Sarah Connolly

Senior Associate

Brisbane, Australia

Sarah is a Senior Associate in the Employment, Industrial Relations & Safety team specialising in workplace health and safety and employment.

Sarah advises on workplace health and safety matters including prosecutions, compliance and regulator engagement, as well as general employment matters. Sarah is regularly involved in representing clients in prosecutorial litigation and administrative proceedings before Courts and Tribunals and advises clients on pro-active WHS compliance in relation to their operations. She regularly advises clients on managing workplace issues, such as ill and injured workers, worker complaints (including protected disclosures), privacy and employment claims. She also has experience in advising on all aspects of EIRS considerations in large scale M&A transactions.

In 2023, Sarah was listed as a Rising Star in Employment & WHS Law by Doyles Guide.

Experience & capabilities

Selected matters

Acting for a quarry operator and site senior executive in successfully defending prosecution proceedings brought under the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999 (Qld), and acting for a mine manager in successfully defending a charge brought under the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 (Qld).
Acting for a client in successfully defending an industrial manslaughter charge under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld).
Acting for a Government client in responding to prosecution proceedings brought under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld), including providing advice in relation to the charges and assisting in the preparation and negotiation of enforceable undertakings in response to the charges.
Undertaking legal compliance reviews and advising clients on their risk assessment processes and compliance practices, in particular, how their processes can best protect them against future litigation risk.
Preparing and maintaining legal compliance registers to monitor and record legislative and regulatory changes across numerous areas including employment, safety, land and environment and organisational governance.
Advising a government agency in relation to the investigation and management of employee complaints (including whistleblower complaints), including advising on employment and safety matters associated with the investigation process and response to the complaints.
Acting for various clients in relation to responding to regulator notices and enforcement action and powers associated with safety regulators and union officials.
Acting for various clients in coronial inquests.