The 2026 listing of leading Employee and Trade Union-focused NSW Employment Lawyers details solicitors practising within the areas of employment and industrial relations matters in the New South Wales legal market whose practice has a strong employee and/or trade union representation focus and who have been identified by the state’s employment law solicitors for their expertise and abilities in these areas.
Preeminent
Danny King, Danny King Legal
Mia Pantechis, Maurice Blackburn
Leading
Adrian Barwick, WilliamsonBarwick
Luke Forsyth, Hall Payne
Phil Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Joe Kennedy, Hall Payne
Recommended
Sonia Chandra, Danny King Legal
Petrine Costigan, Petrine Costigan Lawyers
Michael Doherty, Michael Doherty Legal
Sandra Marks, Marks Pritchard
Aron Neilson, AEN Legal
Emma Pritchard, Marks Pritchard
Shana Schreier-Joffe, Keypoint Law
Nick Stevens, Stevens & Associates
Kevin Yee, Danny King Legal
Previous editions
2025 edition published February 2025
Preeminent
Phil Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Danny King, Danny King Legal
Mia Pantechis, Maurice Blackburn
Richard Pegg, Toomey Pegg
Leading
Luke Forsyth, Hall Payne
Joe Kennedy, Hall Payne
Recommended
Adrian Barwick, WilliamsonBarwick
Sonia Chandra, Danny King Legal
Petrine Costigan, Petrine Costigan Lawyers
Michael Doherty, Michael Doherty Legal
Nathan Keats, McNally Jones Staff
Chris McArdle, McArdle Legal
Kathryn Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Aron Neilson, AEN Legal
Emma Pritchard, Marks Pritchard
Peter Punch, Carroll & O'Dea
Shana Schreier-Joffe, Keypoint Law
Nick Stevens, Stevens & Associates
Kevin Yee, Danny King Legal
2024 edition published March 2024
Preeminent
Danny King, Danny King Legal
Richard Pegg, Toomey Pegg
Leading
Luke Forsyth, Hall Payne
Phil Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Joe Kennedy, Hall Payne
Mia Pantechis, Maurice Blackburn
Recommended
Adrian Barwick, WilliamsonBarwick
Sonia Chandra, Danny King Legal
Petrine Costigan, Petrine Costigan Lawyers
Michael Doherty, Michael Doherty Legal
Nathan Keats, McNally Jones Staff
Chris McArdle, McArdle Legal
Kathryn Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Aron Neilson, AEN Legal
Emma Pritchard, Harmers
Peter Punch, Carroll & O'Dea
Nick Stevens, Stevens & Associates
Kevin Yee, Danny King Legal
2023 edition published March 2023
Preeminent
Alexandra Grayson, Maurice Blackburn
Phil Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Danny King, Danny King Legal
Richard Pegg, Toomey Pegg
Leading
Luke Forsyth, Hall Payne
Nathan Keats, McNally Jones Staff
Joe Kennedy, Hall Payne
Mia Pantechis, Maurice Blackburn
Peter Punch, Carroll & O'Dea
Recommended
Michael Barnes, Carroll & O'Dea
Petrine Costigan, Petrine Costigan Lawyers
Michael Doherty, Michael Doherty Legal
Kelly Godfrey, Employment Lawyers Australia
Chris McArdle, McArdle Legal
Kathryn Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Aron Neilson, AEN Legal
Adrian Shanahan, Shanahan Tudhope
Carly Stebbing, Resolution123
Nick Stevens, Stevens & Associates
David Taylor, Segelov Taylor
Kevin Yee, Danny King Legal
2022 edition published February 2022
Preeminent
Alexandra Grayson, Maurice Blackburn
Phil Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Danny King, Danny King Legal
Richard Pegg, Toomey Pegg
Peter Punch, Carroll & O'Dea
Leading
Michael Barnes, Carroll & O'Dea
Petrine Costigan, Petrine Costigan Lawyers
Luke Forsyth, Hall Payne
Nathan Keats, McNally Jones Staff
Joe Kennedy, Hall Payne
Chris McArdle, McArdle Legal
Mia Pantechis, Maurice Blackburn
Recommended
Adrian Barwick, WilliamsonBarwick
Michael Doherty, Michael Doherty Legal
Michael Harmer, Harmers Workplace Lawyers
Simon Horton, Horton Rhodes
John Laxon, Laxon Lex
