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Ruvin Pattiaratchi

Ruvin Pattiaratchi

Senior Associate

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Ruvin is an employment and health and safety lawyer who advises on a broad range of workplace matters. He has experience supporting public sector organisations, Crown entities, infrastructure operators, energy companies and other regulated businesses on workforce change, employment disputes, collective employment matters, health and safety obligations and the employment aspects of business transactions.

Clients often engage Ruvin when they are managing restructures, responding to sensitive workplace issues, navigating employment disputes or operating under regulatory, governance or public scrutiny. He works closely with clients to manage legal and operational risk, implement fair and defensible processes, and maintain organisational continuity during periods of change.

Ruvin advises across the full employment lifecycle. His work includes disciplinary and performance processes, personal grievances, employment agreements, collective bargaining, Holidays Act compliance, restructures, redundancies and employee transfers. He also supports clients on the employment aspects of mergers, acquisitions and business transfers, including due diligence, workforce integration and employee transfer obligations.

A significant part of Ruvin’s practice involves helping organisations respond to complex and sensitive workplace matters. He has experience investigating complex employment matters, including allegations of bullying, harassment and serious misconduct, as well as assisting with protected disclosures and appointment reviews. He also represents clients in mediations and employment litigation, including matters involving unjustified dismissal, unjustified disadvantage, breach of contract and workplace bullying.

Ruvin advises on health and safety obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, helping organisations understand their responsibilities, manage risk and support compliance. His experience is particularly relevant in regulated and safety-critical environments, where workforce decisions can have broader operational and reputational consequences.

Drawing on secondments with organisations including Fire and Emergency New Zealand, the Department of Corrections and WSP New Zealand, Ruvin brings an in-house perspective to his advice. He understands the practical challenges organisations face when balancing legal requirements, workforce considerations and business objectives. Clients value his collaborative approach, responsiveness and ability to explain complex issues in clear, practical terms.

Career highlights

Acted for public sector organisations on large-scale restructures and workforce change programmes involving redundancies, role redesign, employee consultation and union engagement. Advised on employment risk, organisational change and stakeholder management in environments subject to significant governance, political and public scrutiny.

Acted for the Department of Corrections during two secondments, including as Employment Relations Resolutions and Capability Manager and later providing legal support on a large-scale restructure. Worked on workforce change, employee relations, capability matters, dispute resolution and union engagement in a high-scrutiny environment.

Advised a Crown entity on responding to protected disclosures under the Protected Disclosures Act. The advice supported careful risk management of sensitive employment issues with significant reputational implications.

Acted for clients in employment disputes, mediations and litigation, including proceedings before the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court involving unjustified dismissal, unjustified disadvantage, breach of contract and contractual interpretation issues.

Advised a nationwide private healthcare provider on complex employment matters across a large, specialist workforce. Work included restraint of trade disputes, executive remuneration structures, sensitive misconduct investigations with regulatory implications and cross‑border contracting and remote working arrangements, requiring commercially focused advice to manage risk while maintaining continuity of critical patient services.

Advised clients on employment issues arising from mergers, acquisitions and business transfers, including due diligence, employee transfer obligations and workforce risk management where business continuity and operational delivery were critical.

Advised a multinational energy group on a senior executive employment agreement involving cross-border employment issues, parent company exposure and jurisdictional risk. Helped develop a compliant framework that balanced commercial objectives with legal and operational risk management.

Affiliations
  • New Zealand Law Society Wellington Employment Law Committee