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.

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.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth's employment and industrial relations practice has an impressive roster of clients in the mining and energy sectors. It is also well regarded for its long history of involvement in the development of labour laws, and counts government and private sector clients among its clients. The team assists with workplace health and safety matters, including issues arising from fatalities, and is engaged on a range of cases related to enterprise agreements, compliance and casual employment.

Herbert Smith Freehills 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, also possessing notable expertise in workplace health and safety matters.