The new partners add to Ashurst’s dispute resolution and employment offerings
Ashurst has lured commercial litigator Fred Prickett from Clayton Utz and employment and industrial relations expert Shelley Williams from Kingston Reid.
Prickett joins the dispute resolution team while Williams works with the employment team. Prickett had been with Clayton Utz since 1996, while Williams launched Kingston Reid’s employment and industrial relations practice in Brisbane.
Prickett has advised major corporates in the financial services, energy and resources, technology, healthcare and consumer markets sectors. He has spearheaded high-profile and complex commercial disputes, class actions and regulatory investigations and enforcement proceedings.
Per LinkedIn, he previously represented Myer in a shareholder class action and lease disputes. He also appeared before the Victorian Supreme Court on behalf of Tatts Group in a high-value dispute with the state of Victoria over the expiration of Tatts’ licence to operate gaming machines in the state.
Prickett represented Centro Retail on its restructure, which required court approval for a $5.4bn aggregation transaction. He also acted for listed companies and directors in ASIC investigations and enforcement proceedings as well as related internal investigations, including into alleged breaches of directors' duties, continuous disclosure contraventions and insider trading.
His other clients include RACV, Amcor, Fletcher Building Group and Toll Holdings. He made partner at Clayton Utz in 2004.
Williams has been involved with litigation and advised on investigations. She has appeared before the Fair Work Commission and in federal and state courts.
She has worked with clients in the energy and resources, shipping, technology and industrial services sectors. She collaborated with firms in Asia and Europe while helping to develop Kingston Reid’s international employment practice.
She made partner at Kingston Reid in 2021; previously, she logged stints at K&L Gates, DP World Australia (as employment legal counsel) and Ai Group Workplace Lawyers, according to LinkedIn.
“'The world of work is changing rapidly. Clients increasingly need employment advice that is seamlessly connected to their disputes, regulatory and transactional priorities”, Williams said.
