Kylie Groves is a of counsel in Squire Sanders’ Labour and Employment Practice Group. Since joining the firm, Kylie has represented a range of government and non-government clients.

In 2007 Kylie was seconded as a principal labour relations adviser in the Labour Relations Division of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection (DOCEP). While at DOCEP, Kylie worked on the state government's strategic response to the Work Choices legislation.

Prior to commencing a legal career, Kylie worked for more than 10 years in the industrial relations field including several years as an associate to the president of the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission. During her more than seven years’ experience with the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, Kylie also held an appointment as a deputy industrial registrar.

She has unique experience in relation to union rules including eligibility rules and considerable experience in advising and assisting registered organisations.

Kylie is a member of The Law Society of Western Australia, the Industrial Relations Society of Western Australia and the Australian Labour Lawyers Association.

Representative Experience

DISCRIMINATION LAW

• Advising and representing a not-for-profit organisation before the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regarding a complaint of discrimination in employment on the ground of religious beliefs.
• Advising and representing a large retailer before the AHRC on a complaint of discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the grounds of race.
• Advising and representing an employer in the construction industry on a complaint of discrimination in the area of contractor arrangements on the grounds of family status.
• Advising and representing an employer in the construction industry on a complaint of discrimination in the area of marital status.

EMPLOYMENT LAW

• Conducting investigations on behalf of employers regarding employee misconduct.
• Advising and drafting a range of a modern award and NES compliant common law contracts for an employer in the construction industry.
• Advising on senior executive remuneration issues including incentive programs and drafting common law contracts for various CEOs.
• Advising on separation arrangements for senior employees.
• Providing strategic advice to a state government agency relating to employment implications arising from proposed changes to the legislative scheme under which the agency operated.

LITIGATION

• Representing a Victorian government department in Supreme Court proceedings which involved providing advice on statutory interpretation including the Victorian and Commonwealth constitutions and the validity of regulations.
• Avising and representing various statutory boards on a number of matters including procedural matters related to the conduct of disciplinary hearings, interviewing complainants and other witnesses in preparing for hearings, drafting notices of inquiry, preparing and instructing counsel for hearings and acting in proceedings.
• Avising and representing clients in proceedings in Fair Work Australia and the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

• Representing a major mining industry service provider in the largest occupational health and safety prosecution undertaken in Western Australia.
• Advising a transport company and assisting its employees with legal advice following a major incident involving a fuel tanker explosion.
• Undertaking a health and safety audit and gap analysis for an employer in the food manufacturing industry

WORKPLACE RELATIONS

• Advising the Workplace Ombudsman regarding alleged right of entry abuses by a union at an aged care facility.
• Providing strategic advice to a national stevedoring company on the interpretation of a collective agreement in the context of a dispute over manning levels.
• Providing strategic advice to the state government on the impact of the Work Choices legislation on the state industrial relations system.
• Acting for a large federal agency in obtaining injunctions from the Federal Court of Australia to prevent industrial action by unions.
• Providing strategic advice to a major mining industry service provider on the impact of changes resulting from the transition to the Fair Work Act 2009. 
• Representing a major food manufacturer regarding the applications made for secret ballot orders.
• Providing strategic advice to a national transport company on terminating a bargaining period and opposing secret ballot applications.
• Acting for various employers on unfair dismissal claims made by former employees.
• Obtaining urgent return to work orders from Fair Work Australia when unlawful industrial action was taken by a significant part of an employer's workforce.
• Advising and representing an employer in the food manufacturing industry regarding a large scale redundancy which included proceedings in Fair Work Australia and an appeal to the full bench on the interpretation of the redundancy entitlement in the relevant collective agreement.
• Providing strategic advice to a number of employers in different industries in relation to bargaining and agreement making.
• Providing advice and representing clients in relation to adverse action claims.