Australian employment law

Lauren graduated from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Psychological Science.

She joined Harmers as a paralegal and was later admitted as a Solicitor by the Supreme Court of NSW. She is also listed in the High Court Register of Practitioners.

Lauren has experience across a broad range of employment law matters, including unfair dismissal and general protections claims, whistleblower matters, sexual harassment and discrimination, and work health and safety. She has extensive litigation experience, having acted for clients in complex matters before the High Court of Australia, the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia, the Federal Court of Australia, and various State Courts, Courts of Appeal, and Tribunals.

Lauren acts for both corporate and individual clients and is well placed to provide strategic, day-to-day advice on a range of employment-related issues.

She was recognised as a finalist in the Australian Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards in the category of Employment and Workplace Relations, Health and Safety.

Mariam graduated from the University of Technology Sydney obtaining a Bachelor of Laws and Business (majoring in accounting). Mariam is admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and is also listed in the High Court Register of Practitioners.

During her studies, Mariam worked as a law clerk, and on her admission, a solicitor, for a boutique law firm practicing in employment law and corporate law. This role allowed Mariam to practice in a wide range of areas in employment law for both employer and employee clients. Mariam developed her legal skills and ability to manage a large volume of clients across all areas of employment law.

Mariam enjoys assisting clients in all areas and has a particular interest in unfair dismissal, adverse action and breach of contract claims. She also enjoys guiding employers and employees through day-to day employment issues.

As a member of the Harmers L&E Global international client service team, Mariam also assists multinational organisations with their Australian employment law needs.

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.

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.

Sarah completed a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) degree at the University of Technology, Sydney in 2009. During her university course, Sarah studied specialised subjects in employment and industrial law. Within her degree, Sarah completed a thesis on the consequences of Good Faith Bargaining under the Fair Work Act 2009.

Sarah joined Harmers in December 2008 as a summer clerk. She continued to work at Harmers as a paralegal until the completion of her studies, and was admitted as a solicitor in April 2010.

As an Executive Counsel, Sarah works across all of the firm’s practice areas. She provides commercial, strategic and practical advice on a range of employment and industrial law issues, including:

• the drafting and implementation of employment contracts and workplace policies;
• unfair dismissal and general protections claims;
• sexual harassment and discrimination claims;
• negotiation and drafting of enterprise agreements (including compliance with good faith bargaining requirements);
• award and enterprise agreement interpretation (including appearing in arbitrations before the Fair Work Commission);
• restraints of trade (including acting in injunctive proceedings);
  performance and separation management;
• termination benefits to senior executives captured by section 200B of the Corporations Act 2001;
• transfer of business, restructures and redundancies; and
• work health and safety matters (including acting in prosecutions regarding workplace fatalities and conducting WHS compliance audits).

Sarah has acted for clients in industries including construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, traffic management, financial and business services, health and automotive. She has represented clients in various Courts and Tribunals, including the Fair Work Commission, the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, the Supreme, District and Local Courts of NSW, the Federal Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia. She has also represented clients in Full Federal Court of Appeal matters.

Sarah assists with best practice compliance training in workplace law tailored to the unique requirements of her clients. She has conducted training sessions on a variety of industrial law matters, including appropriate workplace behaviour, use of social media in the workplace, employment risk management and conducting workplace investigations.

Amy Zhang a multi-award winning Partner at Harmers Workplace Lawyers. Having joined the firm in 2012, she has built a distinguished career and is recognised as a leading employment lawyer in Australia.

Over the years, Amy has worked across a wide range of practice areas, and has expertise in areas including restraint of trade, sexual harassment, discrimination, regulatory investigations/prosecutions, WHS, performance management, terminations, redundancies, collective and industrial matters, and contract and policy drafting. She has successfully acted in a number of significant and complex test cases, including at High Court level, and is well-versed in running and defending complex litigation, as well as providing commercial and practical day-to-day advice to clients. She acts for corporate, government, industrial association, not-for-profit, and individual clients.

Amy is a regular commentator and contributor to industry publications and the media, where she shares her insights on employment law and law reform. She has also lectured in law at both the University of Sydney and the University of Technology, Sydney.

Amy also sits on the L&E Global board.

In addition to her professional experience, Amy has an extensive background in volunteer work, having contributed to organisations such as the Australian Human Rights Centre, the Students Legal Education Group,  Amnesty Australia, the Asian Australian Lawyers Association, the Law Society of New South Wales and various community legal centres.

Amy holds a combined Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree from UNSW, which she completed with distinction. She is a member of the Law Society of New South Wales and is authorised to practice in all Australian jurisdictions.