Award Winning Law Firm

By putting our people at the heart of our corporate purpose, Harmers continues to be a model people management organisation, as well as one of Australia’s leading legal service providers in the area of HR and workplace relations. Harmers has attracted significant recognition for both legal excellence and people management practices, winning the following awards:

• HRD Magazine HR Service Provider Awards: Harmers was awarded the “Gold Medal Provider for Employment Law” in 2024, 2023, 2020, 2019, and 2017 (please click here to read the HRD editorial); and the “Silver Medal Provider” for Employment Law in 2022 & 2018.
• Who’s Who Legal: Michael Harmer ranked as a “2024 & 2023 Thought Leader for Employment Labour & Benefits”;  and Michael Harmer, Emma Pritchard, Greg Robertson & Amy Zhang ranked in the “2024 Employment Labour and Benefits Guide for Australia”.
• Key Media Australasian Lawyer Top Boutique Firms – Harmers ranked a  “2024 Top Boutique Firm for Employment Law”.
• Key Media Australasian Law Awards: Harmers was the recipient of the “Employment Law Specialist Firm of the Year” in 2023 & 2021  (please click here to read the media release). The firm also received Excellence Awards for both Employment Law and Diversity in 2023, 2022 & 2021 and Corporate Citizenship in 2020. Chairman, Michael Harmer, also received an Excellence Award for Law Firm Leader (<200 lawyers)  in 2022.
• Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards: Harmers was awarded the 2023 “Diversity Law Firm of the Year”; and the 2017 “Boutique Diversity Law Firm of the Year”.
• Lawyers Weekly Partner of the Year Awards: Michael Harmer was awarded the 2024 “Senior Partner of the Year”, and the 2021 & 2020 “Workplace Relations & Employment Partner of the Year”.
• Lexology Client Choice Awards: Chairman, Michael Harmer, was awarded the 2022 exclusive winner in Australia for  “Labour Law & Employment  – Australia”. Please click here to read the client testimonials.
• Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards:  Harmers was awarded 2021 “Boutique Law Firm of the Year” and 2020 “Workplace Relations & Employment Team of the Year”. Executive Counsel, Amy Zhang won the 2021 “Special Counsel of the Year”; and Chairman, Michael Harmer, won the 2020 “Managing Partner of the Year” (please click here to read the media release).
• Chambers Asia Pacific: Michael Harmer ranked as a “Leading Lawyer” in 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 & 2019.
• AsiaPacific Legal 500: Harmers ranked as a Leading “Labour & Employment Firm” 2024-2019. Michael Harmer – ranked in the “Hall of Fame” (2024-2021). Harmers Executive Counsel, Emma Pritchard, Jenny Inness, Sandra Marks, and Amy Zhang ranked as “Recommended Lawyers” 2021, Sandra Marks ranked as “Key Lawyer” 2022 and Jenny Inness ranked as “Key Lawyer” in 2023.
• Asia Law Profiles: Harmers was ranked as a “Recommended” Employment & Labour Law Firm 2021-2019; and a “Highly Recommended” Employment & Labour Law Firm 2018. Michael Harmer was ranked as a “Distinguished Practitioner” 2021 & 2020;  a “Distinguished Lawyer” 2019; and the  Market-Leading Lawyer” 2018 (in the Employment & Labour Law category).
• Doyles Leading Lawyers: Harmers recommended in the “Leading Employment Law Firms (Employee & Union Representation) – Australia” 2023 and 2021-2018.  Michael Harmer was recommended as a “Leading Employment Lawyer (Employee & Union Representation) – Australia” 2019 & 2018; and as a “Recommended Employment Lawyer” 2021 & 2020. Emma Prichard ranked as a “Recommended Employment Lawyer” 2020; and as a “Leading Employment Lawyer (Employee & Union Representation) – Sydney” 2019.
• Key Media 5-Star Employment Law Firms – Harmers was ranked a 2021 5-Star Employment Law Firm, and Sandra Marks, a 2021 5-Star Employment Lawyer.
• ACQ Law Awards – Harmers awarded: “Australia – Cross-Border Law Firm Of The Year”  2021 & 2019, “Australia – Employment Law Firm of the Year” 2021, 2019 & 2018, “Australia – Health & Safety Law Firm of the Year” 2021 & 2019, “Australia – Industrial Law Firm of the Year” 2021 & 2019, “Australia – International Employment Law Firm of the Year” 2021 & 2019, “Australia – Workplace Relations Law Firm of the Year” 2021 & 2019. Michael Harmer awarded: “Australia – Labour Lawyer of the Year” from 2017-2024.
• Lawyers Worldwide Awards Magazine – Lawyers Worldwide Awards – Harmers awarded “Employment & Industrial Law Firm of the Year” 2021 & 2019.’
• Worldwide Financial Advisor Awards Magazine Continental Awards – ­Harmers awarded “Employment & Industrial Law Firm of the Year” 2022, 2021 & 2019.
• International Advisory Experts Award – Michael Harmer “Employment Law award winner within Australia” 2018.
• CorporateINTL Magazine Global Award – Harmers awarded “Employment Litigation Law Firm of the Year in Australia” 2018-2014; and previously, the Clients’ Choice winner for “Employment Law Firm of the Year in Australia” (CorporateINTL Global Awards are a mark of practice excellence for the world’s leading advisors and financiers in an array of countries and continents across the globe).
• Global Leading Lawyers– Harmers awarded 2017 “Employment & Industrial Law Firm of the Year”.
• Legal Media Group Euromoney Australasian Women in Business Law Awards – Harmers was a 2016 finalist in the “Best national firm for work-life balance”; “Best gender diversity initiative by a national firm”; “Best firm for pro bono work”; “Best national firm for talent management”; and “Best national firm for women in business law”. Previously, Harmers was awarded the “Best Firm for Work-Life Balance” in 2014; and “Best Firm in Sydney for Women in Business Law” 2013 & 2012.
• ALB Australasian Law Awards– Harmers awarded “Employment Specialist Law Firm of the Year” for seven years (2013, and 2011 to 2006); was a finalist in the “Employment Specialist Firm of the Year” and “Corporate Citizen” award categories for 2012; and a finalist in the “CSR Firm of the Year” and “Corporate Citizen Firm of the Year” award categories for 2011. [Please note: 2013 was the last year in which the ALB Australasian Law Awards were published].
• Global Law Experts Practice Area Awards: Harmers was the winner of the “Australian – Labour & Employment Law Firm of the Year” 2011.
• Work/Life Initiative in Australian Industry– Harmers ranked in the Top 25 Best Practice Organisations across Australia in Managing Work-Life Balance for six consecutive years (2007-2002), and certified in 2008 as a “Flexibility Accredited Employer Silver Rating” issued by Managing Work-Life Balance International [*Please note: this award ceased being published in Australia in 2008).
• Australian Human Resources Institute Award for Excellence in People Management– awarded to Harmers in the “NSW Private sector – small enterprise category” 2004.
• ACCI/BCA National Work and Family Awards– Harmers was a finalist in the “Medium Business” category 2004.
• Workplace Excellence Award– awarded for “Enterprise with less than 100 employees” by the Victorian Government; and finalist in the “Better Work and Family Balance” category 2003.
• Australian Law Awards– Harmers ranked in the top 5 legal firms in Australia for “Legal Excellence in Employment Law” 2003.
• Employer of Choice Awards– awarded to Harmers from the Queensland Law Society, based on national employment practices 2002.
• Australian Institute of Management Award– Harmers awarded for “Innovative Contribution to HR Management in the Legal Profession”.

