He was head of national industrial and employment at Slater and Gordon
Gadens has announced the lateral hire of Andrew Rich as a new partner in the national law firm’s workplace advisory and disputes practice in Brisbane, Queensland.
“We are thrilled to welcome Andrew to the firm and the partnership; his expertise aligns seamlessly with our group’s mission to assist and advise our clients in the ever-evolving landscape of workplace law,” said Siobhan Mulcahy, a Gadens partner and co-leader of the workplace advisory and disputes group, in a media release.
“Choosing to join Gadens in Brisbane was a straightforward decision for me,” Rich added. “The firm offers incredible growth opportunities, a truly national team, and fosters a collaborative and inclusive culture.”
According to the firm, with this addition, the firm currently has 112 total partners nationwide.
Erin Lynch, a Gadens partner and co-leader of the workplace advisory and disputes group, noted that the new hire signifies that the firm’s workplace advisory and disputes group now has three partners in Queensland and 12 partners nationally.
“With a growing team, we remain committed to delivering comprehensive, modern workplace solutions to our clients nationally,” Lynch said in the media release.
“I continue to be impressed by the calibre and reputation of my colleagues and the clients of the firm – it’s an exciting time to join the Workplace Advisory and Disputes team and to work alongside my fellow partners and the firm’s valued clients,” Rich added.
“Andrew is an experienced and talented industrial and workplace relations lawyer who brings a wealth of experience to the firm and will assist the team in bolstering our current offering in Queensland,” Mulcahy said in the firm’s media release.
With over 25 years of experience, Rich is an industrial and employee relations practitioner with experience in private practice, union advocacy, and senior leadership.
His experience has spanned contractual breaches, enterprise agreement and award disputes, workplace investigations, unfair dismissal, discrimination, bullying, wage recovery, disciplinary processes, and sexual harassment.
Rich has assisted employees across all public sector levels, as well as in the finance, health, logistics, and mining industries.
According to his LinkedIn page, at Slater and Gordon Lawyers in Brisbane, he worked as head of national industrial and employment from July 2021 to September 2025 and as a principal lawyer from July 2008 to July 2021.
Rich has been a barrister at the Queensland Bar Association from March 2006 to July 2008 and at the New South Wales Bar Association from March 2004 to March 2006. He has been a member of the Industrial Relations Society of Queensland.
At the University of Queensland, he earned his LLB and his bachelor’s degree, majoring in political science and French.
