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Kylie Dunn

Partner

Employment, Health and Safety

Profile

Kylie is a partner in Russell McVeagh’s Litigation team, specialising in employment law. She has advocacy experience at all levels of the court system. Kylie’s practice encompasses advice on all aspects of employment relationships with a particular focus on issues that arise with unions, the protection of confidential information, personal grievances (including misconduct and redundancy), and employment issues arising in relation to the sale of a business.

As well as her employment law practice, Kylie advises on issues arising under the Holidays Act, Privacy Act, Human Rights Act, and Health and Safety at Work Act. 

Experience

She regularly provides advice on matters including:

  • Advising on all aspects of relationships with unions, including disputes, industrial action, collective bargaining strategy and collective agreements.
  • Advising on all issues arising on termination of employment, including misconduct, performance and redundancy processes, and exit discussions.
  • Advising on all aspects of the personal grievance regime, including representation from mediation, through the Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court and Court of Appeal.
  • Advising on issues regarding the protection of confidential information and restraints of trade, including obtaining search and seizure orders, and injunctions to prevent unfair competition.
  • Advising on issues arising on the sale or purchase of a business, including the transfer of employment, consultation and restructuring strategy.
  • Advising on employment agreements, including drafting agreements for key employees and advising on disputes that arise.
  • Advising on the minimum employment framework, including the Minimum Wages Act and compliance with legislation.
  • Advising on health and safety issues including policy and compliance advice, assistance in the aftermath of a serious incident and defending WorkSafe prosecutions.

Credentials

LLB (Hons), BCom, University of Auckland.

Professional

Kylie was admitted to practise in New Zealand in 2003 and joined Russell McVeagh in the same year. She was promoted to partner in 2016 and is the current National Chair of the firm's Health and Safety Committee.

Kylie is ranked for Employment law in the Chambers and Partners' 2024 Guide and recognised as a 'Leading Individual' in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024 Guide. She was recently recognised in the Best Lawyers® 2024 New Zealand Guide in the fields of Labour and Employment Law and Litigation, and is recognised by Doyles Guide 2021 and 2023 for Employment Law in New Zealand.

Client feedback in the Legal 500 Guide 2022 emphasised Kylie's expertise in the Employment, Health and Safety sector, stating Kylie:

  • "can manage the right legal solutions for the best result. She has a wonderful depth of legal knowledge that she conveys so simply."
  • "has a high level of trust in the business and will always go the extra mile with a smile. She is also strong in listening, making hard decisions and supporting our culture." 
Kylie shared her insights in the only textbook in existence on the nuts and bolts of running a major cross-border investigation: The Practitioner's Guide to Global Investigations – for which she authored the New Zealand chapter with partners Polly Pope and Emmeline Rushbrook. She also co-authored the New Zealand chapter of Chambers and Partners Technology and Outsourcing 2023 and The 7th Edition of the Legal500 TMT Country Comparative Guide 2023 - The New Zealand Chapter.
 
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