Co-Author, “7 top tips to successfully manage bullying complaints,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 9, 2014)