Presenters - 18 August 2025

Chair: Andrea Twaddle
DTI Lawyers, Hamilton

Andrea is a director, specialist employment lawyer and workplace investigator. She has extensive experience practising in employment law, advising across all aspects of employment relationships, representing employers and employees. Andrea has a special interest in the mental health and education sectors. She also provides advice and representation in Coronial Inquiries. Andrea is a Deputy Chair of the New Zealand Sports Tribunal, a certified Association of Workplace Investigators member and Certificate Holder (AWI-CH), and a member of the Law Society’s Employment Law Committee. 

 Tim Clarke
Richmond Chambers, Auckland

Tim is an experienced litigator with a specialist focus on employment and workplace safety law. His practice spans advocacy in the courts of general jurisdiction (including appellate courts), the Employment Court and Employment Relations Authority, Human Rights Review Tribunal, mediation and workplace investigations. Tim has been recognised as a leading lawyer in employment law by the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023, Lexology (formerly Who’s Who Legal) and Chambers Asia Pacific 2024. Doyle’s Guide 2025 ranks him as a leading employment law barrister. Prior to commencing practice as a barrister sole, Tim was a partner at Bell Gully for 12 years.

Kylie Dunn
Smith Dunn, Auckland

Kylie has more than 20 years’ experience in employment law. Her practice encompasses advice on all aspects of employment relationships, with a particular focus on collective disputes, personal grievances and section 6 status litigation. Kylie regularly represents clients in mediation, the Employment Relations Authority and the Employment Court and has appeared in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

Hannah King
Kiely Thompson Caisley, Auckland

Hannah is a solutions-driven employment law expert. She balances technical proficiency and skill in dealing with complex legal issues with a pragmatic and commercial approach. Hannah’s experience spans the full range of contentious and advisory employment law issues, including privacy, health and safety and human rights matters. When it comes to the most confronting and sensitive issues that arise in the workplace, she is particularly adept at supporting clients to manage risk, find practical solutions and deliver the best outcomes. Hannah was recognised by the Doyle’s Guide as a Rising Star in employment and workplace health & safety law in 2022 and 2023.

Hamish Kynaston
Buddle Findlay, Wellington

Hamish is a partner in Buddle Findlay's national employment law team, based in Wellington. He and his team have assisted clients with the full range of restructuring work, from design to dispute resolution. Most recently, the team has assisted a number of public service agencies with their sector-wide change programmes and the challenges that have come from those.

Ashley-Jayne (AJ) Lodge
Anderson Lloyd, Christchurch

AJ co-leads Anderson Lloyd’s employment and immigration team, providing pragmatic solutions to complex workplace issues. Her experience covers the full range of employment challenges, privacy and human rights issues, and dispute resolution. AJ is a certified Association of Workplace Investigators member and Certificate Holder (AWI-CH) and conducts workplace and other independent investigations. She is the convenor of the Law Society Employment Law Committee, and a member of one of the Standards Committees.

Fiona McMillan
Lane Neave, Auckland

Fiona is the Auckland partner of the employment law team. She acts for both employees and employers in matters involving employment relations, health and safety, human rights, privacy and ACC. Fiona also specialises in collective bargaining and independent external investigations. She regularly represents parties in mediations, Employment Relations Authority investigation meetings and the Employment Court. In 2022 and 2023, Fiona was recognised as an Elite Woman in NZ Lawyer’s annual rankings. Fiona has also been recognised in Doyle’s Guide, Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leading employment and health and safety practitioner in New Zealand.

Simon Mitchell KC
Hobson Chambers, Auckland

Simon is a barrister based in Auckland and has worked as a litigation lawyer since 1990. He provides specialist employment law services, including personal grievances, bargaining disputes, health & safety and related litigation. Simon also assists parties by resolving matters and negotiating settlements if at all possible. He specialises in acting for unions and employees with a special interest in bargaining issues. Simon regularly appears in all of the employment institutions including the Mediation Service, Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court and Court of Appeal.

Sarah Townsend
Duncan Cotterill, Christchurch

Sarah is a partner and specialist employment lawyer at Duncan Cotterill. Her expertise covers all aspects of employment law, from representing clients in mediation and the courts, to advising on personal grievance claims, disciplinary processes, workplace complaints, restructuring, discrimination claims and dismissals, Holidays Act and restraint of trade disputes. Sarah is also regularly engaged to carry out independent investigations into workplace issues. She is recognised as the “Lawyer of the Year in Labour and Employment Law in Christchurch” in the Best Lawyers New Zealand 2026 directory and is a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific legal directory.

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