The Legal 500 > Asia Pacific > Australia Bar > Labour and employment

Labour And Employment

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Aickin Chambers
Denman Chambers
Dever's List Barristers
List G Barristers
State Chambers
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6 St James Hall Chambers
New Chambers

Leading Silks

Stuart Wood AM QC -Aickin Chambers'The leading QC in the area for challenging matters especially where ‘left field’ thinking is required, together with a team-based approach built around the needs of the client.’
Justin L Bourke QC - Lennon's List Barristers ‘ Justin brings immense experience to the conduct of trials and appeals, having done numerous trials, including trials of substantial length, and complex appeals, in the areas of industrial, employment and discrimination law. ’
Richard Dalton QC - Dever's List Barristers ‘ Very experienced in workplace relations across most industries. Astute, earnest and capable.  First class technician. ’
Chris Murdoch QC - Level 8 Inns of Court Chambers ‘ One of, if not the most, respected ER/IR and WHS QCs in Queensland. Detailed, technical lawyer. Sharp legal mind with a good understanding of the commercial realities relevant on a matter. ’
Chris O’Grady QC - Holmes List ‘ Chris has been involved in a number of the leading employment/industrial cases over the last 15 years. ’
Paul O’Grady QC - List G Barristers ‘ A leading QC in the areas of employment, industrial relations and occupational health and safety, among others. ’
Frank Parry QC - Aickin Chambers ‘ Frank is in our view the most recognised expert industrial relations silk in Victoria and travels nationally to work with clients. ’
Arthur Moses SC  - New Chambers ‘ One of Australia’s leading senior workplace relations and safety barristers. ’
Kate Eastman SC  - New Chambers ‘ Highest profile EEO/human rights silk in NSW but also great at general employment work. ’
Bruce Hodgkinson AM SC - Denman Chambers ‘ Bruce provides authoritative and practical advice in high stakes matters. Highly recommended. Excellent skills in health and safety, employment and industrial relations law. ’
Elizabeth Raper SC - 5 Wentworth Chambers ‘ Strong employment barrister with solid experience in discrimination law. ’
Ian Neil SC - 6 St James Hall Chambers ‘ Ian is in the very top bracket of Employment and Labour Law silks in Australia. ’
John Fernon SC  - PG Hely Chambers 'John is an experienced counsel who is a leading expert in Employment and Industrial law.' 'One of Australia’s leading senior workplace relations barristers who is predominantly Sydney-based.'  
Kylie Nomchong SC - Denman Chambers ‘ Kylie is a leading counsel in all areas of WH&S. ’
Rachel Doyle SC - List G Barristers ‘ She appears regularly in the Supreme Court, the Federal Court and the High Court. She is one of the best employee plaintiff barristers in Australia, but also acts for respondents on occasions and is highly valued. ’
Yaseen Shariff SC  - 12 Wentworth Selborne Chambers 'An extremely well regarded junior barrister with a large following and services the breadth of employment industrial matters. We brief Yaseen across a number of our offices in Australia'.

