ErinHawthorne
Partner
Employment and Industrial Relations Law
ehawthorne@seyfarth.com
When confronted with challenging and complex workplace issues, leading employers rely on Erin to find practical, smart solutions.
More About Erin
Clients value Erin for her “practical, sensible answers” and her ability to navigate legal problems. Erin is passionate about solving difficult employment and industrial problems for major employers in Australia. She has worked with several multinational clients and other large global employers, including providing critical legal support for high-stakes bargaining campaigns, sexual harassment matters, complex workplace investigations, and senior executive separations. She assists clients with the full range of employment legal issues, including complex labour and employment matters, single-employee or union claims, as well as day-to-day employment queries. Highly regarded by clients for her decisive approaches to litigation, Erin represents employers when litigation is unavoidable or advantageous.
Erin draws on her professional experience in both private practice and in-house roles to deliver effective legal strategy through a lens of practicality. She has worked on confidential matters in both the private and public sectors, in a wide range of industries, including warehousing, retail, energy, electronics, professional services, government, transport, and telecommunications. Erin has extensive experience assisting clients to respond to regulatory compliance inquiries and broader workforce planning and compliance projects. She enjoys working closely with clients on innovative legal projects, including business critical or highly sensitive matters, where the legal strategy has to be tailored to achieve the objectives.
Erin is also a sought-after presenter at employment conferences nationwide. Her insightful and practical presentations on topical and complex employment issues are well received by General Counsel and HR professionals throughout Australia.
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.
Erin draws on her professional experience in both private practice and in-house roles to deliver effective legal strategy through a lens of practicality. She has worked on confidential matters in both the private and public sectors, in a wide range of industries, including warehousing, retail, energy, electronics, professional services, government, transport, and telecommunications. Erin has extensive experience assisting clients to respond to regulatory compliance inquiries and broader workforce planning and compliance projects. She enjoys working closely with clients on innovative legal projects, including business critical or highly sensitive matters, where the legal strategy has to be tailored to achieve the objectives.
Erin is also a sought-after presenter at employment conferences nationwide. Her insightful and practical presentations on topical and complex employment issues are well received by General Counsel and HR professionals throughout Australia.
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.
- BA, Monash University
- LLB, Monash University
- An Australian legal practitioner admitted in Victoria
Related Services
Related Regions
Blogs
- Supported clients to plan and achieve industry-leading collective bargaining outcomes.
- Acted in proceedings to stop unlawful industrial action and pickets.
- Acted in multiple industrial action proceedings, including PABO disputes and seeking orders to stop unlawful industrial action.
- Assisting clients with risk mitigation strategies for supply chain optimization and resolution of related claims.
- Advised on and undertaken high-stakes workplace investigations for clients on highly sensitive matters. Successfully defended claims of confidentiality and privilege in investigation reports.
- Acted in a number of anti-bullying claims, including innovative legal questions on how the anti-bullying laws apply to social media, what steps an employer must take to respond to bullying, and obtaining orders restricting inappropriate conduct during an industrial dispute.
- Successfully defended claims of confidentiality and privilege in investigation reports in contested legal proceedings.
Related News & Insights
-
Legal Update
Dec 16, 2024
The Emerging Law on Women’s Advancement Programs and Transgender Rights: A Cross-Border Perspective
-
Blog Post
Sep 30, 2024
Will Australians connect with the right to disconnect?
-
Blog Post
Aug 21, 2024
Struggling to keep up with all the closing loopholes reforms?
