Luke Tiley

Luke Tiley is a Principal at Hall Payne and is an Accredited Workplace Relations Law Specialist. Luke is consistently recognised as one of Australia’s leading employment law and industrial relations lawyers by Doyle’s Guide.

He practices primarily in industrial relations law for employees and trade unions in the construction, mining and manufacturing areas.

“I believe in dignity at work,” says Luke.

“A fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.”

Luke’s work takes him to the Northern Territory as well as the courts and tribunals that deal with employment, industrial, defamation and anti-discrimination proceedings. In Queensland, he most often practises in the Fair Work Division of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia and the Federal Court of Australia.

“I try to understand what each party is seeking and if it can, or can’t, be amicably resolved. My job is also to push boundaries to improve the outcome for those I represent as well as other workers who might benefit too.”

Luke has done secondments with United Voice, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union and the Finance Sector Union, giving him a deep understanding of what trade union clients seek to achieve.

He remembers two cases especially well. In 2008, he worked on a case where 15,000 cleaners were ultimately given a pay rise.

“It was a significant win in an industry typified by exploitation.”

Earlier in his career, Luke was involved in litigation to recover wages stolen from Aboriginal people who were wards of the state in the 1950’s and 60’s.

“I enjoy how workplace law can profoundly affect everyday people, every day of their working life.”

Luke is a member of the Industrial Relations Society of Queensland and a former member of the management committee of the Welfare Rights Centre Inc. He has volunteered with the Caxton Legal Centre and authored the employment law chapter of Caxton’s Queensland law handbook.

Record collecting, golf and travel keep Luke happily busy when he is not at work.