Our Capabilities

Human resources management has a significant impact on a business' success and reputation. Bell Gully's employment law team works with our clients to manage effectively all employment law, industrial relations, occupational health and safety, disciplinary and restructuring / redundancy issues. We have a strong appreciation of the needs of employers and we aim to find commercial and innovative solutions to their often complex employment and industrial issues.

Our large and dedicated employment team has broad capability and strength on a national scale. We advise medium to large corporate employers on industrial relations and their rights and responsibilities under New Zealand labour legislation, including the Employment Relations Act, Human Rights Act, Holidays Act, Privacy Act, and Health and Safety in Employment Act.

The team provides strategic advice on bargaining issues and drafts collective agreements as well as individual employment agreements.

We advise blue chip clients on day-to-day issues such as employment contracts, dismissals, restructuring, redundancies, health and safety, employee performance problems and disciplinary situations.

Our employment lawyers regularly participate in disciplinary meetings, attend mediations and appear at investigation meetings and court hearings.

The team also advises on the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions, outsourcings and other commercial transactions.

Rob Towner

Rob Towner

Rob leads the firm's employment law practice.  A litigation partner, he specialises in resolving employment issues and industrial disputes.

Recent Work

  • Goodman Fielder New Zealand
    Advised Goodman Fielder New Zealand on a range of ongoing employment issues, including the restructuring of their New Zealand business, as well as advising in relation to employee disputes.
  • Carter Holt Harvey
    Advised Carter Holt Harvey on a wide range of employment issues including restructuring, union issues and employment disputes. We advised on all the employment aspects relating to the proposed sale of its Building Supplies Group and the sale of its forestry business, including its 260,000 hectare forestry estate.
  • PRI Flight Catering
    Advised PRI Flight Catering and appeared as its counsel in the High Court, and for two of its former employees in the Employment Court, in contentious litigation following the transfer of an aircraft catering contract at Auckland International Airport.
  • Yellow Pages Group
    Advised Yellow Pages Group on employment issues in relation to a proposed sale and vendor due diligence. This significant transaction spanned a 16-month period and was the biggest New Zealand restructuring arising as a result of the global financial crisis.