Myriam Mitchell LLB (Hons), BCom

Partner: Hawke's Bay, Wellington
Myriam Mitchell

Myriam has worked in employment, health and safety, insurance law and dispute resolution since 2007. She is passionate about getting straight to the heart of an issue, gaining an early understanding of the desired outcome, and strategising to achieve her client’s goals. She graduated with honours from the University of Auckland, and in addition to her law degree holds a commerce degree (majoring in management and employment relations).

Myriam regularly:

  • Provides strategic legal advice on health and safety issues, acts for employers throughout WorkSafe’s investigation process, and provides representations in prosecutions through to sentencing.
  • Advises on all aspects of employment law including employment agreements, restructuring procedures, disciplinary and performance issues, personal grievances, Labour Inspectorate investigations, restraints of trade, human rights and privacy issues and protection of confidential information.

Her significant litigation experience means she has strong advocacy and negotiation skills and has guided many clients to a negotiated settlement where avoiding a hearing is in their best interests.  Myriam has appeared in the Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court, District and High Courts.

Myriam has been appointed to the Auckland District Law Society Health and Safety Law Committee, and also regularly delivers training and seminars on topical employment and health and safety issues. She was also the inaugural president of Young Insurance Professionals Inc (2014 to 2017), a successful networking group that grew from 3 to 1300 members under her guidance.

Recent work includes:

  • Acting for numerous employers following workplace accidents and investigation by WorkSafe including to avoid prosecution.
  • Acting for employers under investigation by Labour Inspectors.
  • Successfully defending employers in alleged personal grievance cases.
  • Representing employers in collective bargaining.
  • Defending an insured employer in a personal grievance that progressed through mediation, the Employment Relations Authority and the Employment Court.
  • Advising employers on complex restructures.
  • Acting for a forestry worker in a private prosecution arising from a serious harm injury through to securing payment for him in respect of the same.

Myriam is a trustee of Te Kopere childcare.

Myriam is based in Hawke’s Bay and travels throughout New Zealand.