Kara Reynolds
Kara Reynolds is an Executive Counsel with nearing two decades of expertise in safety, employment and workplace investigations.
Known for her sharp mind and commerciality of advice, Kara is a trusted advisor for employee-related matters. She also regularly advises clients on crisis management, handling serious workplace incidents, liaising with government regulators, strategically managing contractor engagement and contractor management systems, the HVNL, and responding to workplace industrial matters.
Kara oversees, and undertakes, workplace conduct investigations, and regularly navigates safety and employment matters that proceed to litigation.
Kara’s industry knowledge, particularly in mining and resources, has been shaped by her previous employment in coal mines in Queensland’s Bowen Basin.
Background
Kara regularly presents at industry forums, and to boards and executives, on complex workplace matters. She holds a Bachelor of Law (with Honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in industrial relations and human resource management. She is regularly recognised in Doyle’s Guide and Best Lawyers for her contributions to Employment & WHS Law, Employee Benefits Law, Labour and Employment Law, and Occupational Health and Safety Law.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- representation of a mining client in relation to a safety incident where our technical legal argument was ultimately successful in the High Court and charges against our client dismissed
- investigation into, and representation of, a client whose employee was seriously injured in an incident whilst working from heights. As a result of the early strategy employed, our client was not charged in relation to the incident, while other companies and individuals at the site were charged and convicted
- representation of a client in respect of some 20 general protections applications brought against it and achieving a favourable settlement on all
- conducting and advising on numerous workplace investigations, including recently investigating sensitive allegations of sexual harassment against the client’s managing director; investigating allegations of serious and systemic bullying at another client’s remote worksite; investigating multifaceted whistleblower reports, etc
- advising on complex EIRS matters as part of our client’s acquisition of one of Australia’s largest transportation and logistics companies.
