About

I have worked as a specialist employment lawyer for over 30 years, both in private practice in a number of large Dublin law firms and as in-house European employment lawyer at Intel Corporation.  I bring my in-house experience to deliver commercial solutions and manage risk on a range of employment issues for employer clients.   

My client base includes several of the largest multinational companies operating in Ireland as well as SMTs and public sector organisations. I advise issues such as absence management, equality, grievance, disciplinary and bullying and harassment investigations, transfers of businesses/outsourcing and terminations of employment.  I also defend employment litigation claims in the Workplace Relations Commission, the Circuit Court and the High Court. I am a former Chair and longstanding member of the Employment and Equality Committee of the Law Society of Ireland. 

I have advised the Board and member companies of the American Chamber of Commerce on all current and potential issues of significance to US multinationals operating in Ireland.

Experience

Employment litigation

  • Defending claims before all adjudication fora, including WRC, the Labour Court, the Civil Court and the High Court
  • Applying for and defending injunctions, including to enforce restrictive covenants and restrain dismissals and disciplinary proceedings
  • Devising strategies to deal with grievances, bullying and harassment complaints and whistleblowing complaints so mitigate the risk of litigation
  • Drafting contracts and policies to best position clients to avoid and, if necessary, defend employment litigation and negotiating mutual separations

Workplace investigations

  • Conducting complex investigations as a designated independent investigator, including drafting terms of reference and investigation reports
  • Advising clients on the management of grievances and bullying and harassment complaints in line with Codes of Practice and the legal landscape
  • Drafting invitation letters, reviewing minutes of meetings and preparing draft investigation reports for clients

Protected disclosures / whistleblowing

  • Having lectured on the Protected Disclosures Act for over ten years, I have developed a particular expertise in this evolving area
  • Successfully defended injunction applications to restrain both dismissal and penalisation claims
  • Advised clients on their statutory obligations, including drafting whistleblowing policies and the handling, through internal and external reporting channels, of whistleblowing complaints

Headcount management

  • Managed large and small scale restructuring and redundancy projects, both domestic and international, including preparation of scripts and letters to employees and developing selection matrices
  • Advising on the headcount implications from mergers, acquisitions and outsourcing, including the impact of TUPE
  • Managing post acquisition activity, including harmonisation of terms and conditions of employment and reductions in headcount
  • Project managing international people projects including from global acquisition/divestitures and changes to bonus plans

Services