To be based in California, both men were former employees of Minter Ellison. A spokesman from Seyfarth said Minters was acknowledged globally for its high quality international employment practice, which was established and led by Gardner from its San Francisco office.

Gardner specialises in assisting multinational clients with large multi-jurisdictional compliance and strategic HR projects and cross-border employment related matters. He has a bachelor of science (psychology) with honours from the University of NSW in 1991 and a bachelor of laws from UNSW in 1995.