About

Provided by Hesketh Henry

Hesketh Henry is a leading commercial law firm with a strong focus on the employment sector.

 

Our Employment Law Team has extensive experience in all aspects of employment advisory, compliance, litigation, and dispute resolution. We advise employers, employees, and unions across virtually all sectors and industries.

 

Client Sectors:

  • Public and private sectors, including manufacturing, aviation, marine, communications, utilities, and professional services.

 

Key Strengths:

  • Client Understanding: We take the time to get to know our clients, understanding their businesses, industries, and professions.
  • Accessibility and Responsiveness: Our Employment Law Team prides itself on being accessible and highly responsive to client needs.
  • Pragmatic Solutions: Clients value our ability to provide practical solutions to complex legal problems, with access to senior, highly experienced lawyers.
  • Collaborative Approach: We work collaboratively to ensure the most efficient and cost-effective resources are used to deliver high-quality, strategic advice to employers, employees, and unions alike.

 

Our significant experience, combined with our practical and collaborative approach means that clients can expect clear, effective, and efficient advice across all employment law issues.  

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Employment - New Zealand

3
Band 3

What the Team is Known For

Hesketh Henry is valued for its capability in the fields of restructuring, employee agreements and compliance matters for large national unions and businesses. The practice frequently assists clients with employee relations and health and safety matters. The team focuses on the early resolution of disputes, assisting with performance and disciplinary matters, as well as in contentious matters before the Employment Relations Authority and courts.

Work Highlights

Provided by Hesketh Henry

  • Hesketh Henry advised the Restaurant Association of New Zealand in respect of its obligations under the Fair Pay Agreements Act 2022, following a union application for a Fair Pay Agreement.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Jim Roberts
3
Jim Roberts
Head of Employment
3
Band 3
Jim Roberts is co-head of the practice and has extensive experience across the full range of employment law, being particularly noted for his expertise in collective bargaining and compliance with the Holidays Act.

Jim provides excellent technical knowledge, delivered in an understandable and practical way. He can be trusted on any employment issue.

He maintains astonishing detail about precedents that are relevant to the matters we are dealing with, which adds real richness to the conversations we have.

Alison Maelzer
4
Alison Maelzer
4
Band 4
Alison Maelzer advises a number of large companies on a wide array of issues, including compliance, collective bargaining, disciplinary processes and health and safety.

Her down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach is what we appreciate the most.

Alison is great to work with. She has a very good understanding of our business, is always very responsive and offers good solutions.

Jodi Sharman
4
Jodi Sharman
4
Band 4

Jodi Sharman assists on a wide range of employment matters and is particularly noted for her litigation experience. She has considerable expertise in handling disciplinary processes and cases arising from dismissals and corporate restructurings.

Jodi Sharman's knowledge of our business is detailed. I appreciate that she will usually offer a couple of options for how we approach a situation, outlining the risks with each.

Jodi is a delight to work with. She is super-smart and able to comprehend issues and link them to our business culture and capability. I love her ability to teach and grow her customers.

Sam Houliston
Associates to watch

Sam Houliston is a senior associate at Hesketh Henry who has a growing reputation for his expertise in employment matters. He handles both contentious and non-contentious mandates, and is especially skilled in employment litigation cases.

Sam is great to deal with. He gets it, doesn't muck around and gets what you need.

Sam is really confident and decisive about the best approach to take when we are managing complex and sensitive issues. He maintains a commercial perspective but without losing the human touch.

Ranked Lawyers at
Hesketh Henry

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

New Zealand

Employment

Jim Roberts
3
Jim Roberts
Head of Employment
3
Band 3
Alison Maelzer
4
Alison Maelzer
4
Band 4
Jodi Sharman
4
Jodi Sharman
4
Band 4
Sam Houliston
Associates to watch

Members

Provided by Hesketh Henry

Eloise Callister-Baker

Jim Roberts

Jim Roberts

Head of Department

Rob McStay

Sam Houliston