SafeWork NSW probes Gilbert + Tobin over drug use

One of the nation’s top law firms has been put on notice over alleged widespread drug use that has put its workers at risk.

SafeWork NSW, the state’s workplace health and safety regulator, has written to the Sydney office of Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers

One of the nation’s top law firms has been put on notice over alleged widespread drug use that has put its workers at risk.

SafeWork NSW, the state’s workplace health and safety regulator, has written to the Sydney office of Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers advising them of concerns about workers in the office being under the influence of drugs and supplements.

The health and safety watchdog is understood to have received complaints from a number of current and former employees of the Sydney office.

On top of the concerns over drug use, SafeWork NSW has also noted allegations about the overworking of staff at the firm, including insufficient rest breaks and the absence of policies for managing worker fatigue. The revelations will once again draw attention to working conditions inside the nation’s law firms, which have in the past come under scrutiny over the long hours demanded of staff and the alleged questionable behaviour of some lawyers.

Correspondence from SafeWork NSW, sent to Gilbert and Tobin earlier this month and obtained by The Australian, raises concerns that “workers and others may be at risk in the workplace due to being under the influence of supplements and drugs”.

The correspondence also flags that “workers may be at risk in the workplace due to alleged inadequate systems of work and rest breaks causing fatigue”, and “workers may be at risk due to lack of a fatigue management policy for workers”.

SafeWork NSW has also flagged it may visit the firm in the future to follow up on how they have addressed the matters.

Gilbert + Tobin managing partner Danny Gilbert confirmed the firm had received a letter from SafeWork NSW indicating that the regulator had been informed “about the apparent work health and safety issues”.

“In light of the issues raised, we will conduct an assessment to ensure we are meeting all of our work health and safety obligations,” Mr Gilbert said.

“We have spoken to SafeWork NSW and asked for more information to assist us with this assessment.”

Mr Gilbert said the firm had policies and practices in place around drug and supplement use, work and rest breaks and fatigue management.

“Gilbert and Tobin takes the health and welfare of all of our employees very seriously,” he said.

“Any of our staff who have concerns are encouraged to speak to any partner of the firm or our head of human resources.”

Mr Gilbert also said the letter from SafeWork NSW advised them that the regulator would not be making further inquiries at this stage.

Gilbert + Tobin is one of the nation’s top-tier law firms, and was crowned the mid-market mergers and acquisitions legal adviser of the year at Mergermarket’s Australian M&A Awards in September.

Bloomberg data shows that the law firm is one of the biggest and most prolific M&A firms in the country. According to the data, Gilbert + Tobin has been engaged as a legal adviser on more than $US92 billion ($126.8bn) of deals over the past 12 months, making it the sixth most active by value and the third most active by number of deals.

The firm was one of the first big-name groups to move to the new Barangaroo precinct in Sydney, where it occupies some of the upper floors of a six green star building.