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Performance improvement plans—bullying or supporting employees?
Performance improvement plans—bullying or supporting employees?

15-06-18 | The Fair Work Commission has dismissed a formerly high-achieving employee's stop bully application, in which he claimed the performance improvement plans implemented by his employer were an act of workplace bullying.

Compensating for the lost years
Compensating for the lost years

13-06-18 | The High Court has this morning published its judgment in Amaca Pty Ltd v Latz; Latz v Amaca Pty Ltd [2018] HCA 22, confirming that a reversionary benefit must be deducted from a plaintiff's damages for the loss of a superannuation pension and that the loss of the expectation of the age pension is not compensable. The decision of the High Court provides clarity for defendants in assessing claims for future economic loss in the "lost years".

Record fine for company director following safety law breach
Record fine for company director following safety law breach

12-06-18 | A company director in Western Australia has been fined a record $102,500 over a safety incident that seriously injured a teenage worker. His company, FGS Contracting Pty Ltd (FGS) was also fined $225,000 over the incident.

Significant 1 July changes to enforcing contractual rights on insolvency
Significant 1 July changes to enforcing contractual rights on insolvency

06-06-18 | Recent amendments to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) will result in significant changes to enforcing contractual rights based on insolvency. We consider how this will impact the operation of contracts in the construction industry, including recourse to security in the event of insolvency, from 1 July 2018.

Andrew White appointed Chair of Sparke Helmore Board along with two new members
Andrew White appointed Chair of Sparke Helmore Board along with two new members

05-06-18 | Corporate & Commercial Group Partner Andrew White has been appointed as Chair of the Board at Sparke Helmore Lawyers. Andrew leads the firm's national Mining & Resources Service Line and the Corporate & Commercial Group in the Hunter region. He joined the firm's Board in 2016 and has been acting as Interim Chair before this appointment.

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Opinion

30-04-18 | You enter into a contract for supplies or services on behalf of the Commonwealth and under the contract you agree to pay the contractor on a recurring basis for work performed. The arrangement is going well, until the contractor asks you to pay amounts due under the contract to someone else instead...

12-04-18 | The concept of "overtime" is changing. It was commonly understood to mean working in excess of 38 hours (the standard weekly hours for a full time employee). Now, the rule is less clear and many modern awards and enterprise agreements have adopted a second meaning, that of any hours that fall outside the span of an employee's "ordinary hours".

29-03-18 | Early industry engagement is one way of achieving sound procurement outcomes, faster time to contract and innovative solutions. If properly managed, early industry engagement can occur without compromising procurement integrity and compliance with key procurement policies such as the Commonwealth Procurement Rules.

23-02-18 | Residential land that is "vacant" in the inner and middle suburbs of Melbourne is now subject to an annual tax of 1% of the property's capital improved value under the Victorian Residential Land Tax, which was introduced on 1 January this year.

14-02-18 | Partner, Board member and Chair of the firm's Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, Gillian Davidson, shares her thoughts about why diversity and inclusion is important for Sparke Helmore and for the legal profession

05-02-18 | A golden ticket out of legal obligations? We look at how relying on SLIPs as a complete ticket out of obligations may lead to heavier penalties.

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Awards

Law Firm of the Year, Australasian Law Awards 2018

Insurance Specialist Firm of the Year, Australasian Law Awards 2018

Winner, Insurance, Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards 2018

Winner, Government, Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards 2018

Law Firm of the Year, Occupational Health & Safety Law, Best Lawyers in Australia 2019

Lawyer of the Year, Occupational Health & Safety Law (Adelaide and Melbourne), Best Lawyers in Australia 2019

Listed, Best Lawyers in Australia 2019

Sparke Helmore Lawyers

Sparke Helmore Lawyers is a client-first focused firm with more than 750 people working from eight offices across Australia, serving the needs of the insurance, government, financial services, technology, mining, construction and property sectors. Our expertise spans corporate and commercial to construction, workplace to insurance, IP to IPOs, mining to manufacturing, and property to procurement.