With WHS teams based across Australia, K&L Gates offers clients a national service, which attracts domestic corporates and government agencies alike. The practice benefits from the dual leadership of Paul Hardman, whose focus is on the agribusiness and resources sectors, and Stephen Hardy, whose practice has an emphasis on matters in the property and construction industries. The deep bench includes Alanna Fitzpatrick, who ‘can be relied upon for support in time-pressure situations’ and Dominic Fleeton, who is considered ’the go-to person for WHS advisory in Melbourne’, both of whom are routinely sought out by clients for advice on safety compliance, investigations and court prosecutions.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Deep knowledge of the practice area with exceptional commercial overlay, which makes service delivery targeted and timely.'
- 'Highly approachable, affable and available: nothing is too much trouble.'
- 'The WHS team are practical, outcome focused and very responsive. They have an easy manner and are able to help communicate from Board level right through to entry level operational staff in a way that is accessible. Their ability to get to the heart of an issue quickly and identify risks and both immediate and longer-term practical responses makes them an invaluable extension of my team.'
- 'I particularly value the deep industry knowledge that the WHS team at K&L Gates and their specific individual team members have of the agribusiness sector and my business specifically. This makes them stand out from competitors, particularly because they remain price competitive and highly responsive.'
- 'Paul Hardman and Alanna Fitzpatrick, in particular, have both invested heavily in learning our business, operations and priorities and bring practical solutions that reflect the needs of our business and strike a balance between legal risk management and the business' willingness to change.'
- 'Paul's professionalism and candour makes him a go-to for boardroom briefings, in addition to international & institutional shareholder engagement. Paul is exceptional to engage with, and clients are safe in the knowledge he has and continues to build an exemplary team around him to support client needs.'
- 'Alanna can be relied upon to support clients in time-pressure situations where it is key to have the ability to step back and remain focused at the strategic level.'
- 'Dominic remains the go-to person for WHS advisory in Melbourne for our executive as well as functional teams. His ability to see and share strategic insight to help facilitate next steps for an organisation is strongly recognised within our teams.'
Key clients
- Ardent Leisure (Dreamworld Employees)
- Commercial Passengers Vehicles Victoria
- Victorian Government – Department of Education
- Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA)
Work highlights
- Advising VMIA on a number of WHS-related matters.
- Defended Onsite Rental Group Operations in a prosecution by the Queensland Work Health and Safety Regulator.
- Assisted the Master Builders Association of Victoria on compliance with specific aspects of Victoria's occupational health and safety legislation.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Paul Hardman, Stephen Hardy