Navigate complex labor laws, mitigate HR liabilities, and successfully manage workforce transitions to protect business value during corporate mergers and acquisitions.
Employment issues are a critical but often underestimated component of business acquisitions. In Australia, the transfer of employees, inherited liabilities, and compliance with workplace laws can significantly impact deal value, integration success, and post-acquisition risk exposure. Buyers must carefully assess workforce obligations alongside financial and operational considerations.
Complexities arise in areas such as employee entitlements, transfer of employment, redundancy, and compliance with the Fair Work Act. Missteps during due diligence or post-completion integration can lead to disputes, claims, and unexpected liabilities, particularly in relation to dismissal, discrimination, or historical workplace issues.
This session examines how employment law operates within the context of acquisitions, from due diligence through to post-completion workforce management. It provides practical guidance on identifying risks, structuring transactions, and managing employee-related issues to ensure legally compliant and commercially effective outcomes.
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Senior Associate | Velocity Legal
Katherine knows employment law. She loves tackling complex workplace problems and guiding clients through the ever-changing employment law landscape. Empathy, precision and lateral thinking define Katherine’s approach to employment law. With experience across the spectrum of workplace relations, Katherine helps clients navigate the ever-changing employment law landscape with clarity. Her work includes advising on complex dismissals, managing sensitive matters involving bullying and sexual harassment, and representing clients in discrimination and general protections litigation. Clients value Katherine’s ability to combine technical rigour with practical solutions. She offers clear, empathetic advice that instils confidence for clients navigating workplace disputes. Before becoming a lawyer, Katherine worked as a Workplace Relations Advisor within a professional association. This frontline experience gives her genuine insight into how workplace decisions shape people, culture and business outcomes. Katherine holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne.
