HenrySkene
Partner
Employment and Industrial Relations Law
hskene@seyfarth.com
Henry collaborates with major employers on their most significant labour and employment concerns. He is passionate about advancing the interests of employers and business owners.
More About Henry
Henry is known for his strong rapport with clients and for working collaboratively with employers to assess problems and implement innovative, commercially focused, long-term solutions. Henry is described as "a thought leader on workplace strategy and labour market reform" and a "robust litigator" who "inspires loyalty and a high degree of respect in his clients." For more than ten years, Henry has been identified as a leading lawyer in labour and employment law by international legal guides.
Focusing on workplace relations strategy, Henry’s practice contemplates all aspects of workplace change and execution, including enterprise bargaining, collective labour disputes and litigation, individual employment arrangements and litigation, and construction and infrastructure management. He has acted for major employers in many of the largest and most complex matters in this field, in federal and state jurisdictions.
His clients come from a range of industries, including mining and resources, construction and infrastructure projects, retail, manufacturing, professional services, and energy. He has also acted for various public sector bodies in relation to compliance issues and workplace reform.
Our Australian practice operates as Seyfarth Shaw Australia, an unincorporated legal practice. Legal services provided by Seyfarth Shaw Australia are provided only by the Australian legal practitioner partners and employees of Seyfarth Shaw Australia.
Focusing on workplace relations strategy, Henry’s practice contemplates all aspects of workplace change and execution, including enterprise bargaining, collective labour disputes and litigation, individual employment arrangements and litigation, and construction and infrastructure management. He has acted for major employers in many of the largest and most complex matters in this field, in federal and state jurisdictions.
His clients come from a range of industries, including mining and resources, construction and infrastructure projects, retail, manufacturing, professional services, and energy. He has also acted for various public sector bodies in relation to compliance issues and workplace reform.
Our Australian practice operates as Seyfarth Shaw Australia, an unincorporated legal practice. Legal services provided by Seyfarth Shaw Australia are provided only by the Australian legal practitioner partners and employees of Seyfarth Shaw Australia.
- LLB, University of Melbourne Law School
With honours
- BA, University of Melbourne
- An Australian legal practitioner admitted in Victoria
Related Services
Related Key Industries
Related Regions
Related News & Insights
-
Recognition
12/12/2024
Seyfarth Ranked as Australia’s Only Band 1 Firm in Employment & Safety in Both New South Wales and Victoria by Chambers Asia Pacific for 2025
-
Recognition
03/27/2024
Seyfarth Ranked as Tier 1 Firm in Employment in Australia by Doyle’s Guide 2024
-
Recognition
03/13/2024
16 Seyfarth Lawyers Earn Acclaim in Who’s Who Legal: Labour, Employment & Benefits 2024
-
Blog Post
Mar 4, 2024
The next ten years: Seyfarth’s partners discuss the future of employment and workplace safety law in Australia
- Band 1, Employment – VIC, Chambers Asia Pacific (2025)
- Recognised in Best Lawyers Australia for Labour & Employment Law (2008–2025)
- Recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Preeminent Employment Lawyer (2024)
- Recognised in Chambers Asia Pacific for Employment (2011–2024)
- Recognised by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a Leading Individual for Labour and Employment (2017–2024)
- Recognised in International Employment Lawyer Global Elite (2022–2023)
- Recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Leading Employment Lawyer (2012–2023)
- Advisory Board of the Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law of The University of Melbourne (2009-2015)
- Australian Institute of Company Directors
- Industrial Relations Society of Victoria
- Co-Author, “The next ten years: Seyfarth’s partners discuss the future of employment and workplace safety law in Australia,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 5, 2024)
- Co-Author, “A decade in Australia: Seyfarth’s partners reflect on changes in employment and workplace safety law,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 29, 2024)
- Co-Author, “Closing Loopholes just keeps getting better and better,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 1, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Closing loopholes or throwing lifelines…," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 13, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Closing loopholes or creating a noose?," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 5, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Labor’s changes to labour strategy," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 1, 2023)
- Co-Author, "5 years on – in human resources, industrial relations and workplace health and safety law," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 12, 2018)
- Co-Author, “Knock, knock… who’s there and do I have to let you in?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 1, 2017)
- Author, “United we stand. But lawfully.,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 1, 2017)
- Author, “Breaking up is hard to do,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 15, 2016)
- Author, “Walking the talk: the thin red line of drug and alcohol testing,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 8, 2015)
- Co-Author, “The Bargaining Coach: FWC provides bargaining reality-check,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 23, 2015)
- Co-Author, “Aurizon: Operating in perpetuity not in the public interest,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 23, 2015)
- Co-Author, “Recovering wasted costs and combatting the “trial by media” litigation strategy,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 12, 2014)
- Co-Author, “7 lessons for successful bargaining,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 30, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Proposed reforms to the building and construction industry: draft Commonwealth Code changes bargaining behaviour,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 28, 2014)
Henry collaborates with major employers on their most significant labour and employment concerns. He is passionate about advancing the interests of employers and business owners.
