The problem a retainer solves
Most employment law disasters are decisions made without advice, because getting advice felt like it would cost money and take time. A manager terminates on the spot. A performance conversation goes badly. A casual is engaged on a template. Each of those takes five minutes to get right and months to fix.
A retainer removes the friction. When advice costs nothing extra at the point of use, people actually ask — and asking before a decision is worth vastly more than advice afterwards.
What's included
- Unlimited telephone and email advice within scope
- Same business day response
- Review of letters and correspondence before they go out
- Guidance through performance management and disciplinary processes
- Termination advice before the decision is made
- Review of contracts and policies within an agreed volume
- Proactive alerts on legislative changes affecting you
- Award interpretation questions
The value is in the calls you would not otherwise make
Clients on retainer call about things they would never have engaged a lawyer for: whether a warning is warranted, how to word a request for a medical certificate, whether a resignation was genuine.
Those are exactly the moments where a two-minute conversation prevents a twelve-month problem.
What's not included
We say this plainly because unclear scope is what makes retainers sour. Not included:
- Representation in Fair Work Commission proceedings
- Court or tribunal litigation
- Formal workplace investigations
- Enterprise agreement bargaining
- Large-scale restructures or redundancy programs
- Wholesale rewriting of your contract and policy suite
Each of those is quoted separately, and retainer clients are quoted at a preferential rate. The retainer is for advice; the bigger pieces of work are projects.
Who it suits
Employers with between about 10 and 200 staff, no in-house lawyer, and someone doing HR alongside another job. That describes a great many regional Queensland businesses.
It suits you particularly well if you have award-covered staff, a mix of permanent and casual employees, managers making people decisions without HR training, or growth that has outpaced your systems.
It is probably not worth it if you have fewer than about ten employees and stable staffing — in which case a health check and ad hoc advice will serve you better, and we will say so.
How it works in practice
You get a direct line to a lawyer who knows your business, your awards and your history — not a call centre and not a different person each time. Most questions are answered in the call. Where something needs to be written, we draft it.
We also flag changes proactively. When the casual definition changed in August 2024, retainer clients heard from us before it commenced, not after an employee raised it.
What it costs
- Fixed monthly fee, agreed in writing
- Scoped to headcount and complexity
- No hourly billing within scope
- Preferential rates for work outside scope
- No long lock-in period
- Reviewed annually, or when your business changes
Frequently asked questions
Unlimited telephone and email advice within scope with a same business day response, review of correspondence before it goes out, guidance through performance management and disciplinary processes, termination advice before the decision, contract and policy reviews within an agreed volume, and proactive alerts on legislative changes.
Representation in Fair Work Commission proceedings, court or tribunal litigation, formal workplace investigations, enterprise agreement bargaining, large-scale restructures, and wholesale rewriting of your contract and policy suite. Each is quoted separately, at preferential rates for retainer clients.
Typically employers with between about 10 and 200 staff, no in-house lawyer, and someone handling HR alongside another role. It suits award-covered workforces, a mix of permanent and casual staff, and managers making people decisions without formal HR training.
If you have fewer than about ten employees and stable staffing, probably not. A one-off health check plus ad hoc advice usually serves better, and we will tell you if that is your situation rather than selling you a retainer you do not need.
It is scoped to your headcount and complexity — the number of employees, how many awards apply, the mix of permanent and casual staff, and how much change your business is going through. The fee is fixed and agreed in writing, with no hourly billing within scope.
This page is general information about the law as it applies in Queensland, current as at 2026. It is not legal advice and does not take your circumstances into account. Figures set by regulation are indexed and change. Speak to one of our lawyers before acting.