-
Media Mentions
08/13/2024
Erin Hawthorne Discusses Australian States Supporting Non-Disclosure Agreement Ban in Australian Financial Review
- Recognised in International Employment Lawyer Global Elite (Portobello Legal Media) (2022-2023)
- Recognised by Best Lawyers Australia for Labour & Employment (Woodward/White Inc.) (2020-2025)
- Recognised by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a Next Generation Partner for Labour and Employment (Legalese Ltd.) (2019-2024)
- Recognised as a Recommended in Employment Law by Doyle’s Guide (2019)
- Co-Author, “The Emerging Law on Women’s Advancement Programs and Transgender Rights: A Cross-Border Perspective,” Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 16, 2024)
- Co-Author, “Will Australians connect with the right to disconnect?”, Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 1, 2024)
- Author, “Struggling to keep up with all the closing loopholes reforms?”, Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 22, 2024)
- Author, “In defence of non-disclosure agreements,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 13, 2024)
- Co-Author, “Global Trends CEOs Can’t Ignore: The New Era of Harassment Prevention,” Employment Law Lookout, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 29, 2024)
- Co-Author, “International Women’s Day 2024: Pay gaps, the law of averages and accelerating progress,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 7, 2024)
- 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, "Board accountability and sexual harassment in the new regime," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 26, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Is the Qantas v TWU decision the death knell for outsourcing?," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 14, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Navigating the new world of work: Is contracting on the way out?," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 11, 2023)
- Co-Author, “Navigating global religious accommodation: insights from our lawyers on employer responsibilities towards religious beliefs in the workforce”, Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 27, 2023)
- Co-Author, “Is your business ready for a relentless and exhausting period of change?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 6, 2023)
- Co-Author, “HR and safety working together on the new positive duty,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 22, 2023)
- Co-Author, "The Four-Day Workweek: What’s not to love about a shorter working week?," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 2, 2023)
- Co-Author, "International Women's Day - Insights for leading employers on how they can #EmbraceEquity in the workplace," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 8, 2023)
- Co-Author, “Insights for leading employers on how they can #EmbraceEquity in the workplace”, Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 7, 2023)
- Co-Author, “Preventing sexual harassment – adopting a safety oriented approach,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 13, 2023)
- Co-Author, “When good intentions fail: Is your D&I policy inadvertently unlawful?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 20, 2022)
- Co-Author, “Feeling the burnout? How to turn down the heat,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 28, 2022)
- Co-Author, “Insights for employers and aspiring professionals on how to #BreakTheBias,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 7, 2022)
- Co-Author, "Looking ahead – will 2022 be ‘the year of living dangerously’ for hybrid work?" Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 16, 2021)
- Co-Author, "American Companies Face Considerable Risks Implementing Their Diversity Plans Abroad," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 13, 2021)
- Guest Lecturer, “Avoid and Manage Construction Disputes,” Master of Construction Management, The University of Melbourne (October 29, 2024)
- Presenter, “Industrial action: employer response options,” Employment Law Conference 2024, The Law Society of Tasmania (August 23, 2024)
- Presenter, “Has flexible work become a non-negotiable right,” Industrial & Workplace Relations Conference, Thomson Reuters (May 28, 2024)
- Co-Presenter, “Employment law explained,” Psychologists and the Law Seminar, Legal Wise (May 9, 2024)
- Presenter,”Respect@Work: What Does it Mean in Practice?,” Melbourne, Employment Law Conference, The Education Network (TEN) (March 14, 2024)
- Presenter, "Navigating HR Challenges: handling complex issues," Sydney, Employment Law for In-House Counsel Conference, Thomson Reuters (August 31, 2023)
- Presenter, “Preventing sexual harassment - adopting a safety-oriented approach,” Melbourne, Workplace Bullying and Harassment Conference, Thomson Reuters (August 25, 2023)
- Presenter, “What does the new Fair Work legislation mean for treatment of staff?,” Online, Industrial & Workplace Relations Conference 2023, Thomson Reuters (August 3, 2023)
- Erin leads the Melbourne office's pro bono participation in the Fair Work Commission Workplace Advice Service and has been involved in exploring other pro bono partnership opportunities.
- Erin embraces opportunities to give back to the community, including mentoring and fundraising walks for charity.
“What stands out is the practical, sensible answers – really value being able to phone up Erin Hawthorne with a practical problem and talk through the best way to navigate it, given the legal considerations we’re trying to manage.” — The Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide 2022
"Erin is a terrific practitioner and her client service is amazing." —Client feedback
"(Erin is) terrific. Very approachable and very practical in [her] advice – you can call [her] with a scenario and you’ll get a practical answer about what to do next." —Client feedback The Legal 500 2021
When confronted with challenging and complex workplace issues, leading employers rely on Erin to find practical, smart solutions.
