Andrea Twaddle

Andrea is an experienced, highly effective, specialist employment lawyer and workplace investigator.

Andrea is well known for providing astute, commercially sound and pragmatic advice. Her experience as a Director and prior career in human resources ensures a first-hand understanding that people are essential to an organisation’s success and that there are rewards and challenges that arise from managing staff.

Andrea is recognised as one of few specialists in the greater Waikato region to conduct high quality, independent workplace investigations into allegations of misconduct (including harassment and bullying). She is a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI), and holds the AWI Institute Certificate in international best practice investigations.

Andrea has a specialist interest in sport and recreation, and education. She is a Deputy Chair of the New Zealand Sports Tribunal, the Selection Review and Appeals Commissioner for Rowing New Zealand and a member of the Australian and New Zealand Sports Law Association.

Andrea has expertise in the health (in particular mental health) and education sectors. She provides advice and representation in Coronial Inquiries. Andrea was Counsel for respondent employers in the pay equity claim for Support Workers in the mental health sector, from which a successful settlement was negotiated with Government and legislation followed.

Andrea is an engaging, sought-after commentator and educator on employment law issues. Andrea has made numerous presentations at the New Zealand Law Society (NZLS) Employment Law Conference on issues including managing mental health at work (2022) and contractual issues in employment (2014). Alongside presentations for the Law Society, she presents to client and industry seminars, including LexisNexis, ConfereNZ, EMA, various Chambers of Commerce and HRNZ. She provides advice and training to other lawyers, professional advisors including accountants, human resources practitioners, directors and leadership teams.

As an experienced practitioner, Andrea is a member of the national NZLS Employment Law Committee, which assists with drafting the Law Society's submissions on Bills and discussion papers as they relate to proposed changes to employment legislation, and liaises with the judiciary and employment law institutions. She has guest lectured at the University of Waikato, and has served on the (then) Waikato Bay of Plenty District Law Society, and as the Co-Convenor of the Waikato Bay of Plenty Branch NZLS Employment Law Committee.

Andrea is a Trustee and current Deputy Chair of Child Matters, New Zealand’s leading charitable trust dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect through education of whanau, community and workforce. She has also contributed governance expertise as a member of the Cambridge Primary School Board of Trustees, where she served two terms, primarily as Chairperson.

In the past, Andrea has also assisted clients with legal advice about resource management issues. Her work in this area included water allocation, environmental compliance, rural issues, environmental prosecutions, due diligence, advocacy for consent and planning processes, as well as appearances at local council committees and in the District, Environment and Maori Land Courts.

Andrea’s expertise includes:

• Acting for employee and employer clients, recognising the sensitivities involved in workplace relations
  
• Advising on all aspects of employment issues including the resolution of workplace disputes / personal grievances, redundancy and restructuring, dismissals and disciplinary action, performance management, medical issues (including stress and incapacity), intermittent absence, bullying and harassment, restraints of trade, IT and social media issues and the employment implications of selling/purchasing a business
  
• Advising on privacy issues associated with employment relationships
  
• Advocacy/dispute resolution, including attending mediations and appearances in the Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court and Human Rights Review Tribunal
  
• Advising on governance and management health and safety obligations, as well as representation of employers in health and safety investigations and prosecutions
  
• All aspects of pay equity and equal pay matters
  
• Reporting to, as well as representation and advocacy in disciplinary proceedings brought by professional bodies, such as the Education Council Complaints Assessment Committee and Professional Conduct Committee of the Medical Council of New Zealand
  
• Managing high profile employment matters with discretion
  
• Collective bargaining including multi employer party collective bargaining

• Conducting independent investigations into allegations made within the employment relationship, such as bullying, harassment and workplace stress

• Representing clients before the Coroner in Inquests on the papers and in the Coroner's Court
• Responding to Coronial information requests

• Advising Schools regarding Board and Principal obligations; conducting and advising on investigations; dispute resolution; health and safety advice; and assisting with contractual and policy matters

• Advice regarding the management of complaints, adverse events, investigations; the management of health information and information requests; and matters before the Health and Disability Commissioner

• Employment and contracting issues for sport and recreation organisations, coaches, officials and athletes, including health and safety/wellbeing matters
• Conducting, advising and responding to investigations
• Advice in relation to selection processes
  
• Commercial law issues, such as sponsorship, restraints of trade and image rights
• Governance matters.