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Blake Dawson’s ‘very deep bench of talent’ makes it ‘one of the better firms’, say clients, who use it for a full suite of services. Clients include AWB, BHP Billiton, HBOS and Qantas. The firm assisted several clients in adapting to recent industrial relations (IR) reforms. National head of practice Richard Bunting is ‘very good’, while Ian Humphreys in Queensland is ‘unmatched’.

Freehills provides the ‘highest quality of advice’ in this field, thanks to a premium talent including Paul Burns, a ‘leader in the field’, the ‘first-class’ Alan Colman and practice head Graeme Smith. The firm is assisting CBA and Tullett Prebon in two large employment litigation matters, while Tiwest has retained it for strategic IR advice. Other clients include BHP Billiton and Qantas.

Minter Ellison’s employment team is ‘timely, practical, pragmatic and principled’; practice head Jim Fox is a ‘valuable resource’, technical specialist Gareth Jolly and Michael Tehan are recommended for ‘insider knowledge of the courts, legislature and trade unions’. The practice advised Australia Post on industrial and strategic advice regarding mail delivery restructuring, and a strong litigation team assisted Boeing in a pioneering discrimination case.

Sydney-based Joe Catanzariti heads the practice at Clayton Utz, which advises a mix of public sector bodies, major corporates, universities, and associations, including Australian Western Railroad, Brisbane City Council and Monash University. The firm advised the Australian Communication Exchange on the finalisation of 150 workplace agreements. Graham Smith in Melbourne is a ‘leading individual’, ‘particularly good’, but the firm suffered with the defection of four partners to Herbert Geer.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth has been the primary adviser to the federal government on recent reforms, including the Workplace Relations Amendment Act and the Fair Work Bill. The firm also advises private sector clients, including Perpetual, Westpac, Coles Group, and Mirvac. Stephen Price heads the practice.

Allens Arthur Robinson’s practice is headed by Tim Frost, and supports a leading corporate group that ensures a supply of quality clients. The team has particular strength in senior executive work, for clients such as Amcor and Aristocrat. The firm is also ‘very good’ in IR matters, and recently prepared Sydney Ferries’ new IR strategy.

Industrial relations is a core feature of DLA Phillips Fox’s employment practice, which serves in both advisory and litigious capacities on difficult matters, such as Foster’s decision to outsource 25% of its Abbotsford brewery employees. The firm works with the federal government on workplace reform. Nick Ruskin is recommended.

Deacons provides a ‘highly professional service’, while its fees are ‘more reasonable than other large firms’. New clients include the New South Wales Police, EDS and Suzlon. Mark Hammond recently acted for Beaconsfield Gold Mine throughout a high-profile investigation and inquest into a fatality. Sarah Ralph is recommended for IR.

Harmers Workplace Lawyers is a full-service boutique that frequently wins standalone instructions, such as advising Mars Australia on employment issues associated with its Wrigley’s acquisition. Name partner Michael Harmer advised the plaintiff against PricewaterhouseCoopers in Australia’s largest sex discrimination claim. The ‘excellent’ Joydeep Hor heads the practice.

Murray Kellock at Mallesons Stephen Jaques is a ‘trusted source of information and advice’. The firm provides strategic advice to clients including BHP Billiton, Goldman Sachs and Nestlé. Kellock’s team represented Caterpillar in regard to industrial action at a key parts supplier, and Chubb Security in relation to discrimination claims.

‘Strategic and commercial’, Australian Business Lawyers is a ‘first-class’ boutique managed by Tim Capelin, a lawyer of ‘exceptional integrity’. The full-service practice exhibits depth and ‘cost-consciousness’, and includes leading practitioners such as John Stanton. The department advised a leading pharmaceutical distributor in regard to its enterprise agreement strategy.

Baker & McKenzie advised clients on Australia’s workplace reform initiatives, including their impact on M&A undertaken by Asahi, DHL and Blackstone. Dispute resolution is a key strength, and the firm is advising AMP on high-level executive litigation. Spiro Mellos advises clients such as the New South Wales Treasury, ALDI, and SITA Australia.

FCB - Workplace Lawyers & Consultants provides ‘excellent, timely service over a range of issues at a reasonable price’, say clients, who regard Campbell Fisher’s team as ‘professional and friendly’. The firm represented new client Coles in defending unfair dismissal claims, and is advising its clients generally on legislative reform. Major clients include ING, AAPT and Sydney Water.

