Vonda Engels

Vonda advises clients on all aspects of employment and health and safety law.

She assists with a broad range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters and regularly represents clients in the Employment Court, the Employment Relations Authority, and mediations facilitated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Certified by the Association of Workplace Investigators Training Institute, Vonda has conducted numerous independent workplace investigations into conduct and culture issues.

Vonda also supports employers to manage health and safety risk through compliance advice, training, and representation during investigations and WorkSafe prosecutions.

Before returning to New Zealand, Vonda spent three years in London in the Employment team at major US law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

Recent highlights

• Conducting independent workplace investigations for major New Zealand companies into allegations of bullying, harassment, and misconduct.
• Advising corporate clients on a broad range of employment matters, including restraints of trade, redundancy, personal grievances, disciplinary processes, senior management employment agreements, and incentive schemes.
• Acting as counsel for a number of large New Zealand corporates in matters before the Employment Relations Authority, including drafting statements of problem and statements in reply, and appearing in the Authority.
• Advising large New Zealand and international corporates on agreeing enforceable undertakings with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in relation to holiday pay remediation.
• Advising a number of the firm’s key clients on the employment aspects of numerous large, commercial acquisitions.
• Assisting clients to agree enforceable undertakings with WorkSafe following charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

Affiliations

• Certified by the Association of Workplace Investigators Training Institute.
•  Member of Employment Law Alliance (international).