Amanda Lyras
Clayton Utz
Partner
Sydney
I have dealt with Amanda Lyras on a number of matters over a number of years. She provides excellent advice and is responsive to our needs and timeframes. She has epitomised professionalism and conducts her work with empathy. I enjoy working with Amanda and am confident with the advice she provides.
– Legal500 Asia-Pacific, Labour and Employment
Overview
Amanda is a seasoned expert in employment law, offering comprehensive counsel across the entire employment spectrum. She is focused on getting the best outcomes for her clients and delivering clear and tailored advice that empowers them to make informed decisions on their pressing employment issues, including those involving senior executives, sensitive discrimination and harassment allegations, workplace investigations, ill and injured workers, transfers of business, and the enforcement of post-employment restraints.
As a recognised authority on whistleblowing, Amanda played a key role in shaping the current whistleblowing laws and her expert handling of whistleblower complaints, investigations and litigation allows her clients to comply with laws and achieve best practice, as well as minimise legal and reputational risk.
Notable Work
- Commonwealth Bank of Australia: advised in landmark whistleblowing proceedings under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
- Concord Golf Club: defended a high profile sex discrimination claim before the Anti-Discrimination Board NSW.
- Major international beauty company: facilitated the successful exit of a senior executive amidst systemic bullying allegations, ensuring confidentiality and resolution.
- Clients: guided several clients, including a global automotive company and a multinational technology conglomerate, on the exit of their country managers to achieve mutually acceptable terms of separation.
- Blackstone: advised on the employment and industrial aspects of its acquisition of Crown Resorts, Blackstone's largest investment in the Asia Pacific at the time, and one of Australia's largest take privates.
- Woolworths: advisory role in the Australian Security and Investments Commission's targeted review of a selection of whistleblower programs to prepare its Report 758 on 'Good practices for handling whistleblower disclosures'.
- Transfer of business: facilitated smooth employment transitions in Westpac's auto finance sale to Angle Finance and Blackstone's Milestone logistics portfolio sale.
- Australian Institute of Company Directors: prepared a leading report published by AICD on effectively preventing and responding to sexual harassment, resulting in collaboration with the Attorney-General's office on guidelines for non-disclosure agreements.
- Commonwealth Bank of Australia: represented CBA in proceedings brought by the Finance Sector Union alleging breaches of entitlements to tea breaks under successive enterprise agreements.
- Investment bank: advised on the hiring of key personnel in highly contested circumstances, including navigating complex restraint of trade terms and anticipated litigation.
- Large professional services firm: advised on various complex and sensitive employee claims alleging discrimination on the basis of sex, race and disability.
- Technology company: advised on sensitive whistleblower allegations that attracted interest from the media, the Senate and a leading plaintiff law firm.
Insights
Recent insights on the whistleblowing protections under the Corporations Act
27 Mar 2025 | Article
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Chambers Global Practice Guides - HR Internal Investigations 2025
19 Mar 2025 | Document
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Back on the whistleblowing agenda: a Whistleblower Protection Authority
27 Feb 2025 | Article
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Closing Loopholes No 2: What you need to know about the next raft of changes commencing 26 August
26 Aug 2024 | Article
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Fair Work Commission to review fixed term clauses in university modern awards
22 Jul 2024 | Article
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What the new "right to disconnect" means for employers, and how they can prepare
27 Mar 2024 | Article
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Media Release: Clayton Utz advises NSW Government on new company to operate world-leading viral vector manufacturing facility
4 Mar 2024 | Media Release
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Closing Loopholes No. 2: what you need to know on the right to disconnect, casual employment and more
21 Feb 2024 | Article
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Closing Loopholes Bill split in two: Wage theft and labour hire amendments passed the Senate today
7 Dec 2023 | Article
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New rules for fixed-term contracts from 6 December 2023: are you ready?
30 Nov 2023 | Article
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Your positive duty under the Sex Discrimination Act – getting ready for the AHRC's new enforcement powers
25 Oct 2023 | Article
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IR reforms 3.0: get ready for changes to casual and gig employment, labour hire, wage theft and union rights
5 Sep 2023 | Article
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Media Release: Clayton Utz partner Dr Ashley Tsacalos named Government Partner of the Year
27 Jul 2023 | Media Release
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Media Release: Clayton Utz claims several finalist spots in 2023 legal industry awards
23 Jun 2023 | Media Release
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Contract remains king and the superannuation guarantee is still unsettled, so check your independent contractor contracts
29 May 2023 | Article
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Poor report card on modern slavery compliance acknowledged with $8m to implement Anti-Slavery Commissioner
12 May 2023 | Article
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Review your whistleblower program now to meet ASIC's new good practice guidance
7 Mar 2023 | Article
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Employment outside NSW won’t automatically count for long service leave in NSW, so review how you track it now
15 Dec 2022 | Article
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Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill to be introduced to Federal Parliament next week, but how far it goes is still unknown
19 Oct 2022 | Article
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Public and private sectors beware – a powerful National Anti-Corruption Commission is coming
30 Sep 2022 | Article
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Jobs & Skills Summit 2022 – reform agenda for Australia’s labour market
1 Sep 2022 | Article
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Implementing Respect@Work's positive duty to prevent sexual harassment
18 Aug 2022 | Article
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Media Release: Clayton Utz congratulates Blackstone on successful implementation of Crown Resorts scheme
24 Jun 2022 | Media Release
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Federal election 2022: The new Labor Government's industrial relations agenda at a glance
23 May 2022 | Article
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The terms of the contract are decisive of the employee/contractor issue – with some provisos, says High Court
11 Feb 2022 | Article
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Media Release: Clayton Utz promotes 7 to the partnership on 1 January 2022
9 Dec 2021 | Media Release
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It's time to reset: what you should be thinking about when refreshing your whistleblowing systems and policies
11 Nov 2021 | Article
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Trends in the management of sexual harassment 02: demands for transparency
14 Oct 2021 | Article
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Trends in the management of sexual harassment 01: the rise of the employee activist and bystander
30 Sep 2021 | Article
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A whistle-stop tour of key takeaways from recent Court and regulatory developments in whistleblowing
24 Jun 2021 | Article
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Latest Government guidance reaffirms voluntary COVID-19 vaccination policy
23 Feb 2021 | Article
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Media Release: Clayton Utz assists Infosys with its acquisition of experience design agency Carter Digital
19 Jan 2021 | Media Release
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It's time to give your whistleblowing program a COVID-19 refresh
17 Aug 2020 | Article
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Media Release: Clayton Utz announces 1 July 2020 senior promotions
27 Jul 2020 | Media Release
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ASIC whistleblowing policy guidance rocks the boat for companies required to have a compliant whistleblowing policy by 1 January 2020
15 Nov 2019 | Article
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