John Hayward

Over the past two decades, WGC Lawyers Director John Hayward has carved out a career assisting large and small organisations with every aspect of lawfully and effectively starting, running and closing a business.

While many lawyers choose to practise in just one area, John has combined litigation, dispute resolution, mediation, employment law, corporate governance and insolvency so that businesses, local governments, boards and individuals can feel confident in using a lawyer who understands all aspects of their business law needs.

He has extensive experience in promptly and cost-effectively resolving disputes, including contract disputes, partnership, shareholder and director disputes, defamation, and competition and consumer law.  John is also an Accredited Mediator with the Dispute Resolution Branch of the Department of Justice and the Australian Mediator Standards Board.

His expertise extends to insolvency, debt recovery, voluntary administration, liquidation, receivership and bankruptcy matters.

John has worked with and against liquidators, bankruptcy trustees, banks and government bodies such as the Australian Taxation Office.

He has effectively represented clients before the State Courts, Federal Courts, Fair Work Commission, and a variety of State Tribunals, including the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

With more than 20 years’ experience in employment and discrimination law, acting for both employers and employees, John can advise on unfair dismissal claims, workplace investigations, discrimination, harassment and bullying, general protections claims, termination and redundancy advice, contracts of employment and workplace agreements.

A Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, John enjoys working with boards and committees on governance and management matters.

He is actively involved with the Institute and the Queensland Law Society, and assists many not-for-profit and charitable organisations.

John’s extensive areas of practice have led to his engagement as an expert speaker at information seminars for a variety of audiences.

Qualifications and memberships

• Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland, 2001
• Admitted as a Solicitor of the High Court of Australia, 2002
• Bachelor of Laws, James Cook University, 1998
• Bachelor of Arts, James Cook University, 1998
• Accredited Mediator, Mediator Standards Board
• Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD)
• Member, AICD Cairns Regional Forum
• Professional Member, Australian Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association (ARITA)
• Member, Industrial Relations Society of Queensland
• Partner, Fair Work Commission’s Workplace Advice Service
• Member, Queensland Law Society
• Senior Counsellor, Queensland Law Society
• Member, Queensland Law Society’s Ethics Advisory Committee
• Guidance Statement Coordinator, Queensland Law Society’s Ethics Advisory Committee
• Member, Queensland Law Society’s Committee of Management of the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Guarantee Fund
• Deputy Chair, Queensland Law Society’s Litigation Rules Committee
• Former Member, Queensland Law Society’s Competition and Consumer Law Committee
• Member and Former Treasurer, Far North Queensland Law Association
• Honorary Solicitor and Member, Far North Queensland Youth Assistance Fund
• Member, Queensland Advocacy Incorporated