Meet our Asia Pacific working group
Memberships
- Bar Council of Delhi
- International Bar Association
Education
- B.A. LLB (Hons) from the National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), Kolkata
Awards
- Recommended employment lawyer in India by Chambers Asia Pacific Rankings since 2011
- Silicon India Rankings: Top 25 legal consultants for IT sector in India (2014)
- ACQ5 Global Awards 2014 – Rising Star (India)
- CorporateINTL Global Legal Award for 2014 and 2015
Avik Biswas
- Phone
- +91 804 072 6600
- avik.biswas@induslaw.com
- Address
-
#11 Vittal Mallya Road
#101, 1st Floor, "Embassy Classic"
560001
Bangalore
India
+91 804 072 6600
http://induslaw.com
- Languages
- Hindi, Bengali, English
Avik leads the Employment Law Practice Group of IndusLaw. Avik is an alumnus of the National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS) and is well known for his employment law expertise across all industry sectors. Avik is also very well regarded for his strategic advice to the legal and HR functions of multinational corporations in relation to employment risk mitigation/management and related best practices in Indian markets. While Avik’s work primarily revolves around all facets of employment law, he also frequently advises and assists foreign corporations in entering Indian markets and setting up their local operations across India, especially with reference to compliance with local labour legislations. Prior to IndusLaw, Avik had the benefit of working both with an in-house team of one of India’s largest technology companies as well as with one of the largest full-service law firms in Bangalore, wherein he established their employment law practice. Avik has been ranked by Chambers and Partners, since 2011, as one of India’s highly recommended employment lawyers.
Publications by Avik Biswas
Memberships
- Admitted solicitor in both Singapore and England & Wales
- Active member of various committees of the Law Society of Singapore
Awards
Thomas is regularly recognised by the international legal and HR community as a leader in employment law:
- The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2017 – 2020
- LexisNexis Asia PG Experts
Thomas Choo
- Phone
- +65 654 465 07
- Thomas.Choo@clydeco.com
- Address
-
12 Marina Boulevard #30-03
Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3
SG 018982
Singapore
Singapore
+65 654 465 00
https://www.clydeco.com/
- Languages
- English, Cantonese, Chinese (Mandarin), Malay
Partner Thomas Choo leads the employment, immigration and pensions practice at Clyde & Co Clasis Singapore. As a key member of the global employment group, Thomas regularly advises on a wide range of non-contentious employment and immigration matters, including reviewing and drafting employment and service agreements and severance packages, establishment of complex incentivisation schemes for senior executives, and advising on Singapore’s laws and regulations in the area of employment, immigration and industrial relations. Thomas has published widely and is frequently invited to speak at international conferences on corporate, transactional, data protection, employment and immigration topics.
Publications from Singapore
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
Memberships
India (Advocate)
Education
LL.M (Commercial Laws) University College London (2014)
B.A., LL.B (Hons) (Law) NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad (2008)
Sowmya Kumar
- Phone
- +91 804 072 6600
- sowmya.kumar@induslaw.com
- Address
-
#101, 1st Floor, "Embassy Classic", #11 Vittal Mallya Road
560 001
Bangalore
India
+91 804 072 6600
http://induslaw.com
- Languages
- Hindi, English
Sowmya is a senior member of IndusLaw’s niche labour and employment law practice. The practice is focused on advising a wide range of corporate clients (both international and domestic) on all aspects of labour and employment law matters in India. In addition, we are also engaged in conducting investigations relating to anti-sexual harassment and ABAC issues as well as providing advice in this regard.
Publications from India
Memberships
- Admitted to the Daini Tokyo Bar Association in Tokyo, Japan in 2005
- Member of Management Lawyers Council in Japan
- Member of European Union Studies Association Japan
Education
- The University of Tokyo (B.A., 2002)
- The University of Tokyo, School of Law (J.D., 2004)
Awards
Mr. Yamashima has been recognised as a leading practitioner in his field since 2015 by:
- Chambers Asia-Pacific
- The Legal 500
- The Best Lawyers in Japan
- Asialaw Leading Lawyers
- Who’s Who Legal
Publications
- The Legal 500 Comparative Guides – Employee Incentives, Japan Chapter, Legalease Ltd (2019-2020)
- COVID-19: Back to Work – Special Report, Japan Chapter, L&E Global (2020)
- Employment Law Overview 2019-2020, Japan Chapter, L&E Global (2019)
Tatsuo Yamashima
- Phone
- +81 355 012 111
- tatsuo.yamashima@aplaw.jp
- Address
-
2-2, Uchisaiwaicho 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku
Fukoku Seimei Bldg. (Reception: 16F)
100-0011
Tokyo
Japan
+81 355 012 297
https://www.aplaw.jp/en/
- Languages
- Japanese, English
Mr. Yamashima is a partner of Atsumi & Sakai and heads the firm’s labour and employment team. He has significant experience in labour and employment law, practicing for more than fifteen years. He advises and represents multinational companies on all aspects of Japanese employment law. He also has experience in antitrust and competition, compliance and government regulations.
Publications from Japan
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.
Publications by Amy Zhang
Memberships
- Officer of IBA Diversity and Equality Committee
- Member of International Bar Association
- Member of China National Lawyer’s Association
Education
- LLM, School of Law, Fudan University
- LLB, Shanghai Normal University
Awards
- Ranked in Band 1 for Labour & Employment law by Chambers Asia Pacific in 2022
- Ranked in Tier 1 for Labour & Employment law by Legal 500 in 2022
- Awarded Leading Individual for Labour & Employment Law by Legal 500 in 2019 – 2022
- Awarded Cross Border Employment Lawyer of the Year by Corporate INTL in 2019
- Awarded Labour & Employment Lawyer of the Year by China Law and Practice in 2014 and 2016
Publications
- Co-author of Dealing Employment Contract issue in Company Relocation and Mass Employee Transfer – LexisNexis June 2017
- Contributed the exclusive China Chapter to the Global Legal Insights – Employment & Labor Law 3rd Edition 2014
- Co-author of Legal Analysis on Labor Issues in Overseas Contracting Project published by International Labor Study December 2014
Carol Zhu
- Phone
- +86 105 957 2288
- CarolZhu@zhonglun.com
- Address
-
No. 8 Century Avenue
Level 10 & 11, Two Ifc
200120
Shanghai
China
+86 105 957 2288
http://www.zhonglun.com
- Languages
- Chinese (Mandarin), English
Carol Zhu’s practice focuses on all aspects of labour and employment-related matters, including establishment and enforcement of company policies, HR documentation, hiring and termination, employee compensation and benefits, mass redundancies, labour dispatch and transition, cross-border employment issues, labour dispute resolution, employee transition issues in mergers, acquisitions and restructurings, trade union matters, collective bargaining, global mobility and immigration, investigation into employment related misconducts and training, as well as due diligence of HR compliance. Before beginning her law firm practice, Carol accumulated more than ten years of experience working as head of HR in Asia and China for several international companies, where she handled HR and employee relations for companies employing thousands of workers.
