Chris Nowland
Chris is a solicitor in the employment, industrial relations and safety team.
Chris assists his clients to proactively manage employment, industrial relations and safety issues arising under a range of Australian laws. He has particular experience in the areas of general employment litigation, corporate advice, and industrial relations.
Chris has acted for a diverse range of corporate clients, from small companies to large multi-nationals. Prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills, Chris also acted for significant individual clients including high-net-worth individuals and C-Suite executives. This broad experience gives Chris a unique perspective on the issues faced by both employees and employers in Australia, which he utilises to help his corporate clients meet their commercial and legal objectives.
Chris has extensive litigation experience, having represented clients in proceedings before the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the Federal Circuit Court, the Federal Court, the High Court, the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal, the New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission, and the Fair Work Commission. From this experience, Chris recognises the importance of managing workplace issues before they lead to disputes and he regularly advises on all manner of complex legal issues impacting employers in Australia.
Background
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- advising several large multi-national corporations in relation to the implementation of mandatory vaccination requirements throughout their organisations.
- acting for a peak industry body in relation to multiple applications before the Fair Work Commission to significantly reduce the scope of a coverage clause in a Modern Award.
- acting for a large multi-national corporation in restraint of trade proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia, the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
- acting for a trade union in relation to an application before the Fair Work Commission regarding the implementation of a new work model that was inconsistent with the terms of an Enterprise Agreement.
- conducting several workplace investigations in relation to competing allegations of serious misconduct brought by numerous employees of a large insurance provider
