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Australia
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Labour and employment: workplace health and safety (WHS)

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K&L Gates

More information
K&L Gates maintains a strong practice across sport, health, education, government, retail, professional services, and agriculture. The team is led by Melbourne-based Michaela Moloney, who is highly respected for her knowledge in employment, industrial, and discrimination law. Alanna Fitzpatrick is a recognised ‘stand-out practitioner’, advising on critical incident responses and ensuring compliance with safety obligations.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Accolades

Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: NPS ®

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Alanna Fitzpatrick and her whole team are wonderful to deal with - quick, responsive, very knowledgeable and really fantastic client care.'

  • 'They get results and are very easy to work with.’

  • ‘Alanna Fitzpatrick is a stand-out practitioner! She really gets to know you as a client and is very commercial.’

  • 'K&L Gates’ WHS team operates as part of a national labour & employment bench that we consistently recognise and appreciate their tailored, timely and actionable advice—distinct from template-driven approaches I see elsewhere. Their WHS capability spans regulatory investigations, incident response and psychosocial risk management, which is exactly where organisations carry the most enforcement exposure today.'

  • 'The individuals I have worked with at K&L Gates’ Brisbane WHS team stand out because of their ability to combine deep legal knowledge with commercial pragmatism. Unlike many practitioners who provide theoretical or heavily caveated views, this team delivers advice that is immediately usable at board and executive level.'

  • 'Alanna Fitzpatrick's advice is always solutions-focused, pragmatic, and clearly grounded in an appreciation of risk and commercial realities. She has made a genuine commitment to understanding the unique aspects of our business.'

  • 'Our operations are extremely diverse, and our workplace environment is uniquely complex, which presents additional challenges in managing employment, WHS, personal injury, and litigation matters. K&L Gates has consistently provided expert advice and support, navigating even the most complex issues with clarity and confidence.'

Key clients

  • Australia Football League
  • BlueScope Steel Limited
  • Cricket Australia
  • Essendon Football Club
  • EBOS Group
  • Infosys Technologies Ltd
  • Master Builders Association of Victoria
  • Murrays Australia
  • Royal Melbourne Hospital
  • Victoria University
  • Victorian Managed Insurance Authority

Work highlights

Represented the Royal Melbourne Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in Australia, in the Federal Court of Australia in an urgent application by a surgeon to return to work after having been stood down by the Hospital pending an investigation into his conduct.
Advising Cricket Australia on employment law and workplace safety matters, as well as across other legal areas including intellectual property, litigation and dispute resolution, real estate and leasing, and corporate governance.
Advising the Master Builders Association of Victoria on compliance with specific aspects of Victoria' occupational health and safety legislation, including in relation to workers' compensation, incident responses, safety prosecutions, and submissions to government.

Practice head

Michaela Moloney

Other key lawyers

Alanna Fitzpatrick