Mr Harold Downes > Mills Oakley > Brisbane, Australia > Lawyer Profile

A mix of high-profile corporates, private companies and government agencies make up the stellar client base of Mills Oakley, all turning to the group for advice on WHS matters, from initial due diligence work and incident response through to investigations and court appellate trials. Leadership of the practice is shared between six lawyers: in Brisbane, Harold Downes brings 30 years of experience helping clients with safety compliance and incident response, and in Melbourne, Ross Levin’s practice blends health and safety defence with health and safety fraud matters. In the Sydney office, Laura Sowden routinely represents respondents in cases of discrimination, harassment and unfair dismissal before various courts, and Malcolm Davis brings over 20 years of experience advising clients in the construction and agricultural sectors on health and safety. Canberra-based partner William Ward proficiently juggles a range of general protection claims, and Rob Humphreys in Perth advises on workplace incidents and investigations.

The national team at Mills Oakley offers clients a blend of industrial relations, employment and litigation services, attracting leading international and ASX-listed companies from various industries. Ross Levin co-chairs the group from Melbourne, managing work from government bodies, as well as private and listed companies, while Laura Sowden does so from Sydney, drawing on her in-depth knowledge of both employment and health and safety law. Harold Downes leads from Brisbane, where he advises on industrial relations matters, while Canberra-based partner William Ward handles bullying, harassment and discrimination cases. Daniel White, in the Perth office, is noted for his ‘quality of advice’ and is active in employment disputes.