Meet our People

Andrew Rich is an industrial and employee relations specialist, with over 25 years’ experience. He’s previously held roles in leading national industrial and employment relations practices as well as practicing as a barrister in both Sydney and Brisbane. Andrew comes to Gadens from Slater & Gordon, where he was Head of the National Industrial and Employment Practice and previously held the role of Practice Leader of the Queensland Industrial and Employment Practice.

Andrew’s areas of experience range from breach of contract issues, enterprise agreement negotiations and bargaining, enterprise agreement and award contraventions, workplace disputes, wage and entitlements, workplace investigations and disciplinary processes, unfair dismissal and general protections issues, discrimination, bullying, and sexual harassment.

He has extensive experience advising clients in the public sector, as well as in finance, health, transportation and logistics, and mining in particular. This broad experience gives Andrew a unique insight into how to best approach each matter and the means to understand and empathise with each client’s unique situation.

Andrew has been recognised by Doyle’s Guide as a Leading and Recommended Employment Lawyer in Queensland for many years.

Andrews’ experience includes advising on:

• Workers’ compensation and employment litigation for major employers, including acting for Tabcorp, Queensland Health and Integrated Group Labour Hire in workers’ compensation appeals and related employment matters, and advising employers across the mining, construction and manufacturing sectors on workers’ compensation claims and associated workplace issues
• Landmark casual employment litigation (WorkPac and Skene / Workpac and Rossato). Andrew acted for Mr Paul Skene in proceedings against WorkPac concerning casual classification under an enterprise agreement and the Fair Work Act. The decision was upheld by the Federal Court and Full Federal Court and led to subsequent legislative reform introducing a statutory definition of casual employment. Andrew subsequently acted in related proceedings before the Full Federal Court and High Court of Australia
• Enterprise bargaining and industrial relations matters, including acting for the Commonwealth Public Sector Union and Australian Services Union in relation to enterprise bargaining and protected industrial action involving large government departments and government‑owned corporations, and advising on majority support determinations and enterprise agreement disputes in the mining and resources sector
• Employment disputes and Fair Work litigation, regularly advising employers on performance management, disciplinary action and termination, and representing clients before the Fair Work Commission, Federal Circuit and Family Court, and Federal Court, including unfair dismissal and general protections proceedings.