Robbie Bryant

Senior Associate

Office phone: +64 (0)3 441 2743

Mobile: +64 (0)21 940 386

Email: robbie.bryant@toddwalker.com

Office Location: Wānaka and Queenstown

Robbie is a specialist employment lawyer and leads the firm’s employment law practice.

Robbie primarily works with boards of directors, senior managers and executives, human resource and people managers, and business owners throughout New Zealand and overseas across all industry sectors. Robbie’s experience includes regularly advising clients in the construction, agriculture, horticulture, professional services, sport, hospitality, and IT sectors.

Robbie advises on all employment and employment-related issues – contentious and non-contentious.

Robbie has a keen interest in senior exits, the enforcement of restraints of trade and other post-employment obligations, pursuing and defending claims, complex investigations and disciplinary matters, labour inspectorate investigations, multi-layered restructures, and Holidays Act interpretation issues.

Robbie began this career in Auckland for 10 years as an employed barrister specialising in employment law and then as a senior associate in a leading boutique specialist employment law firm. Robbie then relocated to and settled in Central Otago.

Robbie regularly acts for clients in mediations and the Employment Relations Authority and has appeared on behalf of clients in the Employment Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, Human Rights Review Tribunal, and ACC Review Authority.

Robbie is married, a father to a toddler, and enthusiastic about health and wellbeing.

Qualifications

LLB - University of Waikato

Diploma of Business and Management - Auckland University of Technology

Certificate in IT - James Cook University, Melbourne

Affiliations

Wanaka Snowsports Executive Committee Member

Expertise

Employment

Career highlights

Litigation

Counsel for a business in the IT sector in the Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court.
Organisational Change

Advising a business in the construction industry on a complicated organisational change project involving roughly 80 employees.
Board-level and senior executive advice

Many negotiated c-suite exits arising out of a loss of confidence of the board, alleged bullying, sexual harassment, theft, and other complicated matters.
Labour Inspectorate Investigations

Representing a business in the horticulture industry through a labour inspectorate investigation regarding the interpretation of parts of the Holidays Act 2003 and its application to a 300+ workforce.

"Robbie Bryant is the most thorough, supportive, professional, and knowledgeable lawyer I've ever worked with. He turned an extremely unpleasant situation into the best possible outcome I could have hoped for. His dedication, attention to detail, and constant support went above and beyond my expectations. Robbie's guidance made a stressful time so much easier, and I truly felt cared for every step of the way. I recommend him at the highest level. I'm so grateful - thank you, Robbie."

Senior Management Employee - Client Testimonial
"Robbie was counsel for Enterprise IT (now Cognizant New Zealand) during a protracted employment dispute in the Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court. I worked closely with Robbie throughout this and got to know him well. Robbie is an outstanding and highly talented employment lawyer who relentlessly pursues a just and fair outcome for his clients. He is calm, thoughtful, and an outstanding communicator. I have no hesitation recommending Robbie."

Duane McLeod - Former Chairperson
"We have had the privilege of working with Robbie Bryant on a recent employee complaint. He came highly recommended and we can confidently say he is an exceptional attorney. From day one, he has demonstrated professionalism, deep legal expertise, and a calm, confident presence that has guided us through the process. As an American owned company, we relied heavily on his guidance, knowledge, and local expertise as to New Zealand employment law. We highly recommend his services to other owner/managers."

Aaron Richards - President, The Richland Group, LLC