The 5 Best Employment Lawyers in Canberra to Make Business Deals Happen on Your Terms
When my previous company suddenly decided to lay off nearly all its workers, it was a shock to say the least. Besides worrying about my future, I barely even knew how to process the present.
Apart from looking for a new job, I had to tie up loose ends with my old firm. To help with this, a friend suggested that I look for an employment lawyer in Canberra.
I eventually found a great one, and he helped me get everything I was owed before cutting contact with my old company.
I made this list of good employment lawyers in my area before making a final decision; these are your best options in case you find yourself in the same situation I went through.
How much does an employment lawyer cost in Canberra?
Expect to pay at least $300 per hour of consultation with an employment lawyer in Canberra. Lawyers may charge different rates depending on the exact service you request. They may also charge fees for additional tasks like drafting contracts.
1. BDN Lawyers
Address: Level 1, 1 Farrell Place, Canberra ACT 2601
Phone: 0262301999
Business hours:
- Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday and Sunday: Closed
BDN Lawyers has been active in Australia for more than 160 years, making them one of the longest-standing law firms in the nation.
One of their many offerings is expertise in employment law. The legal team is deeply familiar with Australia’s National Employment Standards — the requirements that entitle national system employees to things like capped weekly work hours and sufficient notice in case of terminations.
If (heaven forbid) you need to make a legal claim about unfair dismissal, workers’ compensation, or the threat of redundancy, the BDN team will be happy to advise you.
More importantly, you’ll have some real experts on your side, as proven by tons of positive feedback from clients.
As I was talking with the BDN staff, I noticed that they have excellent communication skills, were patient with all my questions and clarifications, and generally presented an “above and beyond” approach to service.
On the other hand, we did hear some downsides from past patrons: confusing communication and some instances of procrastination or last-minute cramming from the team.
We received excellent service from this legal firm.
“From all aspects we received excellent service from this legal firm. Our request for assistance thru the website was responded to promptly. Hands on legal advice was sound and comprehensive. We were a little off target with our request. Subsequently after some discussion we were put back on track in a sensitive manner to achieve our objectives. We were consulted throughout the process and interactions.
Staff delivered to the planned time-frame. The legal staff we dealt with demonstrated an effective symbiotic approach to produce an excellent well thought through document in a seamless manner. Their pleasant personality from the “human side of enterprise” perspective was beyond reproach. Promises made, promises kept. A scarce commodity these days. Fee charges were proportionate to the output. Based on our experience we fully recommend their services. You will not be disappointed.
This is a genuine review. We do very few reviews.”
- Andrew Grant, Google review
Professional, knowledgeable, and truly dedicated to my case.
“Once again, Richard and Diane were professional, knowledgeable, and truly dedicated to my case. They communicated clearly every step of the way and made a stressful process much easier to navigate. Highly recommend their services, wouldn’t go anywhere else!”
- Cveta Taleski, Google review
2. Tetlow Legal
Address: Level 8, 28 University Ave, Canberra ACT 2601
Phone: 0261403263
Business hours:
- Monday – Friday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Tetlow Legal is a Canberra-based firm of partners and associates with skills in business law, estate planning, and other areas of expertise.
Within the field of commercial law, their experts can help you with franchising and contracts.
The team can examine agreements to make sure that all parties are fulfilling their obligations and following the rules. They can even guide you in business negotiation scenarios if necessary.
In addition, they can assist with drafting confidentiality agreements and employment contracts. In other words, they’re really good at keeping you safe and out of trouble, with all your bases covered.
To top it off, nearly everyone we talked to spoke very highly of the firm. They gave particular praise for the team’s thoroughness in preparing for meetings and overall professionalism. Clients also loved the lawyers’ ability to answer all their questions.
Even more impressive was the level of detail the attorneys could get into for each topic, given their wide range of skills and knowledge.
Unfortunately, this can actually go too far: we heard some reports from patrons regarding difficulty in following or understanding the legal team when discussing a complex situation.
They were professional, efficient, and very supportive.
“I had a fantastic experience working with Lois and the Tetlow team to purchase a property. They were professional, efficient, and very supportive throughout the entire process — Lois never made me feel like I was asking a silly question. Great communication and every detail was handled with care, making what could have been a stressful experience feel smooth and straightforward. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for professional and friendly legal support.”
- Amelia, Google review
Outstanding services.
“Outstanding services. Jason and the team at Tetlow have been nothing short of exceptional for me. Sage advice, compassion and understanding, pro-active and professional. Very highly recommend for any commercial legal advice or matters.”