More About Erin
Clients value Erin for her “practical, sensible answers” and her ability to navigate legal problems. Erin is passionate about solving difficult employment and industrial problems for major employers in Australia. She has worked with several multinational clients and other large global employers, including providing critical legal support for high-stakes bargaining campaigns, sexual harassment matters, complex workplace investigations, and senior executive separations. She assists clients with the full range of employment legal issues, including complex labour and employment matters, single-employee or union claims, as well as day-to-day employment queries. Highly regarded by clients for her decisive approaches to litigation, Erin represents employers when litigation is unavoidable or advantageous.
Erin draws on her professional experience in both private practice and in-house roles to deliver effective legal strategy through a lens of practicality. She has worked on confidential matters in both the private and public sectors, in a wide range of industries, including warehousing, retail, energy, electronics, professional services, government, transport, and telecommunications. Erin has extensive experience assisting clients to respond to regulatory compliance inquiries and broader workforce planning and compliance projects. She enjoys working closely with clients on innovative legal projects, including business critical or highly sensitive matters, where the legal strategy has to be tailored to achieve the objectives.
Erin is also a sought-after presenter at employment conferences nationwide. Her insightful and practical presentations on topical and complex employment issues are well received by General Counsel and HR professionals throughout Australia.
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.
Erin draws on her professional experience in both private practice and in-house roles to deliver effective legal strategy through a lens of practicality. She has worked on confidential matters in both the private and public sectors, in a wide range of industries, including warehousing, retail, energy, electronics, professional services, government, transport, and telecommunications. Erin has extensive experience assisting clients to respond to regulatory compliance inquiries and broader workforce planning and compliance projects. She enjoys working closely with clients on innovative legal projects, including business critical or highly sensitive matters, where the legal strategy has to be tailored to achieve the objectives.
Erin is also a sought-after presenter at employment conferences nationwide. Her insightful and practical presentations on topical and complex employment issues are well received by General Counsel and HR professionals throughout Australia.
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.
- BA, Monash University
- LLB, Monash University
- An Australian legal practitioner admitted in Victoria
Related Services
Related Regions
Blogs
- Supported clients to plan and achieve industry-leading collective bargaining outcomes.
- Acted in proceedings to stop unlawful industrial action and pickets.
- Acted in multiple industrial action proceedings, including PABO disputes and seeking orders to stop unlawful industrial action.
- Assisting clients with risk mitigation strategies for supply chain optimization and resolution of related claims.
- Advised on and undertaken high-stakes workplace investigations for clients on highly sensitive matters. Successfully defended claims of confidentiality and privilege in investigation reports.
- Acted in a number of anti-bullying claims, including innovative legal questions on how the anti-bullying laws apply to social media, what steps an employer must take to respond to bullying, and obtaining orders restricting inappropriate conduct during an industrial dispute.
- Successfully defended claims of confidentiality and privilege in investigation reports in contested legal proceedings.
Related News & Insights
-
Legal Update
Dec 16, 2024
The Emerging Law on Women’s Advancement Programs and Transgender Rights: A Cross-Border Perspective
-
Blog Post
Sep 30, 2024
Will Australians connect with the right to disconnect?
-
Blog Post
Aug 21, 2024
Struggling to keep up with all the closing loopholes reforms?
