Employment

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Our Employment Law team is one of the largest and most experienced in New Zealand, with offices in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. This geographical coverage enables us to provide more immediate and intimate employment law services and representation to clients throughout the country.

We understand the complexities that come with employment law. We are known for having long established relationships with our clients and fully engaging with their business to understand their unique industries. Our approach ensures we can offer a bespoke employment law service and provide pragmatic, robust and innovative legal advice, enabling employers to make sound employment-related decisions for their business and staff.

Recognised as a leading employment practice by Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, Best Lawyers and Doyles Guide, we are also one of a limited number of law firms providing external employment law services to New Zealand Government agencies through the All of Government legal panel.

When working with clients we:

• Listen and take the time to understand your needs
• Agree on a fee solution for instructions that works for both parties
• Provide employment law advice and advocacy at a standard that exceeds your expectations
• Think laterally to find solutions to challenges
• Are easily contactable and happy to meet and chat on a regular basis
• Provide regular workshops to keep our clients ahead of developments and changes in the law

We provide a full employment law service, regularly appearing at Mediations and hearings in the Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court and ordinary Courts, including experience in the Court of Appeal and in relation to a Supreme Court matter. We advise and represent on all aspects of employment law, including health & safety, ACC, privacy, human rights, minimum entitlements and workplace investigations.

Our health and safety expertise is in high demand. We acted on New Zealand’s first defended health and safety prosecution under the previous legislation (Department of Labour v de Spa) and have provided health and safety workshops for numerous entities, including WorkSafe (New Zealand’s health and safety Regulator), ACC (New Zealand’s accident compensation Regulator) and the New Zealand Law Society.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to raise unprecedented employment, health and safety, immigration and ACC issues. Our entire team will continue to support our clients through these challenging times with targeted, up-to-date advice.

We are genuinely passionate about what we do; we enjoy our work and our clients’ company, which we believe translates into the provision of excellent employment law services. We are at the forefront of employment law in New Zealand, which is demonstrated by the attendance at our workshops around the country.

Our focus is on delivering practical employment law advice and support. One key difference between us and our competitors is that we understand that being able to pick up the phone and receive prompt advice is important to clients. We are not the type of law firm that will produce a lengthy written opinion when a  phone conversation or short email will provide the support required. However, where needed, we will provide concise, well researched employment law advice on complex matters.

Our clients can feel confident at all times that we will handle all matters with professionalism and efficiency.