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

He advises on employment agreements, employment aspects of commercial transactions, dismissals, discrimination, redundancy, restraint of trade and labour disputes. He is a trained mediator.

Rob is a member of the Executive Council of the Global Employment Institute. He is a past Chairman of the Employment and Industrial Relations Law Committee of the International Bar Association, the largest international association of lawyers.

He is a part-time lecturer in employment law at the University of Auckland and regularly speaks at employment law seminars and conferences. Rob is the author of the New Zealand chapter in five international textbooks on employment law.

Chambers Global 2011 ranks Rob in the top tier of New Zealand lawyers, noting "solution-oriented" Rob is "highly regarded by clients and lawyers alike for his pragmatic approach" and the previous edition commends his "wealth of experience in both labour disputes and the employment aspects of commercial transactions". Asia Pacific Legal 500 2010/2011/2012 also lists Rob as a leading individual and notes that he is "excellent to deal with," he has "vast experience" and "provides crystal-clear advice in a succinct manner".

Qualifications

LLB(Hons), University of Auckland
BA(Hons), Stanford University

Admitted

1982 New Zealand

Publications

Contact

Email: Rob Towner

DDI: 64 9 916 8902

Mobile: 64 21 689 624

Download Vcard: Vcard for Rob Towner

Areas of Expertise

Recent Work

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. This case has considerable significance as the first case on the transfer of protected employees under new employment legislation.

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.

DNZ Property Fund
Advised DNZ Property Fund Limited on employment issues in relations to its IPO (the largest IPO in New Zealand in 2010).