Clients appreciate the ‘practical approach’ taken by Henry Davis York. The ‘professional’ Pamela Flynn advised the receivers and managers of ABC Learning and Commander Communications, while the ‘commercial’ Stephen Jauncey represented Woolworths in an unfair dismissal claim. Head of practice Tony Woods is noted for his ‘refreshing use of plain language’.

Herbert Geer’s five-strong team is recommended for ‘comprehensive’ employment advice, having grown in stature after recruiting four partners from the Melbourne office of Clayton Utz. The new additions include Chris Hartigan, Louise Russell and Luci Mumme.

Arnold Bloch Leibler’s Henry Skene advised the Australian Mines & Metals Association on policy and labour relations, as well as Bilfinger Berger Services (Australia) on its labour relations strategy. Kishanie Wijewickrama is now a partner at the firm.

Fragomen advises on immigration law. It recently advised Satyam Computer Services on setting up operations in Australia. Clients are ‘very satisfied with the advice and support provided’ by key partner Teresa Liu.

Mark Sant leads the team at Gadens Lawyers, which focuses on contentious advice, such as a recent religious discrimination case for a hotel management company. Kathryn Dent displays ‘depth of knowledge and availability’.

Justitia is an ‘excellent’ boutique that launched in 2005. It has earned re-appointments to panels including ANZ, sanofi-aventis, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Managing partner Jane Seymore has focused on growing occupational health and safety (OH&S) and public sector work.

Maddocks provides ‘nothing short of outstanding’ advice to public and private clients including IBM and Victoria’s state government. The ‘extremely knowledgeable’ Ross Jackson possesses ‘strategic and tactical skills’, while Catherine Dunlop and Darren Gardner are also recommended.

Tim Longwill at McCullough Robertson is popular in Queensland’s public sector, and recently advised on arbitration concerning the Queensland Ambulance Service’s enterprise bargaining agreement. Its private sector clients are mainly drawn from the resources and contractor sectors.

Middletons specialises in contentious workplace and IR matters, but Gerard Phillips has a strong OH&S practice for clients including DP World.

Piper Alderman sits on the Office of 
Workplace Services legal panel, and assists corporate clients in employment matters. WorkChoices expert Andrew Stewart is a consultant.

Press releases

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Legal Developments worldwide

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
  • Boult Wade Tennant partner to speak at Management Forum’s Trademark Administrator conference

    Felicity Hide, a partner in Boult Wade Tennant’s Trade Mark and Domain Name Group, will be speaking at the Management Forum’s Trademark Administrator conference on 28 October 2010 at the Rembrandt Hotel in London.
    - Boult Wade Tennant
  • THE NEW PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP LEGISLATION IS ADOPTED IN UKRAINE

    On 26 July the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych signed the Law “On the Foundations of Cooperation of the State with Private Partners” (the “Law”) which was adopted by the Ukrainian Parliament on 1 July to establish a framework for public-private partnership (“PPP”) in Ukraine. In May 2009 the Parliament already adopted the framework law on PPP, which, however, was later set aside.
    - Avellum Partners
  • Employers’ age discrimination of under-18s legal

    On 30 June 2010, the Danish Eastern High Court established that the provisions and the practice on a number of areas covered by collective agreements, supporting a lower pay for employees under 18 years and termination of the employees when they turn 18, cannot be deemed to constitute a violation of the Employment Equality Directive (Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000).
    - Norrbom Vinding Law Firm, member of ius laboris
  • Danish Holiday Act amended

    The Danish Ministry of Employment wants to stop employees speculating in having their holiday pay paid out. This has resulted in an amendment of the Danish Holiday Act.
    - Norrbom Vinding Law Firm, member of ius laboris
  • ”Honey” was not sexual harassment

    Close physical contact and calling an employee “honey" was not enough to prove that a manager had sexually harassed an employee.
    - Norrbom Vinding Law Firm, member of ius laboris
  • Doubt about how to interpret part-time leave agreement

    The Danish Board of Equal Treatment was not satisfied that an employer’s interpretation of an agreement about part-time leave was in breach of the Danish Act on Equal Treatment of Men and Women.
    - Norrbom Vinding Law Firm, member of ius laboris
  • Part-time and fixed-term employment in the EU