Philip Pasfield, Slater & Gordon
Janine Smith Carroll & O'Dea
Nick Stevens, Stevens & Associates
David Taylor, Segelov Taylor
Kevin Yee, Danny King Legal
2021 edition published March 2021
Preeminent
Phil Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Danny King, Danny King Legal
Peter Punch, Carroll & O'Dea
Leading
Michael Barnes, Carroll & O'Dea
Luke Forsyth, Hall Payne
Alexandra Grayson, Maurice Blackburn
Nathan Keats, McNally Jones Staff
Joe Kennedy, Hall Payne
Chris McArdle, McArdle Legal
Philip Pasfield, Slater & Gordon
Richard Pegg, Toomey Pegg
Recommended
Adrian Barwick, WilliamsonBarwick
Bryan Belling, Belling Legal
Michael Doherty, Michael Doherty Legal
Michael Harmer, Harmers Workplace Lawyers
Kathryn Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
John Laxon, Laxon Lex
Mia Pantechis, Maurice Blackburn
Shana Schreier-Joffee, Keypoint Law
Adrian Shanahan, Shanahan Tudhope
Janine Smith Carroll & O'Dea
2020 edition published February 2020
Preeminent
Phil Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Peter Punch, Carroll & O'Dea
Leading
Michael Barnes, Carroll & O'Dea
Luke Forsyth, Hall Payne
Alexandra Grayson, Maurice Blackburn
Nathan Keats, McNally Jones Staff
Joe Kennedy, Hall Payne
Danny King, Danny King Legal
Philip Pasfield, Slater & Gordon
Richard Pegg, Toomey Pegg
Recommended
Petrine Costigan, Petrine Costigan Lawyers
Michael Doherty, Michael Doherty Legal
Deegan Fitzharris, Shanahan Tudhope
Michael Harmer, Harmers Workplace Lawyers
Kathryn Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Simon Horton, Horton Rhodes
Michael Jaloussis, McNally Jones Staff
Chris McArdle, McArdle Legal
Emma Pritchard, Harmers Workplace Lawyers
Janine Smith Carroll & O'Dea
2019 edition published February 2019
Preeminent
Phil Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Peter Punch, Carroll & O'Dea
Leading
Luke Forsyth, Hall Payne
Alexandra Grayson, Maurice Blackburn
Michael Harmer, Harmers Workplace Lawyers
Nathan Keats, McNally Jones Staff
Joe Kennedy, Hall Payne
Danny King, Danny King Legal
Philip Pasfield, Slater & Gordon
Richard Pegg, Toomey Pegg
Recommended
Michael Barnes, Carroll & O'Dea
Adrian Barwick, Williamson Barwick
Michael Doherty, Michael Doherty Legal
Deegan Fitzharris, Shanahan Tudhope
Kathryn Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Simon Horton, Horton Rhodes
Michael Jaloussis, McNally Jones Staff
Chris McArdle, McArdle Legal
2018 edition published February 2018
Preeminent
Phil Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Nathan Keats, McNally Jones Staff
Peter Punch, Carroll & O'Dea
Leading
Michael Barnes, Carroll & O'Dea
Luke Forsyth, Hall Payne
Michael Harmer, Harmers Workplace Lawyers
Joe Kennedy, Hall Payne
Danny King, Danny King Legal
Philip Pasfield, Slater & Gordon
Richard Pegg, Toomey Pegg
Recommended
Adrian Barwick, Williamson Barwick
Michael Doherty, Michael Doherty Legal
Nicole Dunn, Carroll & O'Dea
Deegan Fitzharris, Shanahan Tudhope
Alexandra Grayson, Maurice Blackburn
Kathryn Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Simon Horton, Horton Rhodes
Adrian Shanahan, Tudhope
2017 edition published February 2017
Preeminent
Phil Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Nathan Keats, WG McNally Jones Staff
Peter Punch, Carroll & O'Dea
Leading
Luke Forsyth, Hall Payne
Michael Harmer, Harmers Workplace Lawyers
Kathryn Hayward, Haywards Solicitors
Bill McNally, WG McNally Jones Staff
Philip Pasfield, Slater & Gordon
Richard Pegg, Toomey Pegg
Recommended
Michael Barnes, Carroll & O'Dea
Adrian Barwick, Williamson Barwick
Michael Doherty, Michael Doherty Legal
Nicole Dunn, Carroll & O'Dea
Alexandra Grayson, Maurice Blackburn
Simon Horton, Horton Rhodes
Michael Jaloussis, WG McNally Jones Staff
Danny King, Danny King Legal
Jane Wright, WorkDynamic