More About Henry
Henry is known for his strong rapport with clients and for working collaboratively with employers to assess problems and implement innovative, commercially focused, long-term solutions. Henry is described as "a thought leader on workplace strategy and labour market reform" and a "robust litigator" who "inspires loyalty and a high degree of respect in his clients." For more than ten years, Henry has been identified as a leading lawyer in labour and employment law by international legal guides.
Focusing on workplace relations strategy, Henry’s practice contemplates all aspects of workplace change and execution, including enterprise bargaining, collective labour disputes and litigation, individual employment arrangements and litigation, and construction and infrastructure management. He has acted for major employers in many of the largest and most complex matters in this field, in federal and state jurisdictions.
His clients come from a range of industries, including mining and resources, construction and infrastructure projects, retail, manufacturing, professional services, and energy. He has also acted for various public sector bodies in relation to compliance issues and workplace reform.
Our Australian practice operates as Seyfarth Shaw Australia, an unincorporated legal practice. Legal services provided by Seyfarth Shaw Australia are provided only by the Australian legal practitioner partners and employees of Seyfarth Shaw Australia.
Focusing on workplace relations strategy, Henry’s practice contemplates all aspects of workplace change and execution, including enterprise bargaining, collective labour disputes and litigation, individual employment arrangements and litigation, and construction and infrastructure management. He has acted for major employers in many of the largest and most complex matters in this field, in federal and state jurisdictions.
His clients come from a range of industries, including mining and resources, construction and infrastructure projects, retail, manufacturing, professional services, and energy. He has also acted for various public sector bodies in relation to compliance issues and workplace reform.
Our Australian practice operates as Seyfarth Shaw Australia, an unincorporated legal practice. Legal services provided by Seyfarth Shaw Australia are provided only by the Australian legal practitioner partners and employees of Seyfarth Shaw Australia.
- LLB, University of Melbourne Law School
With honours
- BA, University of Melbourne
- An Australian legal practitioner admitted in Victoria
Related Services
Related Key Industries
Related Regions
Related News & Insights
-
Recognition
12/12/2024
Seyfarth Ranked as Australia’s Only Band 1 Firm in Employment & Safety in Both New South Wales and Victoria by Chambers Asia Pacific for 2025
-
Recognition
03/27/2024
Seyfarth Ranked as Tier 1 Firm in Employment in Australia by Doyle’s Guide 2024
-
Recognition
03/13/2024
16 Seyfarth Lawyers Earn Acclaim in Who’s Who Legal: Labour, Employment & Benefits 2024
-
Blog Post
Mar 4, 2024
The next ten years: Seyfarth’s partners discuss the future of employment and workplace safety law in Australia
- Band 1, Employment – VIC, Chambers Asia Pacific (2025)
- Recognised in Best Lawyers Australia for Labour & Employment Law (2008–2025)
- Recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Preeminent Employment Lawyer (2024)
- Recognised in Chambers Asia Pacific for Employment (2011–2024)
- Recognised by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a Leading Individual for Labour and Employment (2017–2024)
- Recognised in International Employment Lawyer Global Elite (2022–2023)
- Recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Leading Employment Lawyer (2012–2023)
- Advisory Board of the Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law of The University of Melbourne (2009-2015)
- Australian Institute of Company Directors
- Industrial Relations Society of Victoria
- Co-Author, “The next ten years: Seyfarth’s partners discuss the future of employment and workplace safety law in Australia,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 5, 2024)
- Co-Author, “A decade in Australia: Seyfarth’s partners reflect on changes in employment and workplace safety law,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 29, 2024)
- Co-Author, “Closing Loopholes just keeps getting better and better,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 1, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Closing loopholes or throwing lifelines…," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 13, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Closing loopholes or creating a noose?," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 5, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Labor’s changes to labour strategy," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 1, 2023)
- Co-Author, "5 years on – in human resources, industrial relations and workplace health and safety law," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 12, 2018)
- Co-Author, “Knock, knock… who’s there and do I have to let you in?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 1, 2017)
- Author, “United we stand. But lawfully.,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 1, 2017)
- Author, “Breaking up is hard to do,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 15, 2016)
- Author, “Walking the talk: the thin red line of drug and alcohol testing,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 8, 2015)
- Co-Author, “The Bargaining Coach: FWC provides bargaining reality-check,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 23, 2015)
- Co-Author, “Aurizon: Operating in perpetuity not in the public interest,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 23, 2015)
- Co-Author, “Recovering wasted costs and combatting the “trial by media” litigation strategy,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 12, 2014)
- Co-Author, “7 lessons for successful bargaining,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 30, 2014)
- Co-Author, “Proposed reforms to the building and construction industry: draft Commonwealth Code changes bargaining behaviour,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 28, 2014)