Joe Murphy is a Director in Cowell Clarke’s Employment & Workplace Relations Team.
Joe is an employment relations lawyer with over 20 years’ experience specialising in workplace relations at mid-tier and employer associations.
His experience extends to providing advice and representation in matters across Australian tribunals and courts, including the Fair Work Commission and the Federal Courts of Australia. Joe has also successfully represented clients in various inquests and commissions of inquiry, including in the Independent Commission Against Corruption and various State Coroner’s Inquests and Inquiries.
Joe is sought out by clients for his expertise in redundancies, unfair dismissals, general protections (adverse action) claims, executive and complex dismissals and separations, discrimination claims, industrial disputes, managing long and short term injured workers, troublesome workers compensation claims, employee fraud, employee privacy and surveillance, investigations (including in connection with whistleblower complaints), and the defence of underpayment claims brought by employees, unions and the Fair Work Ombudsman.
He has extensive experience assisting clients with disputation between employers and their employees (whether dealing with employees collectively or individually).
Joe has particular expertise advising businesses across a range of industries and sectors, including information technology, SaaS, retail, hospitality, transport, manufacturing, construction, social & community services, and financial services.
Joe has been recognised for the following accolades since 2015:
Best Lawyers in Australia – Recognised for Labour and Employment Law (Sydney, AU) – since 2021 edition
Doyle’s Guide – Leading Employment Lawyers (Employer Representation) – New South Wales, 2015 – 2023 editions
The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific – Recommended Lawyer for Labour & Employment Law – 2016 – 2023 editions
Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards –Workplace Relations and Employment Team of the Year in 2016, 2018 & 2019
Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards – Finalist for Workplace Relations Partner of the Year in 2019
Australasian Law Awards – Employment Specialist Firm of the Year in 2018
"Having personally had a deep and long involvement with the Industrial Awards system in Australia I cannot more highly praise Joe Murphy and his substantial experience in and around Industrial law and Award deciphering. He has a pragmatic hands-on approach to ensure we are effectively guided throughout the entire process. Similarly, Joe provides honest and pragmatic advice across the full spectrum of employment and workplace relations.”
Bruce Mackenzie (Founder), HREX
