Practical legal solutions

OUR DIRECTORS

Tim Osborn

Solicitor Director Commercial & Corporate

Tim Osborn holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business from the University of Newcastle and has been qualified as a solicitor since 2004.

Tim was previously employed as Associate in charge of the business and corporate team at a large Newcastle law firm where he concentrated on commercial transaction work and commercial litigation before founding Osborn Law in January 2011.

Tim regularly advises clients and their financial and accounting advisors on:

  • All manner of supply/procurement contracts in the building, mining and hospitality sectors
  • Software and other Intellectual Property and asset licensing
  • mergers, acquisitions and disposals
  • Corporations Act issues
  • Business and asset structuring (including asset protection)
  • Distribution and agency arrangements
  • Franchising
  • Commercial property
  • Commercial and residential lending (and security)

He further assists clients in making certain they have adequate tools in place to ensure their dealings with customers and suppliers do not expose them to undue business risk. This includes advising on and preparing credit application forms, general terms of trade, director’s guarantees and providing advice on general commercial debt recovery methods.

Tim prides himself on providing accurate, relevant, timely, and above all, practical advice to his clients.

Tim is an Honorary Commander in the Hunter Defence Support Network (HDSN) which was formed in 2015 as a single-purpose community support and advocacy group focused on improving the lifestyle of Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and their families whilst posted to the Hunter Region.

He is a member of the Camp Quality Newcastle MotoCyc committee responsible for organising the annual fundraiser motorbike ride through country NSW combining his passion for motorbike riding and supporting great local charities.

Tim is also a former Director on the Board of NUSport (2008-2018), an incorporated body of the University of Newcastle which is responsible for the development of sport and fitness through services, facilities and activities, along with being a member of their Finance and Infrastructure Committees.

When not in the office, Tim loves spending time with his family, being outside and being active. Tim is a keen dirt bike rider and four wheel driver, and enjoys the bush and camping.

Christie Howson

Solicitor Director Employment & Litigation

Christie Howson brings a wealth of experience to Osborn Law in the constantly changing and ever challenging area of employment law. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce (Financial Accounting) and has been qualified as a solicitor since 2000.

Christie has practiced extensively in this area for over 18 years and some of the work that she has performed involved the following:

  • Drafting industrial documentation including common law employment contracts, subcontractor agreements and enterprise agreements for a large mining contractor
  • Advising on compliance with workplace laws and in particular, the Fair Work Act 2009 and Modern Award compliance for many industries including manufacturing, black coal, retail, administrative and hospitality
  • Enterprise Agreement negotiations, strategy advice and complying with Fair Work requirements for ratifying
  • Advising on terminating problem employees in order to reduce exposure to an unfair dismissal or general protections claim, including but not limited to performance and conduct issues, redundancy, medical retirement
  • Appearing at Fair Work Australia on behalf of clients to defend unfair dismissal and general protections claims
  • Assisting an engineering client who bought a business to understand the legal obligations of transferring employees
  • Advising a construction client on restraint of trade issues when a senior manager resigned and attempted to solicit clients
  • Appearing in a case for our client which involved in a claim for damages of $750,000.00 in the Federal Court in Queensland for an adverse action claim for breach of the general protections provision of the Fair Work legislation
  • Advising client in the medical field on the use of subcontractor agreements and License agreements
  • Assisting client in the amusement industry to respond to an audit by the Fair Work Ombudsman
  • Conducting an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment
  • Provide advice on compliance with Work Health and safety Act 2011

Christie regularly conducts in house training sessions for Osborn law’s client employers to assist our clients and their managers on how to deal with effective performance management, and bullying and harassment claims. She has also conducted workplace investigations into claims.

Christie also worked for 4 years in a national law firm in insurance law where she acted on behalf of workers compensation insurers. This background assists greatly in employment law work when complex workers compensation issues are involved.

In addition to the employment law work, Christie manages major commercial litigation disputes, particularly those in the Supreme Court of NSW but also in the District and Local Courts. Some of the work that Christie has performed involved the following:

  • Appearing in a Supreme Court matter which involved a breach of contract and claim for $800,000.00 in damages.
  • Appearing in the Federal court in an Intellectual Property dispute where are our client alleges that its Intellectual Property rights were infringed upon and also an associated breach of contract case.
  • Appearing in a District Court matter where the damages claimed was $750,000.00 for breach of contract and a claim for damages (due to failed property deals).
  • Appearing in a District court matter where a former subcontractor attempted to poach clients.

Our aim is to provide our clients with practical, timely and cost effective legal advice and services.

We seek to share with our clients the responsibility of achieving their goals, rather than pointing out stumbling blocks in the way of those goals.

OUR COMMUNITY

We have a strong community focus and commitment and ensure that we support and continually contribute to the communities in which we live. 
Organisations we currently support as a firm include: