Updated
Updated · Clyde & Co · Jun 29
Clyde & Co Appoints Sarah Wood to Lead Australia Employment Practice as Claims Top 44,000
Updated
Updated · Clyde & Co · Jun 29

Clyde & Co Appoints Sarah Wood to Lead Australia Employment Practice as Claims Top 44,000

1 articles · Updated · Clyde & Co · Jun 29

Summary

  • Sarah Wood has joined Clyde & Co from Gilchrist Connell as Australia employment practice leader in Sydney, where she will be backed by a newly recruited team.
  • More than 44,000 Fair Work Commission applications were filed in 2024-25—24% above the five-year average—driving the firm to expand advice on disputes, investigations and workplace risk.
  • Wood advises corporates and insurers on employment, industrial relations and safety matters, including restructures, redundancies, regulatory compliance, enterprise bargaining and litigation.
  • The hire gives Clyde & Co dedicated employment leadership in Australia and links the practice more closely with its global employment, immigration and pensions teams across Asia, the Middle East, the UK and the US.
  • Her arrival extends a broader Sydney expansion after Clyde & Co added partners Yvonne Lam and Malcolm Wood in October 2025 and Jessica Thurtell in March 2026.

Insights

As Australian workplace lawsuits surge, can new legal teams offer more than just a shield against rising compliance costs?
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