Karl advises on employment, workplace health and safety, workplace investigations and insurance matters, acting in courts, commissions, coronial inquests and Royal Commissions across energy, mining, defence, health and aged care.

Biography

Karl acts for major employers including energy, oil and gas, mining, defence, construction, manufacturing, health, technology, disability and aged care organisations. Karl’s practice spans both contentious and advisory employment and WHS work, acting for boards, executives, general counsel and HR across private and government clients. He is the author of the Thomson Reuters National Work Health and Safety Practice subscription service.

Karl advises on all aspects of employment law and WHS governance, acting as both barrister and solicitor across more than 30 years of practice. His contentious work covers workplace litigation, workers compensation, WHS investigations and prosecutions, coronial inquests, Royal Commissions and general protections and unfair dismissal matters. His advisory practice spans performance management, termination, enterprise bargaining, transfer of business, bullying, harassment and discrimination, and WHS governance systems for boards and executives. He conducts workplace assessments, independent investigations and cultural reviews.

Karl has advised the Australian Submarine Corporation on a major safety governance project, designed safety management frameworks for ElectraNet, and conducted WHS governance reviews for major defence and energy operators. He has appeared as counsel in coronial inquests, Royal Commissions and WHS prosecutions across all Australian jurisdictions, and has conducted more than 600 WHS regulatory investigations and defended over 250 WHS prosecutions as part of the Thomsons national employment team.

Credentials

Academic qualifications:

Karl's experience

Australian Submarine Corporation

Advising the Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC) on a large safety due diligence project, including the delivery of a governance safety system to ensure ASC’s officers can meet their due diligence obligations under harmonised WHS laws, and working with ASC’s General Manager of Safety to devise practical solutions integrating WHS laws into corporate management processes.

ElectraNet

Advising ElectraNet on compliance with health and safety duties, including conducting a detailed analysis, review and remediation of its infrastructure and contractor management systems, and delivering a safety governance system and safety management framework.

CSR — Workers compensation review

Advising CSR on the strategic review of its obligations under the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1986 (SA), with the outcome of reducing workers compensation premiums and managing obligations for employees with permanent restrictions from returning to pre-injury duties.

Defence sector — WHS governance

Advising a large contractor involved in the sustainment of the Collins Class submarine fleet on a safety due diligence project, including the delivery of a governance safety system covering WHS law obligations for leaders and officers.

Coronial inquests and WHS prosecutions

Appearing as counsel in coronial inquests, Royal Commissions and WHS prosecutions across all Australian jurisdictions, including for major employers in the energy, mining, construction, health and aged care sectors.

Awards, recognition and ranking