Emma Peterson

Emma is a Partner in the Litigation team specialising in employment law and health and safety. She advises on all aspects of employment law with a particular focus on personal grievances, issues regarding confidentiality and restraints of trade, restructurings, and employment issues arising in insolvency scenarios.

Before rejoining Russell McVeagh in 2016, she worked for a boutique insolvency firm in London and then at Simmons & Simmons in Hong Kong.

Emma's relevant experience includes advising on:

• Personal grievance claims and other litigation from mediation through to hearing in the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court.
• The management of all workplace issues, including poor performance, misconduct and restructuring/redundancy.
• The protection of confidential information and competitive opportunities.
• Restructuring, including communications to employees, exit negotiations and severance agreements.

University of Otago: LLB, BA

Emma was admitted to practise in New Zealand in February 2008. She was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors of England & Wales in 2012 and registered as a foreign lawyer in Hong Kong in 2013.  

Client feedback in the Legal 500 Guide 2022 emphasised Emma's expertise in the Employment, Health and Safety sector, stating Emma is "knowledgeable and commercially astute, she understands people and organisational dynamics, and is efficient in terms of assigning appropriate resource to various matters. She builds relationships with her clients, and I couldn’t recommend her services highly enough".

Emma has been recognised in the Best Lawyers® 2024 Guide for both Insolvency and Reorganisation Law; and Litigation. She has also been named as 'Next Gen Partner' in the 2024 Legal 500 Guide.