Jade Saunders is a Special Counsel in the King & Wood Mallesons Employee Relations & Safety team specialising in disputes, investigations, prosecutions and inquiries related to employee relations and workplace health and safety (WHS) matters. Jade works with clients from a wide range of industries including retail, construction, education, gaming, health and not-for-profit. She also has worked closely with local, state and federal government clients.
Jade has experience working across many jurisdictions and forums, including Court, Tribunal and Commission proceedings, in addition to Royal Commissions, Boards of Inquiry, coronial inquests and investigations and prosecutions by regulators.
Jade regularly advises on strategy, prospects, risks exposure and mitigation, and matters which can attract significant civil penalties or criminal penalties and convictions.
Jade has been recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Australia, for her expertise in Labour and Employment Law.
Jade’s expertise includes supporting clients on:
- All aspects of the employment lifecycle, from engagement to termination of employment and all related disputes.
- Investigations, including the engagement of experts, as relevant to both employee relations and WHS matters.
- Governance and compliance matters including with respect to pay obligations and discharging WHS obligations.
- Defending proceedings related to alleged discrimination, bullying, breach of contract, breach of the general protections and unfair dismissals.
- WHS incidents, including navigating the attendance of law enforcement agencies and WHS regulators in the workplace.
- Responding to investigations by WHS regulators, including responses to coercive requests and representation in criminal proceedings.
- Breaches of restraints and obligations with respect to confidential information by current, former or departing employees.
- Coronial investigations and inquiries.
- Workplace training on key WHS and employee relations topics including legislative reform, rights of entry, WHS obligations, psychosocial risk and officers’ duties.
