Guardianz Animal Law takes a pro-active approach to the practice of animal law, and dealing with a wide range of criminal, civil and commercial issues involving an animal. To do otherwise can result in complex litigation with potentially expensive consequences and time-consuming delays.

Subject to client instructions, we put enormous emphasis on communicating with legal colleagues and other parties associated with a matter in an effort to reach an agreement or an acceptable outcome to avoid the time and cost of having to go to court. 

Litigation is regularly viewed as a last resort. However, if communication with opposing counsel fails, or the matter is already ‘locked in’ for a court appearance, then the experience of well-versed litigators is available to continue that conversation with the Judge representing each client's interest in a manner that is strong, insightful and persuasive.

FILE REVIEWS WITH LAWYERS

In addition to providing legal reviews and opinions to assist lawyers with their advice to clients, Guardianz Animal Law frequently works collaboratively alongside a client's usual lawyer and established corporate legal teams to ensure that matters involving animals are fully reviewed prior to the client's interests being negotiated, mediated or presented in court.

TESTIMONIAL: "I am a Chartered Accountant in public practice and provided accounting, tax and business advisory support to Ian in handling a case involving a mutual client. Personally and professionally I found Ian to have an extremely in-depth knowledge of his specialist area of law. Ian is well connected and brought onboard additional fire-power where needed. His team left no risk/opportunity unexplored and alongside accountants, hygiene experts, and food experts he provided legal options that demonstrated an in-depth understanding of the client, the industry, and the client's business. Should you require legal advice in the area of law that Ian practises, I recommend that you get Ian on your team." (Fred Yuen, Chartered Accountant)

Regular reviews of client business policies and practices are necessary to:

• Meet the changing expectations of governments, consumers, and trading partners; and
• Efficiently risk-manage the requirements of compliance and enforcement.

In the event that the organisation is investigated for suspected non-compliance with animal legislation, written documentation regarding policies may be collected as part of any search and seizure operation. If outdated or incorrect, that same documentation may subsequently be adduced as evidence supporting allegations of, for example, sub-standard performance or compliance.

Outdated internal and external material can work against you in many ways. For example, one local Council is still remembered for their failure to update their website information which was subsequently produced in Court by a lawyer whose client had been charged by the Council alleging animal welfare offences. The Council's own outdated information provided the man with a perfect defence, attracted criticism from the court and ridicule from the media.

Guardianz Animal Law can:

• Regularly review policies and practices with a view to ensuring they are up-to-date in terms of compliance with existing law, avoid common omissions and oversights, and reflect wider expectations so that they are fit for review in either the courtroom, shareholder meetings, or the media
• Provide guidance and updates on compliance monitoring and wider risk-management programs
• Provide a review of, and input to, auditing procedures

Animal-related activities frequently attract attention from the public, the media, the politicians, shareholders and employees - especially when things go wrong. That may result in needless damages to reputations, trade partner and consumer trust, and profits.

As Managers and as a Board, you have responsibilities under the law. Whether your responsibilities or the organisation's objectives require you to attend to an animal-related legal issue or review proposals for animal-related risks, Guardianz Animal Law can help.

Guardianz Animal Law services include sitting alongside established legal, management, marketing and lobbying teams to provide specialist animal law insights that identify risks that commonly arise as a result of oversights, misinterpretations or legal misunderstandings.

Attendance in person is preferable but virtual attendance is also an option that's provided in Guardianz Animal Law's suite of services. That suite of Guardianz Animal Law services includes:

• Confidential participation in Board and Senior Management level meetings
• Pre-release review of proposed media releases and other lobbying activities
• Provide authoritative and insightful input to criminal, civil and commercial risk and resolution matters
• Guidance on compliance monitoring, high-level policy, and development programs.

The ability to efficiently advocate and lobby are just as important to looking after a client as being able to strongly represent them in court.

Guardianz Animal Law provides:

• Skilled representation when lobbying government departments and agencies instrumental to the development of the animal industry and the client's objectives
• Specialist document preparation, review or critique public consultations and select committee submissions
• Representation at high level local, national and international decision-maker meetings

TESTIMONIAL: I have worked with Ian Robertson in international animal law matters in Europe for several years representing multinational corporate clients and dealing with multiple governments and NGOs. Ian is an outstanding lawyer whose specialist area of work is uniquely insightful and practical as a result of his combined legal expertise, veterinary background and wider animal law activities. In his role as the key legal advisor, he is a collaborative team leader, an exceptional strategist, and a persuasive legal counsel combining his insights and communication skills with uncompromising dedication to his clients. M. Van der Tol, Principal, Helex Lawyers, Holland

Guardianz Animal Law provides training, education and continuing professional development programmes with a view to ensuring that individuals within your organisation are familiar with relevant animal-related obligations and provided with information and practical tools on how to avoid putting the organisation at unnecessary risk.

We provide frontline examples involving people-and-animal interactions from our multi-disciplinary career activities involving animals and stakeholders thereby providing real-world context to the training. 

Guardianz Animal Law can provide:

• Training to all size groups (virtual and face-to-face where possible) on subjects relevant to our specialised areas of practice
• Reviews of internal policies, procedures and quality assurance systems utilised by current staff which impact the outward-facing presentation and compliance of the organisation
• Training that provides a non-boring illustration of animals, welfare and the law for conferences, training and wider events, based on real-world accounts.

TESTIMONIAL: "The teaching, coaching and mentoring provided by Ian had a profound effect on my understanding of animal welfare law and, in turn, the principles and practice of conducting a thorough and robust animal welfare investigation. His insights examining case files, and the follow-up discussions with him, were monumental in shaping my understanding of how to "put all the parts together” in terms of the law, the animal and the offending. The legacy of that training lives on through the coaching and mentoring I now provide to colleagues and new staff as they develop their own investigative skills. Leon Watt, Senior Compliance Officer, Australia