Harmers Workplace Lawyers
“I’m impressed with the depth of knowledge shown by the Harmers team. It’s something I appreciate as an HR director: in-depth knowledge of my business and what we do.”





Harmers Workplace Lawyers is recognised as one of the leading employment law practices in Australia. The firm focuses on innovative, high-quality problem solving and a preventive approach to law across all areas of employment, safety and labour law. We act for businesses of all sizes, from international and ASX 100 listed companies to start-ups and SMEs; financial institutions; government and public sector companies; unions and associations; and non-profit organisations. We also act for high-net-worth individuals and senior executives. The firm’s aim is to implement workplace fairness for all, and we commit to this not just through assisting all sides of the employment relationship, but by running test cases when there is a need to challenge the law. Harmers has also run some of Australia’s landmark cases in employment law and discrimination.
International recognition and awards
- 2023 Australasian Law Awards “Employment Law Specialist Firm of the Year”
- 2023 & 2022 Australasian Law Awards “Employment Law – Excellence Award”
- 2022 HRD magazine’s HR Service Provider Awards “Employment Law Medal Winner
- 2022 & 2021 Australasian Lawyer “Top Boutique Law Firm List”
- 2021 Australasian Lawyer “5-Star Employment Law Firm”2021 Australian Lawyers Weekly “Boutique Law Firm of the Year”
- 2020 Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards “Employment & Workplace Relations Team of the Year”
- Harmers’ lawyers are consistently ranked in international directories; and the firm is recommended for labour and employment law in Australia.
Historical people management awards
- Australasian Law Awards “Diversity Initiative of the Year – Excellence Award”
- Australasian Law Awards “Corporate Citizen Firm of the Year – Excellence Award”
- The Australian Lawyers Weekly “Boutique Diversity Law Firm of the Year”
- The Euromoney “Best Firm in Sydney for Women in Business Law“
- Workplace Excellence” Award from the Victorian government
- An Award for “Innovative Contribution to HR” from the Australian Institute of Management (AIM)
- The Australian Human Resources Institute Award for “Excellence in People Management”, and
- Ranked as high as the number 4 business in the country in the “Work/Life Initiative in Australian Industry” survey.

Harmers Workplace Lawyers
NSW 2000 Sydney
Google maps
+61 292 674 322
https://www.harmers.com.au/
Contact person
People of Harmers Workplace Lawyers

Memberships
Michael Harmer is the President of the Australian Institute of Employment Rights
Awards
- 2022 Client’s Choice exclusive winner in Australia for “Labour & Employment Law”
- 2022 Australasian Lawyer “Law Firm Leader of the Year – Excellence Award”
- 2022 Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards category winner – “Employment Law – Australia”
- 2022 Who’s Who Legal – Recommended Lawyer – Labour Law Global Guide
- 2022 Who’s Who Legal – Recommended Lawyer – Australia & New Zealand – Labour, Employment & Benefits
- 2021 & 2020 Australian Lawyers Weekly “Workplace Relations & Employment Partner of the Year”
- 2022-2021 Chambers Global “Leading Australian Employment Lawyer”
- 2022-2021 Asia Pacific Legal 500 “Hall of Fame – Employment Law”
- 2021 & 2020 Asia Law Profiles “Distinguished Practitioner”
- 2022-2017 ACQ Law Awards “Australia – Labour Lawyer of the Year”
- 2020 Australian Lawyers Weekly “Managing Partner of the Year”
Who’s Who Legal 2022:
“Michael Harmer is recognised as a top name in the market who specialises in “high-profile, cutting-edge plaintiff work”.
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2022:
“Michael Harmer of Harmers Workplace Lawyers is well known in the market for his work on contentious matters concerning a wide range of issues including modern awards, discrimination and industrial action. A client comments: “He has a brilliant mind, knows workplace law inside-out, is indefatigable, and is ever courteous and considered.”
Publications
2022 Hardie Grant Publishing
A New Work Relations Architecture – The AIER Model for the Future of Work
Chapter One: The Foundations Author: Michael Harmer
“Objectives of the New Architecture for a Fairer System”
Michael Harmer
- Phone
- +61 292 674 322
- michael.harmer@harmers.com.au
- Address
-
31 Market St
Sydney Office Level 27
NSW 2000
Sydney
Australia
+61 292 674 322
https://www.harmers.com.au/
- Languages
- English
Michael is the Chairman and Senior Team Leader of Harmers Workplace Lawyers, and has 40 years’ experience in workplace relations. During this time he has provided legal and strategic advice in a number of major enterprise bargaining and change management initiatives and has built up extensive experience and expertise in all areas of workplace relations and safety law. This has included the conduct of some of the leading cases in Australia on sex discrimination and sexual harassment.
Michael’s background includes managing a major industrial law practice as a partner in one of Australia’s largest law firms and previously having been:
- Research Officer to Presidential members of the then Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission (undertaking legal, economic and arbitral research and advice work initially for Sir John Moore and later Mr Justice Maddern);
- Solicitor for the New South Wales Department of Industrial Relations (advice and prosecution work in industrial relations, employment and occupational health and safety);
- Industrial Officer for a private sector employer (oil industry); and
- Research Officer for one of Australia’s largest unions.
- Michael has extensive advocacy and negotiation experience in relevant Federal and State Tribunals.
His practice places special emphasis on the preventive law approach in assisting clients in the informed management of a range of human rights, WHS and employment issues. Michael is also recognised for his specialist advice concerning the employment of senior executives.
Publications by Michael Harmer

