Chris Gardner

Practice Areas

Best recognised for workplace change and enterprise bargaining, Chris’ work has seen him at the forefront of engagements that matter, including ‘bet the farm’ enterprise bargaining negotiation and litigation. Countless high-profile and major employers in Australia have benefited from the pragmatic and solution-orientated advice for which Chris is known.

Chris works tirelessly to ensure he gets to know his clients’ business objectives and commercial pain points. Chris loves the engagements that really matter for clients, working with business leaders who can best take advantage of his experience. He has a particular passion for advising on workplace strategy, enterprise bargaining and representing employers in union-related litigation. Chris advises leading employers across the full spectrum of labour and employment, most notably in the transportation, security, maritime and construction industries.

Career

For more than 26 years, Chris has advised some of Australia's leading employers on workplace strategy, complex human resources issues, and high-stakes litigation. For Chris, workplace law is his expertise, but helping businesses achieve their goals is his passion. Recently, Chris has helped employers with developing leading-edge enterprise bargaining agreements; the defence of litigation aimed at preventing operations; limiting the downside of difficult enterprise bargaining negotiations; and proactive litigation aimed at restoring business operations.

Chris is regularly sought by the media as a commentator on workplace issues, and regularly contributes to industry publications on topical workplace issues.

Publications

www.workplacelawandstrategy.com.au

Industry-based bargaining: the new industrial relations frontier for HR, HRM Online (2023)

Enterprise Bargaining in Australia: An Employer's Guide

Professional Memberships

- Australian Human Resources Institute

- Industrial Relations Society of Victoria