Leading Juniors

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Brendan J Avallone  - Foley's List Barristers ‘ Transitioned brilliantly from the solicitor ranks to the bar. Excellent for Fair Work Commission work. ’
Marc Felman (Aickin Chambers) - List A Barristers ‘ He acts for both individuals and corporates and is a very astute barrister who can be trusted on significant cases. He gets the bit between his teeth and does not let go. ’
Michael Easton - State Chambers ‘ Provides clear and quick analysis of complex legal issues translated into succinct and effective pleadings. ’
Matthew Follett-Dever's List Barristers'Recognised as one of the leaders in industrial relations litigation. Very sharp on his feet and a quick thinker in advocacy.’
Jonathan Forbes - Foley's List Barristers ‘ Excellent strategist and very attuned to client needs on the provision of workplace relations and employment law advice. ’
Nick Furlan - PG Hely Chambers 'An experienced junior barrister whom we primarily use in Federal Court and Supreme Court proceedings requiring commercial and employment experience.'
Simon Meehan - State Chambers ‘ An all-around thinker that cuts to the chase. Has a very good understanding of necessary evidence to win the case. Very practical and excellent to put in front of clients. ’
Patrick Wheelahan - Dever's List Barristers ‘ He is briefed by our firm across a range of sectors – in construction, vehicle industry and regulatory matters. He is an employment generalist, so can comfortably advise clients on matters ranging from industrial disputes, post-employment restraints and termination/discrimination matters. ’
Andrew Pollock - List G Barristers ‘ A leading counsel in employment and industrial matters before Australian courts and tribunal. ’
Bilal Rauf  - State Chambers ‘ A highly skilled advocate who is exceptionally hardworking and always exploring strategic options in an effort to obtain the most beneficial outcome for his client. ’
Michael Seck - 6 St James Hall Chambers ‘ He is responsive, makes himself available where required and a very safe pair of hands, so accordingly is the primary barrister we use as part of our practice. ’
Martin Shume - Denman Chambers ‘ A seasoned and strategic barrister who is one of the leading barristers in the area of work health and safety law. ’
Robert Taylor - Holmes List ‘ The best safety barrister in Australia. Ex copper. Street-wise. ’
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Nico Burmeister - Young's List Barristers ‘ Leading counsel in employment and industrial matters before Australian courts and tribunals. ’
Jamie Darams  - Greenway Chambers ‘ An outstanding junior workplace relations barrister who has a tenacious and practical approach to managing large scale litigation. ’
Rebecca Davern-Nelson - List G Barristers ‘ A go-to senior junior for claims before the Fair Work Commission or Federal Court. ’
Ben Fogarty - Denman Chambers ‘ Ben is a skilled advocate in matters before the Fair Work Commission. He also conducts complex workplace investigations. ’
Dilan Mahendra - Greenway Chambers ‘ Since coming to the Bar in 2010, Dilan has developed a reputation as a “go to” junior counsel for restraint of trade matters. We highly recommend Dilan in respect of his employment experience, particularly with respect to interlocutory restraint matters. ’

Rising Stars

Jaye D Alderson - State Chambers ‘ An excellent barrister who has a great grasp of the technical and factual issues in a trial. ’
Vanja Bulut -12 Wentworth Selborne Chambers 'Promising junior with strong technical and advocacy skills and good commercial acumen.' 
Franceska Leoncio - List A Barristers 'A promising junior for contested employment and industrial relations work.’
Leigh Howard - List G Barristers ‘ A very good junior barrister who understands the brief and works in a cost effective manner. ’
Heather Millar - Francis Burt Chambers ‘ A leading counsel in employment and industrial matters before Australian courts and tribunals. ’

Labour and employment in Australia Bar

Aickin Chambers

Aickin Chambers in Melbourne is arguably home to the top two QCs in Australia. Clients report that Frank Parry QC 'has been a leading barrister for over a decade, acting for large employers in the largest contentious matters.' Stuart Wood AM QC is reported to be 'number one in Australia, with an extreme client and legal focus'. Another client reports that he is a 'market-leading thinker and advocate in industrial relations matters, particularly good with complex union rules issues.'

Denman Chambers

Denman Chambers was established in 1994 and houses some 20 barristers. Although the set offers broad commercial expertise, employment, industrial relations, and health and safety are key areas of focus. Head of chambers, Bruce Hodgkinson AM SC provides 'authoritative and practical' assistance on the full range of employment, industrial relations, and workplace health and safety. In addition to State and Federal Courts, his decades of experience extends to appearing in Industrial Relations Commissions, and before Coroners' Courts. Kylie Nomchong SC is rated highly for an impressive range of work across areas ranging from discrimination cases to health and safety prosecutions. The latter includes a case acting for the NSW mining regulator. She is also recommended for enterprise agreements matters, inquests, and commissions of inquiry. Martin Shume is 'one of the pre-eminent senior juniors in work health and safety'. His wide-ranging expertise extends to inquests, commissions of inquiry, and criminal matters. 'A skilled advocate' Ben Fogarty is recommended for his handling of Fair Work Commission cases and the conduct of complex workplace investigations. He has a focus on all areas of discrimination including in the education sector.