Awards
Emma is a “Recommended Lawyer” in:
- Labour and Employment Law category of the 2022 & 2021 Asia Pacific Legal 500
- Employee & Trade Union Representation category of 2020 Doyles Leading Lawyers
She previously won the Corporate INTL Legal Award for “Employment Litigation Lawyer of the Year in Australia”.
Publications
- HRD Online, February 2022, Don’t overlook your obligations to employees’ mental health at work
Emma Pritchard
- Phone
- +61 292 674 322
- emma.pritchard@harmers.com.au
- Address
-
31 Market St
Level 27
NSW 2000
Sydney
Australia
+61 292 674 322
https://www.harmers.com.au/
- Languages
- English
After graduating from the University of New South Wales in 1993, Emma became an Associate to Mr Justice Lee of the Federal Court of Australia. She then joined one of Australia’s largest law firms practising in the areas of commercial litigation, corporate law and then specialised in employment and industrial law.
Emma joined Harmers Workplace Lawyers in December 1999 and became a partner in 2003. Emma currently oversees both staff and operational management of the firm, as well as managing a busy practice as Executive Counsel and Senior Team Leader.
Emma’s practice is litigation focused. Emma had the conduct of the largest litigation matter in the history of the Industrial Relations Court of New South Wales, where she acted for Gough & Gilmour Holdings Pty Limited & Ors against Caterpillar Australia Pty Ltd & Ors.
Emma advises both employers and employees in relation to:
- individual and collective employment agreements (with particular expertise in executive contracts);
- remuneration incentive and retention arrangements, including share and option scheme arrangements;
- protection of confidential information and intellectual property;
- restraint of trade agreements;
- legal risks associated with termination of employment;
- unfair dismissal claims;
- adverse action claims;
- unfair contract claims;
- strategies to manage and resolve industrial/employment disputes;
- employment and industrial relations implications from mergers and acquisitions;
- employment issues arising under the Corporations Law, including insolvency issues;
- occupational health and safety laws, including assisting investigations and prosecutions;
- discrimination, equal opportunity and bullying claims;
- privacy issues; and
- compliance training and presentations in relation to the above.
Publications by Emma Pritchard

Education
- Master of Laws degree (honours) from the University of Sydney
Greg Robertson
- Phone
- +61 292 674 322
- greg.robertson@harmers.com.au
- Address
-
31 Market St
Level 27
NSW 2000
Sydney
Australia
+61 292 674 322
https://www.harmers.com.au/
- Languages
- English
Greg was admitted as a solicitor in 1975. He worked in a variety of litigation roles in private practice before joining the New South Wales Department of Industrial Relations as a legal officer in 1979. That year he also gained a Master of Laws degree (honours) from the University of Sydney.
Greg served as Deputy Industrial Registrar from 1983 to 1991 and as Industrial Registrar from 1991 to 1999. As a consequence, Greg has extensive experience of the New South Wales Industrial Relations system, and of the way government employment operates, particularly at a senior level.
Greg joined the firm in 2000 and has since been involved in all areas of the firm’s practice. He has been involved in major litigation in the Industrial Court of New South Wales, and has extensively advised on issues relating to the contract of employment and employment law generally. He regularly advises employers, both in Australia and overseas, on a variety of aspects of employment and industrial relations matters, including: issues relating to individual and collective agreements; protection of confidential information and intellectual property; restraint of trade issues; unfair dismissal claims; adverse action claims; discrimination; equal opportunity; and bullying claims.
Greg has been involved in litigation at all levels (State and Federal Industrial Tribunals, the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, the Federal Court, Federal Circuit Court and the High Court).
Greg also advises and acts for individuals, particularly at senior levels, with issues surrounding their contracts, remuneration and termination of employment. Greg has also advised registered organisations (both employee and employer associations) on rules and registration issues.
Together with two other Harmers lawyers (Sophie Redmond and Margaret Diamond), Greg has co-authored the on-line “Practical Guide to Work Health and Safety” (Lexis Nexis) and advises in the area of work health and safety.
Publications by Greg Robertson

