Andrew Yahl

Andrew Yahl has almost 10 years’ experience advising government, corporate, not-for-profit and charitable organisations on a wide range of employment and industrial relations matters, including anti-discrimination, negotiated exits, professional discipline and litigation in Federal and State courts and tribunals.

Andrew has an appreciation for the commercial considerations in decisions made by our clients through his secondments with large corporate clients in the in-house legal team as well as his academic qualifications in professional accounting. 

Andrew is able to identify and help resolve issues for clients in an efficient, effective and friendly way. 

 

Qualifications/Memberships

• Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Commerce – Professional Accounting (Macquarie University)

• Member – Golden Key Honour Society, Macquarie University Chapter

• Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and High Court of Australia

• Member - Law Society of NSW

 

A word from Andrew

Employment law and industrial relations is a complex area of intersecting issues, with people at the heart – which creates some very interesting situations! 

It is incredibly rewarding to help our clients effectively manage these various considerations in a way which maintains the culture of their organisation to ensure their employees are committed and happy – ultimately leading to productivity in the workplace. 

And when an employee does bring a claim, I enjoy providing an effective and considered strategy on defence of claims, and exploring early settlement options (if appropriate), to protect our clients’ interests.   

 

Career highlights

• Assisting in unfair dismissal proceedings for local health districts, local council clients and health networks in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission and achieving successful outcomes, whether through settlement, by opposing applications on jurisdictional grounds or successfully defending the substantive claim.

• Achieving the successful summary dismissal of discrimination applications in the Federal Court, saving costs for the client – and, importantly, management’s time in having to defend the claim by way of evidence at substantive hearing.

• Assisting in corporate transactions to identify any areas of exposure for clients which could ultimately devalue the transaction – and suggesting strategies to overcome such issues in the sale agreement of the transaction.

• Advising and representing an employer on appeal in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission in relation to an award interpretation dispute.

• Advising private sector clients on strategy and planning for the outsourcing of certain functions and transfer of business implications.

 

Specific areas of focus

• Industrial disputes and workplace disputes.

• Discrimination disputes.

• Provision of industrial advice to public sector clients and legal advice to private sector employers.

• Assisting clients in various claims involving both current employees and former employees in the NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal, the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board and the Federal Australian Human Rights Commission, the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, the NSW Supreme Court, the Federal Circuit Court and the Federal Court of Australia.

• Providing advice on the interpretation and implementation of industrial instruments.

• Mergers and acquisitions; due diligence on employment and industrial risks.