Aitken Partners covers the Australian Furniture Association
General News: 18 March 2019
Aitken Partners is pleased to announce the formation of an alliance with the Australian Furniture Association to provide IR/HR and legal advice to the association and its members. At the core of this alliance is the operation of a 'legal help desk' for AFA Members, which commences operation on 1 May 2015.
The range of issues facing the Australian furniture industry are expansive and often complex, ranging from workplace relations issues to cross-border disputes over design protection and supply arrangements with retailers.
"We have previously offered a helpline for our members covering a lot of workplace issues, but we have found there is a need extend the services and offer a national solution and one that provides more than basic advice,Patrizia Torelli, the AFA's Chief Executive Officer said.
"The alliance with Aitken Partners allows us to give our members much better and broader access to advice and service from a quality law firm. The demand for this type of service has increased dramatically over the past two years and as a National peak industry body, our responsibility is to provide members with as much support as possible. Ultimately we need to provide access to benefits will help our members prosper in a tough marketplace."
Aitken Partners has installed a dedicated AFA Members 'legal help desk' for all IR/HR and legal issues at 1300 AFA LAW (1300 232 529). In addition to dealing with the issues raised on calls, Aitken Partners will also assess the information gained from interactions with AFA Members to tailor a range of seminars and information services. This is a proactive way to help all AFA members get on top of issues earlier, therefore reducing further stress on business owners.
"This is a great opportunity to showcase the broad range of services we offer to small businesses in Australia,Aitken Partners' relationship principal for the AFA, Stephen Curtain said in announcing the alliance.
"While we are expecting to continue the AFA's services around employment and workplace advice via the help line, we also believe that there may be many other issues that these businesses, along with other businesses in Australia, may routinely neglect. Businesses that deal with their legal and business issues up front are generally better off, especially financially. We believe prevention is better than a cure, and it is better to help our clients stay out of trouble, than get them out of it."
In this national service to AFA Members, Aitken Partners will collaborate with affiliate firms in the MSI Global Alliance to handle work with specific jurisdictions not covered by Federal or Victorian State Law, so that all AFA Members across Australia will receive equal access to the very valuable benefits on offer via the alliance.