The merger with Maurice May Lawyers will help strengthen legal access for workers across New South Wales, the firm said last week. The Federal Government’s new industrial relations laws and the continuing attack on workers’ compensation rights make strong law firms that support workers more valuable, said Ken Fowlie, practice group leader at Slater & Gordon.

“At a time when ordinary workers are under a sustained attack from the Federal Government, the need for strong, well resourced labour law firms has never been greater,” said Fowlie.

“Already we are seeing more and more workers coming through our doors concerned about the changes to industrial relations laws. By joining with one of NSW’s more prominent labour law firms … we can increase our ability to defend the rights of workers and our union clients,” he said.

The merger will increase the number of lawyers in the Slater & Gordon Sydney office by five lawyers, giving it a total 15 lawyers, expanding the firm’s personal injury and workers compensation practices.

Maurice May has been an advocate for workers’ rights for more than 40 years, and has run compensation cases including representing Australian military victims of the British nuclear testing on the Monte Bello Islands off the Western Australian coast and at Maralinga in South Australia. The merger was the obvious next step for his firm, he said.

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“By joining with Slater & Gordon, a long established firm with strong links to the labour movement, we are able to expand our operations and provide our clients with better services,” May said.

“Together we can help protect workers and their families at a time when the federal government is trying to destroy everything they have fought for,” he said.