Laura Hillman
Clayton Utz
Special Counsel
Brisbane
Overview
Laura is a highly knowledgeable professional with expertise spanning employment law, discrimination and equal opportunity law, human rights, privacy, and workers' compensation law. With a keen understanding of these intricate legal domains, Laura excels in managing complex litigation matters and providing clients with insightful advice that aligns with their business objectives, ensuring positive and effective solutions.
Her strategic counsel is sought after by numerous large corporations, where she offers invaluable guidance on various industrial and employment law facets, from interpreting awards and crafting redundancy policies to developing termination procedures and handling business transfers.
Notable Work
- Australian Universities: a trusted advisor to educational institutions like James Cook University and the University of Southern Queensland, providing counsel on matters ranging from harassment complaints to contractual reviews.
- Hospital: providing strategic advice and representation to have been instrumental in guiding a confidential hospital service through complex challenges, including regulatory compliance, disciplinary issues, and media responses.
- Hospital: advised and representation a confidential hospital service following complaints referred to the Crime and Corruption Commission regarding potential false claims for Federal Government funding.
- Employee relations: helped companies like Sun Metals Corporation and Mackay Sugar Limited manage employee matters, including workers' compensation claims and safety issues.
- Employment counsel: advising organisations like Port of Townsville Limited on employment matters, including enterprise agreement interpretations and contractor advice.
- Workers' compensation litigation: Specialises in workers' compensation litigation and injury management, offering proactive solutions for employers facing challenges related to ill or injured employees.
- Discrimination expertise: provides counsel on discrimination complaints, including disability discrimination, helping employers navigate the complexities of issues brought to statutory organisations like the Australian Human Rights Commission.
- Local governments: advisor to the City of Gold Coast, Ipswich City Council, and Sunshine Coast Council, offering guidance on various employment issues and litigation.
- Employment and regulatory compliance: advised organisations like Seqwater and UU on employment and regulatory compliance, ensuring policy reviews and sensitive employment matters are handled effectively.
- Mackay Sugar Limited: advised on a range of employment matters including in relation to managing ill and injured employees, safety matters, disciplinary matters and workers' compensation matters.
Insights
Employers’ obligations expanded by changes to Queensland's workers' compensation laws: what this means for your workplace
29 Aug 2024 | Article
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When nature calls: recent High Court decision clarifies the scope of vicarious liability
4 Aug 2023 | Article
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Webinar: R U OK? Promoting and supporting mental wellbeing in the workplace during challenging times
1 Sep 2021 | Article
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Webinar: What to expect in 2021: the key issues employers need to be aware of
9 Mar 2021 | Article
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Employee "staged" injury for time off: the importance of investigating injuries and engaging with claims processes
4 Mar 2021 | Article
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Vaccination rollout for COVID-19 – employers will not be immune to challenges
4 Mar 2021 | Article
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"You're bullying me!": addressing allegations of bullying and harassment during performance management
26 Nov 2020 | Article
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In the crossfire: poor management of multiple complaints = record-breaking $5.2m in damages, compensation and penalties
26 Nov 2020 | Article
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Good dismissal procedures still count, despite burnout forklift driver's crash and burn in the Fair Work Commission
18 Apr 2019 | Article
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No plain sailing for "bullied" ship officer awarded only $100 in damages
22 Dec 2016 | Article
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Changes to Queensland's workers' compensation legislation in effect
1 Oct 2015 | Article
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"Go put some lippy on": recent case demonstrates how not to respond to a bullying complaint
17 Apr 2014 | Article
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Significant changes to Queensland workers' compensation legislation; how they affect your workplace
7 Nov 2013 | Article
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