L&E GLOBAL – AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

• Chambers Global ranked L&E Global as a “Top Ranked Global Law Firm Network” in 2024; and an “Elite” Global Law Firm Network” in 2023-2018.
• L&E Global won The Lawyer European Awards 2016 for “Global Network of the Year”; and affiliated member in China, Zhong Lun Law Firm, was awarded The Lawyer European Awards 2016 for “Law firm of the Year: Asia”.
• The Financial Times commended L&E Global as an “Innovator in Growth and Business” in the prestigious FT Innovative Lawyers Report 2015, an “Innovator for International Strategy” in 2013 and “Legal Industry Pioneer” in the 2012 report.
• L&E Global was named a finalist for “Best Leadership of Innovation”, “Best Managed International Firm”, “Best Provision of Know-How”, “Best Thought Leadership” and “Best Strategic Leadership” for the MPF Awards for Management Excellence 2015 by the UK based Managing Partners Forum. L&E Global was previously a finalist for “Best Emerging Firm” for the MPF Awards for Management Excellence 2013.
• L&E Global was recognised by PLC Which Lawyer? Super League report on international employment law and employee benefits.
• Chambers Global named L&E Global a “Leading Employment Law Network” in the Chambers Global 2012 Spotlight Table on Legal Networks.
• L&E Global was the headline sponsor of the IBA Employment and Discrimination Law Conferences in 2018-2014.
• The Lawyers World Awards honoured L&E Global with the award of “Cross-Border Law Firm of the Year – Belgium” 2013.