‘Not your straightforward unfair dismissal’: 3000 pages of evidence in Dr Angela Paladino’s legal fight

A long-serving and highly regarded academic is suing for unfair dismissal after being sacked for alleged serious misconduct.

Dr Angela Paladino has taken her case to the Fair Work Commission.

One of Melbourne’s most prestigious and highly regarded university academics is suing for unfair dismissal after being sacked for alleged serious misconduct.

For nearly a decade, Dr Angela Paladino held the position of professor of marketing at the University of Melbourne.

She is also a former deputy vice-president of the academic board and director of the Williams Centre of Learning Advancement.

Dr Paladino was professor of marketing at the University of Melbourne. Picture: AAP

In a procedural hearing ahead of next week’s hearing, Fair Work Commission deputy president Ian Masson said her case against the university was “not your straightforward unfair dismissal”.

The proceedings so far have involved external workplace investigators and deliberation by the university’s academic dispute committee generating multiple pages of allegations and around 3000 pages of evidence.

Some of the uni’s top execs will be called to give evidence, including provost Nicola Phillips, HR director Genevieve Curtain and Professor Jamie Evans.

Professor Phillips has just been appointed as the new vice-chancellor of Adelaide University from next year.

Dr Paladino has sought reinstatement but it’s being dismissed as an unlikely outcome from mediation.

According to researchgate.net, Dr Paladino has 45 published academic research papers which have received more than 3000 citations.

She is an associate editor of the Italian Journal of Marketing and has editorial links to many other international journals.

She has undertaken research into the use of AI in education, sustainability marketing, business education and understanding the effects of professional development on student learning.

Dr Paladino has been awarded twelve international and national teaching awards and is the recipient of over $35m in competitive funding from national and international agencies.

She also has a PhD from the University of Melbourne and was formerly the director of the institution’s Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching.

A University of Melbourne spokesman said it was “inappropriate for the university to comment on matters subject to active Fair Work Commission proceedings”.

A lawyer acting for Dr Paladino declined to comment.

Originally published as ‘Not your straightforward unfair dismissal’: 3000 pages of evidence in Dr Angela Paladino’s legal fight