DLA Piper’s employment team manages executive exits, major restructures, and complex workplace investigations, while ensuring regulatory compliance across industries including finance, tech, healthcare, energy, and infrastructure. Nicholas Turner leads the team, specialising in employment law, executive incentives, and remuneration, while Clancy King left for Clifford Chance in January 2025.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'They are very responsive and collaborative. The advice is given with an understanding of the entirety of your situation and the problem you are trying to solve.'
- 'Leanne Nickels is very responsive, takes into account all information, and considers what you are trying to achieve. She ensures you understand the ramifications of all actions taken.'
- 'Joanne Leveridge has been very responsive and able to handle our queries.'
- 'Rick Catanzariti provided a time-critical, specialist piece of vendor due diligence on very short notice as part of an M&A transaction. He delivered on time and to the standard required by the W&I underwriter.'
- 'The DLA Piper Perth employment team, led by Leanne Nickels, is engaging, capable and highly responsive. They combine deep knowledge of Australian workplace law with a genuinely commercial mindset, giving us clear, practical options rather than long memos filled with legalese.'
- 'Matters are managed tightly and regular updates are provided. They are proactive in risk-spotting and often provide short, targeted briefings and playbooks for HR and line managers, plus training that lands well with non-lawyers.'
- 'The team is personable and easy to work with, and they handle sensitive investigations with discretion and empathy. Compared with other firms, their advice is pragmatic and action-oriented, and they reliably meet urgent deadlines without compromising quality.'
- 'Leanne Nickels leads a highly responsive, commercially-focussed team. Leanne is available at all hours, and is a particularly capable communicator when dealing with senior leaders, boards and shareholders. She is a creative thinker and legal strategist, and goes above-and-beyond to support her clients when they need her most.'
Key clients
- Curtin University
- Western Health Alliance Limited
- Freshmax Pty Ltd
- TWU Nominees Pty Ltd
- NOV Australia Pty Ltd
- Pathology Australia Limited
- Block, Inc
- Ansarada
Work highlights
Advised Western Health Alliance Limited on managing whistleblower complaints and staff issues during a major organisational restructure, including engagement with the Commonwealth Government and media.
Advised NOV Australia Pty Ltd on enterprise agreement negotiations with unions, including strategic responses to industrial action such as strikes, lockouts, and protected action ballots.
Acted for Pathology Australia Limited in a landmark pay equity case before the Fair Work Commission Full Bench, involving expert evidence and submissions on historical gender-based award rates.
Practice head
Nicholas Turner
Other key lawyers
Joanne Leveridge; Leanne Nickels; Rick Catanzariti