- Adam Wells, Google review
3. Snedden Hall & Gallop
Address: 43-49 Geils Ct, Deakin ACT 2600
Phone: 0262858000
Business hours:
- Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Snedden Hall & Gallop is an independent law firm that’s been serving Canberra for more than 60 years.
Throughout this decades-long practice, their clients have included corporate and commercial entities looking for guidance and legal protection in the business world. They also serve private individuals who need things like estate planning and personal injury claims assistance.
For the former, there’s advice on how to manage workforces, handle disputes, and safely reduce headcount; for the latter, there’s guidance on all kinds of rights and protective laws relevant to various legal situations.
After talking with a few staff members, I appreciated their ability to explain legal concepts simply, to the point where someone with no legal training at all could grasp the issues.
But I did find out some complaints about the company; there are issues like unwillingness to listen and overcharging of fees. These appear to be rare incidents, at least.
I was treated with a kindness, courtesy, and respect rarely encountered these days.
“I can’t thank Laura Wood enough for the way that she and the team at Snedden Hall & Gallop professionally handled my employment matter. From the very first call that I made to the office and right throughout the whole process I was treated with a kindness, courtesy, and respect rarely encountered these days. Laura Wood and Emily Shoemark achieved a wonderful result for me and I couldn’t recommend the team at Snedden Hall & Gallop enough to anyone seeking legal representatives that are not only professional and thorough, but also know the importance of being decent human beings. Thanks for all your hard work Laura.”
- Ian McDonald, Google review
Everything about SHG oozes professionalism.
“I received employment advice from Laura Wood concerning an employment related matter. I found Laura’s advice to be clear, relevant and to the point. Everything about SHG oozes professionalism. I can’t rate them more highly.”
- John Williams, Google review
4. Chamberlains Law Firm
Address: Level 8, 224 Bunda Street, Canberra ACT 2601
Phone: 0261883600
Business hours:
- Monday – Thursday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
- Friday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Chamberlains Law Firm is a team of prestigious and accomplished lawyers with the credentials to prove their skill.
Several of the directors and team members have earned “finalist” status for numerous awards for business excellence and youth leadership. The company is also affiliated with other professional groups like the ACT Law Society, among others.
This team can advise you on laws and news for minimum wages, entitlements, terminations, and other crucial aspects of employment law. They also work on formal agreements and employment contracts.
Plus, if your workplace is conducting an investigation and you’d like legal guidance for this, the team can help.
Previous clients have lots of good things to say about the company: superb professionalism and communication come to mind. Despite this, I did hear about some cases in which staff members failed to pick up the phones or respond to emails.
They understood my needs and sensitivities.
“I have been a client of Chamberlain’s for a few years now and am so appreciative of the work they do. Whilst a long process (which is no fault of Chamberlain’s), Jon and Rüfus remained engaged and focused on the best outcome for me. They understood my needs and sensitivities and were always caring when communicating with me.
I am very grateful to have had such great service from Chamberlains and recommend them to anyone seeking tailored, individual and honest legal support in Canberra.
Thanks Jon and Rüfus!”
- Tiffany Jones, Google review
They have been nothing but professional.
“I have been a client of Chamberlains for several years. They have been nothing but professional. Rufus always followed through with my requests quickly and kept things on track. Not only were they professional but very friendly and understanding. I would highly recommend Chamberlains Law Firm.”
- Raelene Borchard, Google review
5. The Contract Company
Address: 6 Geils Ct, Deakin ACT 2600
Phone: 1800355455
Business hours:
- Daily – 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
As you might expect from the name, the Contract Company specialises in drafting and reviewing contracts for business ventures, purchases and sales, and employment.
The legal team can advise you on what elements should be present in a formal agreement. They know which explicit and implied terms to look for in such documents, and if there’s any vital information missing, they’ll tell you this as well.
This kind of knowledge is vital for employers who want to keep things above board, as well as staff who want to know all their rights and obligations.
The firm can provide similar assistance with contracts for all types of workers — not just full-time hires. I always like seeing this kind of flexibility, and it makes them a nice choice for clients who aren’t regular employees.
That said, former patrons mentioned that their scope of expertise seems to be slightly narrower than alternative companies.
I highly recommend this service.
“Simon has been wonderful to deal with.
The whole process has been easy and prompt.
I highly recommend this service and wouldn’t hesitate to use The Contract Company again.”
- Simone Galea, Google review
I thought it would be a lot harder, but the process was extremely easy.
“Simon was unbelievable in helping me understand and ran me through my first ever employment contract as a business owner, thought it would be alot harder, but the process was extremely easy and Simon was so helpful and knowledgeable. Highly recommend his services 👌 👏 👍”
- Dwayne Houghton, Google review