Going above and beyond to keep you above board
It’s easier to succeed when you’re compliant and in control of your business. Through EMA Legal you’ll receive cutting-edge employment law advice and representation, focusing on strategic solutions that are legally sound, cost-effective, practical – and minimise the risks of litigation.
Our team will support you nationally with a range of employment relations resources including up-to-date policies, templates, and guides on everything from employment agreements, to leave and absenteeism, through to disciplinary issues. Contact Legal at legal@ema.co.nz and we’ll connect you with the solutions you need.
Your outsourced
legal solution
EMA Legal can partner with your business and support you with the full range of employment law and employment relations issues.
We can help you with:
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- Investigations - Employment agreements - Performance management - Incapacity - Bullying - Sexual harassment - Personal grievances |
- Governance support - Policies - Disciplinary processes - Restructuring - Redundancy - Legislative compliance - Settlement agreements |
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End-to-end mediation
Our accredited EMA mediators offer an all-encompassing service. Wherever you find yourself in the life cycle of a dispute, our goal is to reach a sustainable resolution.
We can mitigate conflicts before they escalate – we are your safety barrier to halt conflict in its tracks.
If prevention is no longer an option, we can facilitate resolution through constructive agreement in disputes, between both employee-employee, and with the employer.
Our mediation service also provides post-investigation relationship restoration.
Meet the Legal Team
We have a team of advisors, lawyers and consultants who do more than take a case – they’ll help you solve problems and build your business and a future.
Give us a call on 0800 300 362 between 8am-8pm Mon-Thu and 8am-6pm Fri.
Paul O'Neil
Head of Legal, Consultancy and General Counsel
A former commercial litigator with a strong background in commercial litigation, financial crime and counter fraud, Paul leads the EMA’s expert Legal team, which gives members advice and support with employment law and representation.
Paul also heads up the Consulting team which provides solutions to Employment Relations, Human Resources and Health Safety issues. Paul brings his wide-ranging experience from overseeing civil and criminal proceedings at the Financial Markets Authority, and as Deputy Chief Executive Operations and General Counsel at the Serious Fraud office, to advise businesses on how to deal with tricky issues – or avoid them altogether.
While Paul directs the team, he is also passionate about being hands-on with businesses on the large and small issues that can reduce risk, saving them time, energy and money.
Ronda Tokona
David Browne
Ronda Tokona
Senior Solicitor
Ronda brings a wealth of business and life experience, and a pragmatic and personal approach to handling all employment relations matters and finding constructive solutions to member businesses problems. She has represented employers and employees in a law firm, as a consultant, and for a union, the Association of University Staff at Otago University. Ronda was a Visiting Justice working for the Otago Corrections Facility for more than 10 years, and during her MBA acquired her own business - a franchise servicing small to medium sized businesses with their financial needs. Ronda is very well connected and has also spent significant time supporting the community through governance roles at both a local and national level, including the National Council for the Employment of Women, the Legal Aid Review Panel, the National Kaitiaki Group, and Te Kupeka Umaka Maori ki Araiteuru/KUMA (Southern Maori Business Network).
David Browne
Special Counsel
Dunedin-based employment law expert David is proud of the role he plays supporting businesses, especially with the ongoing employment issues as a result of the pandemic. Being named the Greenwood Roche New Zealand Private Sector In-House Lawyer of Year in 2021 was an acknowledgment of how he deals with the full gambit of Employment Relations issues to enable businesses to achieve their goals. An advocate for employers battling injustices, David previously had a career in education, publishing and the arts. He is a firm believer in the synergies between the arts and law, where creative approaches lead to strategies that result in the best outcome.
Beverley Edwards
Ruthi Bommoju
Beverley Edwards
Senior Solicitor
A self-confessed pragmatic problem solver, Beverley works collaboratively with businesses across the spectrum of contentious and non-contentious Employment Relations issues. A specialist in investigations, she assists members with the tricky processes of disciplinaries, performance, restructuring, and incapacity processes. Underpinning these contentious procedures, she drafts employment agreements and policies across many issues such as drug and alcohol testing, surveillance and social developments. She frequently represents clients in dispute resolution matters, including mediations and in the Employment Relations Authority and the Employment Court. An admitted solicitor in New Zealand and South Africa, in her previous life Beverley has prosecuted on behalf of the South African State and worked as Legal Counsel for a multi-national music conglomerate. She has been a law lecturer the past decade and is an ardent community law supporter.
Ruthi Bommoju
SeniorSolicitor
Ruthi was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 2016 and holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Social Sciences degree (majoring in Political science and minoring in Sociology). Having been with the Legal Team for close to seven years, Ruthi has distinct and far-reaching insights into the employment challenges of member businesses. Ruthi helps them on all aspects of employment law, including restructures, managing personal grievances, Holidays Act compliance, disciplinary issues, to negotiated exits, medical incapacity, fair pay agreements, performance management and mediations. Ruthi’s involvement extends beyond her role within the Legal Team. She is an integral part of the team responsible for presenting at EMA member briefings and regularly shares her insights on EMA webinars. Her employment law knowledge and commercial acumen assists in achieving sound and pragmatic resolutions for members.
