Liam is an admitted lawyer of the State and Commonwealth Courts with over 20 years’ experience in international and group HSEQT and HR leadership roles within ASX 300 organisations. He specialises in workplace health and safety ('WHS'), employment and regulatory law, with a particular focus on complex HR/WHS incidents and regulatory investigations for both civil and criminal law prosecutions. His background includes advising on fatalities, suicides, serious injuries, high-potential, whistleblower and sensitive events with involvement of police agencies, regulatory inspectors and prosecutors within both court and tribunal settings. Further, he advises on industrial relations, discrimination, general protections and unfair dismissal matters. Liam represents clients and accepts instructions across all Australian jurisdictions.
Before entering legal practice, Liam held senior executive roles across international construction, mining and oil and gas sectors. He served as a Director and Company Secretary of the Oceania’s largest WHS professional membership and lobbyist organisation, the Australian Institute of Health and Safety. Further, he has been appointed to varying committees of BHP, Fortescue, IRATA International, NOPSEMA, Rio Tinto and RugbyWA. Liam is an elected Councillor of the Law Society of Western Australia and provides his expertise on its Employee Relations Committee.
Upon entering law, Liam completed a clerkship for the former Attorney-General of Australia Christian Porter, undertaking a range of instructions in relation to State and Commonwealth criminal law proceedings. A previous student of the University of Sydney, Deakin University and Ritsumeikan University (Japan) Law Schools, he has completed varying postgraduate studies and was conferred both a Masters of International Law and a Graduate Diploma in International Business Law. Liam is completing a Doctorate of Law, with his thesis focused on WHS prosecutions across Commonwealth jurisdictions.
Liam is a well-known and recognised industry speaker and commentator in Australian media and varying law journals. His work has been published within domestic and international law publications and has been articled within the United Nations. He was previously awarded the 'National Diversity and Inclusion' Award by the Safety Institute of Australia and shortlisted for Australian Mining's 'Emerging Leader of the Year' and the 'Prime Minister's Veterans' Awards'.
Qualifications
- Masters, International Law (University of Sydney).
- Postgraduate Diploma, International Business Law (University of Sydney).
- Postgraduate Diploma, Legal Practice (College of Law Australia).
- Postgraduate Certificate, Business (University of Western Australia).
- Postgraduate Certificate, Medicolegal Death Investigation (University of North Dakota, USA).
- Postgraduate Certificate, Japanese Law (Ritsumeikan University, Japan).
- Postgraduate Certificate, Occupational Health and Safety (Edith Cowan University).
- Postgraduate Certificate, Professional Legal Studies (Griffith University).
- Bachelors, Laws (Deakin University).
- Diploma, Company Directors Course (Australian Institute of Company Directors).
- Certificate, International Arbitration (Chartered Institute of Arbitrators).
- Certificates, 8 Steps, Essential Factors, HFACS, ICAM and TapRoot Lead Investigator.
- Certificate, Injury Management and Return to Work Coordinator (Scorpion Training).
- Certificate, Phase 1 Independent Children's Lawyer Accreditation Training, Independent Children's Lawyers.
- Certificate, Senior Site Executive, Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety (LGIRS).
- Certificate, ISO Management Systems Lead Auditor (AS/NZS 4801, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001).
- Admitted to the High Court and Supreme Court of Western Australia.
Publications
- 6PR Perth Morning Show, Interview with Simon Beaumont, September 2025.
- ‘An Australian Perspective - Should the Implied Duty of Confidentiality Be Rejected for International Commercial Arbitrations?’ - The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation and Dispute Management Volume 86(1); The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Bibliographies.
- ‘Are We There Yet? The Harmonised WHS Laws’- Australian Insurance Law Association keynote, April 2021.
- ‘Common Directors, Compounded Risk: WHS Penalties Across Related Companies’ – The Brief, May 2026.
- ‘Episode 58’ - WarriorU Podcast with Bram Connolly.
- ‘Fatigue Management Legalities and the Future Risks’ - Rio Tinto Iron Ore 3rd Contractor Forum.
- ‘How OHS Can Engage Leaders to Deliver Better Diversity/Inclusion Outcomes’ – Safety Institute of Australia.
- ‘Innovations on Scaffolding‘ - Australian Health and Safety Podcast.
- ‘IRATA International, Industrial Rope Access and Height Safety’ – Australian Institute of Health and Safety.
- ‘Making the Right Call to Evacuate’ - International Institute of Risk and Safety Management’s ‘The Sentinel’.
- ‘Mental Health Case Study; Retraining Defence Personnel’ – Safety Institute of Australia.
- ‘Post-Incident: The Effects on a Family’ - AIHS Perth Symposium 2019 ‘SafetyGenX– 2020 and Beyond’.
- ‘Social Impact in the Mining Sector’ – OHS Professional Magazine, December 2018.
- ‘The Complications with Australia’s First IM Prosecution’- OHS Professional Magazine, September 2021.
- ‘The Expanding Role of HSE Practitioners: Opportunity or Risk?’ – OHS Professional Magazine, June 2025.
- ‘The Importance of Incident Investigations’ – Australian Mining Leaders closing keynote, November 2022.