Memberships
Amy is a member of the Law Society of New South Wales and is able to practice in all Australian jurisdictions.
Education
Amy completed her combined Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree at UNSW in 2013 with distinction.
Awards
- 2022 – “Financial Services” winner, Lawyers Weekly “30 under 30”
- 2022 – Australasian Lawyer Most Influential Lawyers List
- 2021 “Special Counsel of the Year”, Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards (and an “Excellence” Award finalist, featuring the top ten winners across all categories).
- 2020 & 2021 – “Workplace Health & Safety” winner, Lawyers Weekly “30 under 30”
- 2020 – Recommended Labour & Employment Lawyer, Asia Pacific Legal 500
- 2020 – Australasian Lawyer “Rising Star”
- 2020 – Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards “Special Counsel of the Year”
- 2016 & 2017 – “Workplace Relations, Employment & Safety” winner, Lawyers Weekly “30 under 30”
- 2016 – “Dispute Resolution” winner, Lawyers Weekly “30 under 30”
Publications
- AHRI HRM Magazine, June 2022 – Not Leadership Material
- HRM Online, 31 March 2022 – Firing an employee on the spot? These are your legal duties when issuing a summary dismissal
- AHRI HR Monthly, March 2022 – Could a demotion count as a dismissal?
- HRM Online, December 2021 – Losing staff to the Great Resignation. Here are your legal obligations.
- HRM Online, December 2021 – 7 legal cases for HR to keep an eye on in 2022.
- HRD Magazine, November 2021 – Preparing for Omicron: 6 steps for rolling out a vaccine mandate policy.
- AHRI HR Online, November 2021 – Two legal experts answer HR’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate questions.
- AHRI HR Monthly, September 2021 – Veering off track – How should employers manage performance issues remotely? A legal expert weighs in.
- HRM Online, September 2021 – Things to keep in mind during virtual performance management.
- Business Insider, September 2021 – NSW hospitality businesses need more clarity on vaccine mandate to ease ‘uncertainty’ around reopening, a legal expert says.
- AHRI HR Monthly, June 2021 – Digging into the past – does your pre-employment screening contravene privacy laws?
- Inside HR, December 2020 – Major WHS Reform in Western Australia.
- Lawyers Weekly, December 2020 – Can law firms mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for employees?
- Inside HR, October 2020 – Another state criminalises wage theft.
- Inside HR, July 2020 – The new criminal law targeting wage theft.
- Inside HR, June 2020 – WHS, performance management and termination considerations for long-term remote working.
- Inside HR, April 2020 – What the AHRC report on sexual harassment means for your business.
- Inside HR, January 2020 – HR emergency essentials: 8 rights and obligations when an emergency strikes.
- Inside HR, July 2019 – Do your pre-employment checks contravene privacy laws?
- Inside HR, May 2019 – Workplace romances: do you need love contracts & non-fraternisation policies?
- Inside HR, March 2019 – 12 questions HR should ask before initiating a workplace investigation.
- Inside HR, December 2018 – The role of power imbalance and consent in sexual harassment.
Amy Zhang
- Phone
- +61 292 6743 22
- amy.zhang@harmers.com.au
- Address
-
31 Market Street
(Level 27 St Martins Tower)
NSW 2000
Sydney
Australia
+61 292 674 322
https://www.harmers.com.au/
- Languages
- English, Chinese (Mandarin)
Amy is a multi-award winning senior lawyer at Harmers Workplace Lawyers.
Amy completed her combined Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree at the University of New South Wales in 2013 with distinction.
Amy joined Harmers Workplace Lawyers in 2012 as a summer law clerk and has remained with Harmers since then in various legal roles. Prior to joining Harmers, Amy volunteered extensively for organisations such as Toongabbie Legal Centre, the Australian Human Rights Centre and the Students Legal Education Group. Amy was also Managing Student Editor of the Human Rights Defender Magazine, as well as the recipient of the Merit Scholar Award and Alumni Prize during her time at university.
Amy works across all of the firm’s practice areas, and has experience in areas including complex litigation, restraint of trade, sexual harassment, discrimination, regulatory investigations and prosecutions, WHS, performance management, terminations, redundancies, contract, policy and enterprise agreement review and drafting, modern award interpretation, unfair dismissal and adverse action. Amy acts for corporate, government, not for profit and individual clients.
Amy is a regular commentator and contributor to industry publications and the media on employment law and law reform. Amy has also lectured for the University of Sydney and University of Technology, Sydney on legal research.
Amy also sits on the L&E Global board.