Dever's List Barristers

As part of a full service across all major practice areas, Dever's List Barristers accommodates a number of sought-after barristers in the labour and employment arena. One such is Richard Dalton QC (Aikin Chambers) who is lauded by one law firm as a 'pre-eminent counsel in appellate industrial matters before Australian courts and tribunals.' He has some 25 years of experience and took silk in 2018. He acts in numerous high-stakes cases in the energy, resources, and transportation sectors and also counts government and public sector employers and regulatory bodies among his clients. Matthew Follett (Aickin Chambers) is considered by one client as the 'best high-end industrial technician in Australia'. He handles cases for domestic and international clients in the construction, infrastructure, and natural resources areas, in addition to State and Federal Government agency clients. Patrick Wheelahan (Owen Dixon Chambers East) is 'highly recommended' by a law firm that appreciates the breadth of his expertise which includes discrimination cases, industrial relations, and post-employment restraint matters.

List G Barristers

List G Barristers houses a strong team of employment and industrial relations silks and juniors, one of whom is Rachel Doyle SC. She is lauded as 'one of Australia’s leading senior workplace relations barristers who does a lot of union defence work.' She has comprehensive expertise across all aspect of industrial and employment law in addition to handling inquests, royal commissions and class actions. Paul O’Grady QC is also in demand as a specialist employment, industrial relations, and occupational health and safety law. Leigh Howard is 'an impressive junior barrister who practices in employment and industrial relations matters'. His recent work includes being briefed on a discrimination matter, and he is also highlighted for his regulatory and public law litigation experience. 'Excellent middle junior barrister' Andrew Pollock is noted for his comprehensive 'national, commercial practice covering litigious, advisory and strategic matters'. He is especially cited for dealing with disputes relating to industrial relations and enterprise bargaining. Rebecca Davern-Nelson is acknowledged as a 'senior junior who is regularly briefed on disputes in Federal Court and the Fair Work Commission'.

State Chambers

State Chambers was founded in 1997 and is headed by Michael Cranitch SC. It has a focus on public, commercial, and employment and industrial relations law and human rights.  When working with the 'highly recommended' Michael Easton, clients report this to be 'a great experience'. He provides the full range of employment and industrial relations assistance to both large and small corporates, government entities, and employees. Simon Meehan's principal focus is employment; one client considers him 'a first choice in Sydney'. He is also highlighted for the range of sectors that he understands, from natural resources and transport to the education sector. 'A good junior with a strong background and expertise in industrial relations', Bilal Rauf is instructed on the gamut of work, examples of which include enterprise agreements with major, global employers and restraint of trade matters. Jaye D Alderson's work spans inquiries, criminal law, and native title in addition to industrial disputes. One client reports 'we have relied on Jaye’s experience in industrial law and litigation while briefing her as junior counsel for some of our most complex matters.' Fiona Hayden is the managing clerk to the chambers.

6 St James Hall Chambers

At 6 St James Hall Chambers, Ian Neil SC is widely reported to be 'a pre-eminent counsel in appellate industrial matters before Australian courts and tribunals'. His recent work includes complex matters for clients in the resources sectors. Michael Seck is highlighted for his abilities handling an impressive range of matters, both general employment, and industrial relations matters. He is also noted for acting for major Australian employers in both the private and public sectors; regulators and trades unions.

New Chambers

The talent at New Chambers includes a number of highly regarded employment, industrial relations, work health and safety, and human rights practitioners. Arthur Moses SC – a past President of the NSW Bar Association – additionally covers administrative law, coronial inquests, corruption inquiries, proceeds of crime litigation, and military law cases. He is regularly briefed on employment-related class actions and ICAC inquiries. The distinguished Kate Eastman SC  has a high profile in relation to areas including human rights, public, and health law cases. In addition to extensive experience across this practice area, she is also 'great to work with'.