Russell Allen is a partner in Freehills' Employee Relations practice. Russell joined Freehills' predecessor, Moule Hamilton Derham, in Melbourne in 1973, and has now practised in the area of employee relations and industrial law for more than 20 years.

In addition to his focus on resource and energy industries, Russell has had extensive involvement across industries including the oil industry, banking and finance sectors, retail, communications, ports and maritime and in the public sector.

Russell is particularly experienced in designing strategies to establish employment structures and systems to meet client requirements and provide the most efficient use of the workforce. His approach is designed to put the employer in the 'driver's seat' and to avoid, or at least minimise, potential problems and the need for third party solutions.

Russell has been involved in many important landmark cases in industrial relations, including national wage cases and test cases involving demarcation and technological change. Russell also advises on employment contracts and their termination, dispute minimisation and resolution, occupational health and safety and equal opportunity and discrimination. He is regularly involved as counsel in industrial tribunals.

Major projects and clients

Russell has been involved with the human relations planning of most major resource projects in Western Australia, with his experience extending through the construction phase to planning and ongoing involvement in the operations phases of projects.

Resource and energy clients include BHP Iron Ore, Rio Tinto and its operating subsidiaries, Hamersley Iron, Argyle Diamonds, Pacific Coal and Dampier Salt. Russell also advises Alcoa, Tiwest, Wesfarmers Energy and Western Power.

In recent years Russell has assisted Rio Tinto in developing strategies to improve productivity in its coal mines. In particular, he has advised and represented Rio Tinto’s subsidiary Pacific Coal in Queensland at its Blair Athol and Tarong Coal Mines, and with the recent purchase of the Gordonstone Coal Mine.

Russell was admitted to practise in the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1974 and has subsequently been admitted to practise in the Supreme Courts of New South Wales, Western Australia and the High Court of Australia.

Russell has been a director of the Fremantle Port Authority for the past five years.