Best Lawyers in Australia for Labour and Employment Law
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David is a consultant in Holding Redlich's Workplace Relations for Employees Group. His areas of practice include: representing employees in complex employment disputes involving the termination of employment, discrimination claims, bullying claims and restraint of trade claims representing employees, councillors and statutory office holders involved in investigations by the Ombudsman, IBAC, Royal Commissions and professional disciplinary bodies acting for unions in relation to workplace issu...
John Blackburn SC is a leading workplace relations barrister. John practises almost exclusively in industrial and employment matters. He regularly advises and appears in Federal and State courts and tribunals on matters ranging from large scale industrial disputes to executive employment litigation, adverse action and discrimination claims by individuals. He has appeared in many notable cases, both at first instance and appellate level, including in 2021 in the High Court's landmark CFMMEU v ...
Fay has acted for employers for the last 20 years across a range of industries including professional services, manufacturing, sport, health, aged care, community services and local councils focused always on the purpose and imperatives of the organisations she is servicing. As a specialist on all matters touching the workplace, Fay provides practical advice and guidance on proactive compliance, change management and restructuring, discrimination, bullying, harassment, misconduct investigatio...
Sam McGrath leads the Employment and Industrial Relations team at Cowell Clarke. Sam’s primary focus is in the area of employment and industrial relations law, where he provides advice and representation to corporate and business employers. With broad-based experience in litigation, Sam brings a unique background and astute insight to his specialisation in employment law. In 2017 Sam was appointed by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) as principal solicitor assisting...
Stephen is a partner in the firm's Workplace Relations and Safety group and is the firm's Sydney Managing Partner. He has significant experience in all aspects of workplace relations and safety, and provides a wide range of strategic advice and protects clients' interests in all applicable Courts and Tribunals. Stephen's experience includes: advising on all termination of employment issues and procedures, including in respect of senior executives on questions concerning options, bonus entitle...
Rachel is a highly experienced workplace lawyer with extensive experience in government, education, medical & allied health and construction & resources sectors. She specialises in employment & industrial relations issues, including enterprise bargaining, workplace disputes, Federal Circuit Court & Fair Work Commission litigation, employee misconduct investigations, professional conduct standards and registration, business sponsorship and migration, defamation disputes, work h...
Abraham Ash is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits Law and Labour and Employment Law. Abraham, who practices law in Sydney, Australia, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Abraham is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jacquie has practised employment law, discrimination law and education law since 1990. Her sports law practice has grown naturally from these other areas since 2006. She has guided clients through four major reforms to the federal industrial relations system. An experienced litigator in employment and industrial relations, Jacquie has specialist expertise in discrimination, unfair dismissal, breach of contract claims, industrial disputes, and prosecutions for breach of awards, industrial laws...
Aaron has extensive employment and industrial relations law experience working with clients across a range of industries. Specifically, Aaron specialises in enterprise bargaining, industrial strategies and disputes, disciplinary and performance matters, independent contractor claims, corporate restructuring and outsourcing, managing ill and injured workers, breach of contract claims, and enforcement of restraints of trade. Aaron acts for prominent Australian and international companies. His e...
Alicia Mataere is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labour and Employment Law. Alicia, who practices law in Sydney, Australia, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alicia is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ben is a partner in Holding Redlich's Workplace Relations & Safety Group. He provides straightforward and practical guidance and direction to businesses in relation to all aspects of labour and employment law, helping them to understand the issues they face and deliver their desired commercial outcomes. In particular, Ben specialises in workplace strategy, including change management, restructuring, enterprise bargaining and responding to industrial action, defending against employee and ...
Annie Smeaton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labour and Employment Law. Annie, who practices law in Brisbane, Australia, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Annie is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kathy Dalton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labour and Employment Law and Occupational Health and Safety Law. Kathy, who practices law in Melbourne, Australia, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kathy is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
I have been a lawyer since 2001, having worked for five years for a small firm and then for just under ten years at a medium-size firm. I have acted in litigation in most jurisdictions, including trials/hearings in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Federal Court, Federal Circuit Court, District Court, Magistrates Court, State Administrative Tribunal, Fair Work Commission, the Coroners Court and the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission. My aim is to assist clients to understand...
Malcolm Scott is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labour and Employment Law. Malcolm, who practices law in Sydney, Australia, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Malcolm is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.