Stephen Hardy is a partner in the firm's Labour, Employment, and Workplace Safety practice. He is an established practitioner who represents Australian and international clients on a variety of employment matters. These include human resources, industrial relations, executive, business protection and complex compliance related matters, the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions, workplace restructuring and business transformation. This work is undertaken for clients across a wide range of industries including banking and financial services, insurance, retail, transport, waste management, manufacturing, information technology, leisure, media and entertainment, property, and professional services.
Stephen is well-known for his experience across the breadth of labour and employment related matters and also has a focused workplace health and safety practice leading high profile and sensitive safety investigations, responding to workplace crises, establishing and auditing safety systems, defending prosecutions and appearing at coronial inquests.
Working with his clients to structure effective workforces, Stephen supports clients on their enterprise bargaining and industrial disputes. When organisations experience significant change, Stephen is experienced at achieving the due diligence required to support mergers and acquisitions activities.
An experienced litigator, Stephen works closely with clients on their industrial, employment and executive related disputes. He ensures clients are advocated for in state and federal courts and industrial tribunals, and supporting clients with their workplace health and safety liabilities.
Known by clients for his pragmatic approach to solutions-led legal advice, Stephen advises clients on understanding core legal elements of their business objectives, providing a clear path to a commercial solution and regularly conducts training sessions for management, executives and boards of directors.
Prior to joining the Firm, Stephen was a Partner at a large global law firm based in Sydney.
- Recognised by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a
- Next Generation Partner for Labour and Employment in Australia, 2021-2026
- Recommended Lawyer for Labour and Employment: Workplace Health and Safety (WHS), 2024-2025
Stephen Hardy has been incredibly helpful and responsive, and I rely on him extensively. He always adopts a pragmatic approach and offers practical tips that make it is easy to put his advice into action. He also works really well with non-legal clients in the business, by providing very clear, straightforward and easily-understood guidance." – Asia Pacific Legal 500, Labour and Employment, 2021
- World Rugby, Tribunal Member (2018 – Current)
- Judicial Officer - Oceana Rugby (2018 - Current)
- Judicial Officer – SANZAAR (2017 – Current)
- Australian Rugby Union Judiciary Tribunal Member
- Previous Australian Rugby Union Contracted Part-time Referee (2008 – 2011)
- Previous New South Wales Rugby Union Referee (2003 – 2013)
- "GC Summit Sydney: Navigating an ever-changing employment landscape", Legal 500, Sydney, 19 March 2024
- "The future of work – anticipating changes in the workplace", HRD's Employment Law Masterclass, Sydney, 28 November 2023
- Mentioned, JLL manager admitted harassment 'morally unacceptable', defence says, Lawyerly, 9 December 2025
- Mentioned, JLL execs feared what CEO would think, Kernaghan’s $14m lawsuit claims, The Australian, 10 October 2025
- Quoted, Sexual harassment: Employers failing when it comes to anonymity, monitoring, Human Resources Director, 20 November 2024
- Quoted, Recent case shows how to avoid bullying claims when addressing performance, Human Resources Director, 16 October 2024
- Quoted, Psychosocial risk: ways to defuse potential legal challenges, Human Resources Director, 21 September 2024
- Mentioned, K&L Gates assists with launch of $190 million venture capital fund, Australasian Lawyer, 30 April 2024
- Quoted, The 'new age of worker': Adapting to a younger workforce, Human Resources Director, 10 October 2023
