Employment Law

Our employment law team is recognised as a New Zealand leader in this field. The team is led by Partners Paul McBride, Guido Ballara, and Frances Lear, and includes Associate Saadi Radcliffe and Solicitor Natasha Reid. We work as a team to approach issues confronting our clients, and provide a very high level of expertise, service, and practical advice at cost effective rates.

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Winners and Finalists in multiple categories of the New Zealand Law Awards

Our Employment partners have presented numerous papers on topical employment law issues at specialist conferences, written articles, and contributed to employment law publications. We work at the cutting edge of employment law, providing results-based advice with a problem resolution focus.

We are frequently engaged in assisting our clients to resolve disputes involving employers, employees and unions. Our diverse client base (including public and private sector employers, unions and employees across many occupational sectors) enables us to provide balanced and workable advice.

We regularly appear for clients in mediation and other dispute resolution processes. We have represented a range of employer and union clients in many leading employment law cases through all steps in problem resolution, from strategy, through mediation, and where not resolved, in tribunals, the Employment Relations Authority and Courts – up to and including the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

Our range of services includes:

  • Drafting and interpreting employment agreements and independent contractor agreements
  • Dispute resolution and mediation
  • Personal grievances/disputes/employment relationship problems
  • Health and safety
  • Official information and privacy
  • Industrial action – strikes and lockouts
  • Holidays and other types of leave obligations and rights
  • Restructuring and surplus staffing/redundancy situations
  • Disciplinary issues
  • Dismissals
  • Sexual harassment policy and prevention
  • Discrimination issues
  • Performance management advice
  • Tribunal/Court representation
  • Restraints of trade and other post-employment issues