Rhian O'Sullivan
Special Counsel, Brisbane
I work with clients to manage a range of employment law issues including work health and safety, general protections claims, unfair dismissals, sexual harassment and discrimination claims, and general employment litigation. I take the time to understand my clients' business, and the industry in which they operate, to provide tailored risk management and compliance strategies.

I advise on the full spectrum of employment law matters.

I have particular expertise in work health and safety, and assist my clients in the immediate aftermath of a safety incident including in relation to any investigation or enforcement activity by the safety regulator.

My practice includes providing advice in relation to safety regimes and legal compliance. I regularly deliver training sessions on obligations under the harmonised safety regimes, including to Boards.

I have undertaken a number of reviews of work health and safety governance systems for compliance and I have assisted in the defence of a number of work health and safety prosecutions and coronial inquests.

I advise private and public sector clients in industries including mining, energy, construction, education, health and insurance and have assisted in the conduct of litigation in courts and tribunals in State and Federal jurisdictions.

Career highlights

  • Advising numerous clients in relation to safety governance frameworks including in the construction, rail and energy industries.
  • Managing complex work health and safety investigations and engaging with Queensland safety regulators including Workplace Health and Safety Queensland and the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.
  • Incident management including attending site in the immediate aftermath of a safety incident and attending interviews with safety regulators.
  • Reviewing work health and safety policies and procedures.
  • Providing strategic advice in relation to work health and safety issues and the practical requirements of the officer due diligence obligations.
  • Successfully defending safety prosecutions under both mining and general safety legislation, and managing the conduct of a coronial inquest following a workplace fatality.
  • Advising clients in relation to a range of employment law issues such as unfair dismissals, general protections claims and discrimination and harassment claims as well as reviewing employment contracts and workplace policies.
  • I have undertaken secondments at Ergon Energy and Energex as acting in-house legal counsel.
  • I was previously the Associate to the Honourable Justice Martin Daubney of the Supreme Court of Queensland.