Pinsent Masons launches Australian Employment and Reward team with hire of three partners

The new team of experienced Employment & Reward partners includes Aaron Goonrey and Neil Napper from Lander & Rogers in Sydney, and Ben McKinley from Holding Redlich in Melbourne. Each is recognised for their expertise and vast experience in navigating the complexities of employment law, industrial relations and work health and safety. 

The three will be joined by special counsel Luke Scandrett and Emma Lutwyche and associate Stefania Silvestro to launch the firm’s Employment & Reward practice in Australia. The appointments bolster the practice’s Asia Pacific capabilities in providing both domestic and cross-jurisdictional employment and labour law advice, investigation, litigation and resolution services.

Head of Pinsent Masons Australia, Matthew Croagh, said: “The building of a deep and experienced Employment & Reward team in Australia is an important strategic step in supporting our clients. We are seeing significant changes to employment, workplace and industrial relations laws in Australia and the way we work has changed dramatically because of the impact of the Covid pandemic. It is vital that we have a highly capable employment law team ready to help clients navigate this rapidly evolving and crucial area of their business.”

Aaron is a dedicated employment law specialist who works closely with leading employers to address their most critical workplace, industrial relations and safety issues. Aaron works with clients across all sectors in Australia and internationally on matters including corporate and workplace restructuring, employee benefits and rewards, restraints of trade, workplace investigations, and highly sensitive, litigious matters, and helps to defend employee claims and prevent litigation.

Neil has specialised in workplace relations and safety law for more than 35 years. He is a trusted advisor to employers in all areas of workplace law, including strategic industrial relations advice, disputes, enterprise bargaining, business protection litigation including enforcing restraints of trade, employment litigation, modern award compliance, whistleblower protections, workplace privacy, investigations of workplace misconduct, modern slavery and supply chain compliance and workplace safety.

Ben brings extensive knowledge and expertise in all aspects of employment, industrial relations and safety law, particularly advising and enforcing post-employment obligations, complex workplace investigations, and underpayment investigations by the Fair Work Ombudsman. Ben advises clients in a wide range of sectors and is highly regarded for his pragmatic and strategic advice. 

Head of Pinsent Masons Asia Pacific, James Morgan-Payler, said: “We have been progressively investing in broadening the capability of our Australian Transactional Services practice to work alongside our market-leading infrastructure and energy-focused practices across the Asia Pacific. Aaron, Neil and Ben and their team will join recently appointed Corporate partners Andrew Fisken and Joni Henry to work with clients on transactional and corporate advisory work and the associated workplace and employment issues that arise out of such matters.”

Speaking on behalf of the three partners, Aaron Goonrey, said: “Neil, Ben and I are excited to join Pinsent Masons and launch its Employment & Reward team in Australia, augmenting our existing capabilities across both Asia Pacific and globally. Joining Pinsent Masons provides us with an incredible opportunity to leverage the firm's international platform and resources to better serve clients. Pinsent Masons is growing rapidly in the Asia Pacific region and there are significant opportunities for our Employment & Reward team to work alongside our colleagues to deliver this specialised capability to support our local, regional and global clients.”