People

Kathryn Evans

Partner

Employment

NZ Lawyer Rising Star 2024, Member of the Canterbury-Westland Employment Law Committee

T +64 3 379 7622 M +64 27 272 3007

Specialist areas of practice

  • Employment law
  • Dispute Resolution
  • Health and safety
  • Privacy

As a Partner in the Firm’s national employment team, Kathryn advises on all aspects of employment law including both contentious and non-contentious matters. This includes disciplinary investigations and dismissals, negotiated exits, restructuring and redundancy, managing poor performance, restraint of trade and post-employment obligations, leave entitlements, independent contractor arrangements and minimum standards compliance.

Kathryn’s clients include domestic and international private corporates, All-of-Government entities, and significant national NGOs. She has significant experience collaborating with in-house legal and HR teams and is regarded for her ability to understand her clients’ businesses quickly and add value. Kathryn also regularly represents executive and C-suite level employees with negotiated exits.

With vast experience representing clients in all forms of dispute resolution, Kathryn’s strategic approach sees her regularly called upon by clients to support them in defending complex personal grievance claims.

She is adept at navigating the media interest that often arises from employment matters, having worked closely with some of the country’s top public relations professionals on cases of national significance. Her ability to consider the broader picture, including political and regulatory factors, is key to her being held in such high regard by clients and peers.

Kathryn also advises on health and safety matters and employer obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, as well as investigations by the Labour Inspectorate, including in relation to non-compliance under the Holidays Act 2003.

Having a previous commercial law background, Kathryn also works closely with the Firm’s Corporate and Commercial team on large mergers and acquisitions, including conducting employment and health and safety due diligence, and managing high-volume employee terminations and transfers.