Employment: National Leaders | Asia-Pacific

Ashurst has a well-resourced employment group with an impressive reputation for large-scale industrial relations disputes and major company restructurings. The team is called upon by many of Australia's largest energy and transport companies for its expertise in developing enterprise bargaining agreements. It is well placed to represent clients in employee class actions and in disputes with unions. The firm acts for major clients on the employment aspects of M&A and compliance, and advises employers on health and safety issues.

MinterEllison is highly regarded for employment litigation, with a focus on discrimination and executive matters, alongside additional strength in industrial relations. It has notable experience in a number of industries, including government, education, financial services, and energy and natural resources. The team maintains a strong presence across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has a market-leading full-service employment practice, widely endorsed for its deft handling of Australia's largest industrial relations matters, including enterprise bargaining, disputes and industrial action. It covers the full gamut of employee relations such as terminations, redundancy and discrimination. |The firm also possesses notable expertise in workplace health and safety matters.

Clayton Utz is especially active for federal and local government bodies, with a particularly robust client base and expertise in the aviation, technology and university sectors. The firm boasts a highly regarded litigation team, which focuses on discrimination, bullying and industrial disputes, as well as restraint of trade. The firm also handles matters relating to sexual harassment and fraud. Further areas of focus include the use and development of technology to aid in the calculation of the financial impact of proposed clause amendments in enterprise agreements, as well as in evidence analysis for investigations and in compliance reviews.

King & Wood Mallesons is well placed to handle the full range of employment law issues stemming from corporate restructurings and M&A transactions. It advises on adverse action, discrimination and unfair dismissal as well as workplace incidents and industrial disputes. The team has notable expertise in whistle-blower policy as well as remuneration and underpayments. It attracts a broad spread of clients from multiple sectors, particularly banking, mining and energy. The firm is noted for its presence across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.