    Three provisions of Austrian law about part-time and fixed-term employment met with opposition at the European Court of Justice – they were held to be at odds with EU law.
    - Norrbom Vinding Law Firm, member of ius laboris
  • Public-sector managers, too, are entitled to freedom of speech

    The Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman has established once again that public-sector employees enjoy a high degree of freedom of speech.
    - Norrbom Vinding Law Firm, member of ius laboris
  • Wikborg Rein newsletter: Paying for pirates

    Background: Attacks by Somali pirates are still commonplace and the fall-out from kidnappings of individuals and seizures of ships by pirates are still being dealt with by insurance companies, P&I clubs, arbitration tribunals, courts of law and national governments.
    - Wikborg Rein
  • Friendlier Norwegian hedge funds regulations in force

    FRIENDLIER NORWEGIAN HEGDE FUNDS REGULATIONS IN FORCE July 2010 sees friendlier Norwegian hedge funds regulations entering into force – at last. New regulations lift the previous general marketing ban, implying that marketing licences shall now be obtainable.
    - Wikborg Rein

Press releases

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to
  • Restriction of Directors in Irish law – a recent development

    A recent Supreme Court decision has offered some insight into the law on the restriction of company directors by the Courts. The decision is particularly helpful as it addresses the differing roles of executive and non-executive directors, the type of conduct which will be classed as “irresponsible” in the conduct of the affairs of a company in financial difficulty and the need for the law to apply to the particular circumstances at issue.
    Hayes Solicitors
  • WKB – lead advisor to the investment of LNG Terminal in Swinoujscie

    The agreement for construction of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) Terminal in Swinoujscie was signed on 15th July in Warsaw. WKB Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr was the main advisor in all stages of this voluminous PLN 3 billion investment. The State Treasury Minister, Aleksander Grad, representatives of GAZ-SYSTEM SA and Polskie LNG, as well as WKB lawyers attended the signing ceremony. The following WKB lawyers were involved in the project as advisors: advocate and partner Jan Rolinski, advocate and partner Bartlomiej Jankowski, and legal counsel Anna Flaga-Martynek.
    WKB Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr Sp. k.
  • Paksoy acted for joint lead managers this transaction involving Akbank, Turkey's largest lender

    Akbank, Turkey's largest lender by market value, borrowed $1 billion in a five-year RegS/144A bond issue.  Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citibank, JPMorgan and Standard Chartered were the joint lead managers for the issue.
    Paksoy
  • New law firm in Luxembourg

    As of March 1, 2010 and following a split is born Linari Law Firm. The firm’s contact details are:
    Linari Law Firm
  • Wildgen elected new Partner, Director and Senior Associates

    Wildgen, Partners in Law, a leading Luxembourg corporate law firm, elected Daniel Boone to partnership and announces the appointment of a Director and five Senior Associates.
    Wildgen
  • Wildgen, Partners in Law to receive two new Awards

    Luxembourg, 14 June 2010 – Wildgen, one of the most renowned law firms in Luxembourg, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded “Benelux Re-insurance Law Firm of the Year” and “Benelux Sharia Law Firm of the Year”.
    Wildgen
  • LEXENCE BENOEMT MARK KEUSS TOT BESTUURDER

    Amsterdam, 29 juni 2010 - Met ingang van 1 juli is mr. Mark Keuss benoemd tot lid van het dagelijks bestuur van Lexence voor een periode van drie jaar. Keuss volgt mr. Menno van Groningen op die terugtreedt na het verstrijken van zijn zittingsperiode.
    Lexence
  • Hengeler Muelelr advises SANYO on sale of global semiconductor business

    Japan' SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (Osaka) has sold its global semiconductor business to the US company ON Semiconductor Corporation, Phoenix (Arizona). The transaction is subject to various closing conditions and regulatory approvals, such as clearance by merger control authorities.
    Hengeler Mueller
  • Hengeler Mueller advises Henkel on joint venture with BASF

    Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and BASF have signed a joint venture agreement to develop innovative corrosion protection solutions for the automotive industry.
    Hengeler Mueller
  • Salans Swoops In On Elite Real Estate Team

    Salans has announced that one of the most recognisable names in real estate in Central Europe, Pawel Debowski, plans to join forces with Salans, a power-house in the real estate arena and one of the top international legal practices in Central and Eastern Europe. Debowski is rated as a “Band Star” by Chambers Europe who commented that “…observers are generally in awe of (his) outstanding outfit.”
    Salans