Michael is the Chairman and Senior Team Leader of the firm, and has in excess of 30 years’ experience in industrial relations. During this time he has provided legal and strategic advice in a number of major enterprise bargaining and change management initiatives and has built up extensive experience and expertise in all of the firm’s practice areas.
In 1996 Michael established Harmers Workplace Lawyers which is currently one of the largest stand alone workplace relations practices in Australia with offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For each of the last six years the firm has won the ALB Australasian Law Award for “Employment Specialist Firm of the Year” and has received a number of people management awards including a Workplace Excellence Award from the Victorian government; an award for innovative contribution to HR from the Australian Institute of Management; the Australian Human Resources Institute Award for Excellence in People Management; and has been ranked as high as the number 4 business in the country in the “Work/Life Initiative in Australian Industry” survey.
In 2011 the firm has won the Global Law Experts Practice Area Award, the CorporateINTL Global Award as “Labour & Law Employment Law Firm of the Year” in Australia and, with Michael receiving more nominations than any other Australian lawyer in the first of those awards. The firm has also recently been invited to join the L&E Global Network of Corporate Advisory firms specialising in workplace relations advice across the globe.
Michael’s background includes managing a major industrial law practice as a partner in one of Australia’s largest law firms and previously having been:
- Research Officer to Presidential members of the then Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission (undertaking legal, economic and arbitral research and advice work initially for Sir John Moore and later Mr Justice Maddern);
- Solicitor for the New South Wales Department of Industrial Relations (advice and prosecution work in industrial relations, employment and occupational health and safety);
- Industrial Officer for a private sector employer (oil industry); and
- Research Officer for one of Australia’s largest unions.
Michael has extensive advocacy and negotiation experience in relevant Federal and State Tribunals. His practice places special emphasis on the preventive law approach in assisting clients in the informed management of a range of human rights, OH&S and employment issues. Michael is also recognised for his specialist advice concerning the employment of senior executives.
Michael is the President of the Australian Institute of Employment Rights (AIER), a tripartite organisation independent of government or any particular interest group. Its membership and governance structures include representation from employers, employees, academics and lawyers who have an interest in promoting positive workplace relationships in the public interest.
In excess of 25% of the firm’s profits in its first 15 years of operation have been contributed to the promotion of human rights and justice internationally - including support for a number of schools, hospitals and community services in Africa and indigenous Australia.
According to the 2007/2008 Asia Pacific Legal 500 Survey: “Chairman Michael Harmer is well respected by clients and peers alike and receives the highest
accolades”.