-
Media Mentions
08/13/2024
Erin Hawthorne Discusses Australian States Supporting Non-Disclosure Agreement Ban in Australian Financial Review
- Recognised in International Employment Lawyer Global Elite (Portobello Legal Media) (2022-2023)
- Recognised by Best Lawyers Australia for Labour & Employment (Woodward/White Inc.) (2020-2025)
- Recognised by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a Next Generation Partner for Labour and Employment (Legalese Ltd.) (2019-2024)
- Recognised as a Recommended in Employment Law by Doyle’s Guide (2019)
- Co-Author, “The Emerging Law on Women’s Advancement Programs and Transgender Rights: A Cross-Border Perspective,” Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 16, 2024)
- Co-Author, “Will Australians connect with the right to disconnect?”, Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 1, 2024)
- Author, “Struggling to keep up with all the closing loopholes reforms?”, Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 22, 2024)
- Author, “In defence of non-disclosure agreements,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 13, 2024)
- Co-Author, “Global Trends CEOs Can’t Ignore: The New Era of Harassment Prevention,” Employment Law Lookout, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 29, 2024)
- Co-Author, “International Women’s Day 2024: Pay gaps, the law of averages and accelerating progress,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 7, 2024)
- 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, "Board accountability and sexual harassment in the new regime," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 26, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Is the Qantas v TWU decision the death knell for outsourcing?," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 14, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Navigating the new world of work: Is contracting on the way out?," Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 11, 2023)
- Co-Author, “Navigating global religious accommodation: insights from our lawyers on employer responsibilities towards religious beliefs in the workforce”, Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 27, 2023)
- Co-Author, “Is your business ready for a relentless and exhausting period of change?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 6, 2023)
- Co-Author, “HR and safety working together on the new positive duty,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 22, 2023)
- Co-Author, "The Four-Day Workweek: What’s not to love about a shorter working week?," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 2, 2023)
- Co-Author, "International Women's Day - Insights for leading employers on how they can #EmbraceEquity in the workplace," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 8, 2023)
- Co-Author, “Insights for leading employers on how they can #EmbraceEquity in the workplace”, Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 7, 2023)
- Co-Author, “Preventing sexual harassment – adopting a safety oriented approach,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 13, 2023)
- Co-Author, “When good intentions fail: Is your D&I policy inadvertently unlawful?,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 20, 2022)
- Co-Author, “Feeling the burnout? How to turn down the heat,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 28, 2022)
- Co-Author, “Insights for employers and aspiring professionals on how to #BreakTheBias,” Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 7, 2022)
- Co-Author, "Looking ahead – will 2022 be ‘the year of living dangerously’ for hybrid work?" Workplace Law & Strategy, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 16, 2021)
- Co-Author, "American Companies Face Considerable Risks Implementing Their Diversity Plans Abroad," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 13, 2021)
- Guest Lecturer, “Avoid and Manage Construction Disputes,” Master of Construction Management, The University of Melbourne (October 29, 2024)
- Presenter, “Industrial action: employer response options,” Employment Law Conference 2024, The Law Society of Tasmania (August 23, 2024)
- Presenter, “Has flexible work become a non-negotiable right,” Industrial & Workplace Relations Conference, Thomson Reuters (May 28, 2024)
- Co-Presenter, “Employment law explained,” Psychologists and the Law Seminar, Legal Wise (May 9, 2024)
- Presenter,”Respect@Work: What Does it Mean in Practice?,” Melbourne, Employment Law Conference, The Education Network (TEN) (March 14, 2024)
- Presenter, "Navigating HR Challenges: handling complex issues," Sydney, Employment Law for In-House Counsel Conference, Thomson Reuters (August 31, 2023)
- Presenter, “Preventing sexual harassment - adopting a safety-oriented approach,” Melbourne, Workplace Bullying and Harassment Conference, Thomson Reuters (August 25, 2023)
- Presenter, “What does the new Fair Work legislation mean for treatment of staff?,” Online, Industrial & Workplace Relations Conference 2023, Thomson Reuters (August 3, 2023)
- Erin leads the Melbourne office's pro bono participation in the Fair Work Commission Workplace Advice Service and has been involved in exploring other pro bono partnership opportunities.
- Erin embraces opportunities to give back to the community, including mentoring and fundraising walks for charity.
“What stands out is the practical, sensible answers – really value being able to phone up Erin Hawthorne with a practical problem and talk through the best way to navigate it, given the legal considerations we’re trying to manage.” — The Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide 2022
"Erin is a terrific practitioner and her client service is amazing." —Client feedback
"(Erin is) terrific. Very approachable and very practical in [her] advice – you can call [her] with a scenario and you’ll get a practical answer about what to do next." —Client feedback The Legal 500 2021