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The ‘excellent’ team at A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland is ‘commercially aware and gets the “total picture”’. It is representing Willis Group Limited in relation to suspected breaches of a senior executive’s restrictive covenants, and the Quinn Group on various matters. Practice head Gareth Walls has ‘expert knowledge balanced with a practical, commercial approach’, and is currently representing Combined Insurance Company of America in defending eight related employee claims with multi-jurisdictional implications.

Carson McDowell provides ‘an excellent level of service, giving high-quality advice’. It is advising US companies Xilinx and CVS Caremark on employment issues relating to their respective acquisitions, and is also advising Royal Mail. Practice head Orlagh O’Neill is ‘outstanding, with real tenacity’, and associate Rachel Penny brings ‘insight and extensive knowledge’ to the table for commercial clients.

The team at Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP delivers an ‘impressive’ service. It advised Queen’s University Belfast regarding behavioural allegations by an employee with mental health issues, including securing an injunction; and acted for a consortium of housing associations on TUPE matters. Team head Adam Brett is an expert in the field and provides ‘measured, timely advice’.

The highly regarded practice at Tughans advises large-scale employers across the gamut of contentious and non-contentious matters. Anna Beggan and Ciara Fulton are recommended.

Arthur Cox’s ‘very good’ team had a number of significant new client wins, including the Office of the Police Ombudsman, University of Ulster, and The Utility Regulator. It is advising key client Dunbia on multiple claims, and Echo Managed Services Limited on redundancy exercises and ‘bumping’. Rosemary Lundy is recommended. Associate Emma-Jane Flannery is ‘pragmatic and extremely knowledgeable, with a personal touch’.

Cleaver Fulton Rankin successfully defended a large public body in a whistleblowing claim. It is also advising a private sector employer regarding breach of restrictive covenants, and a large professional body on disciplinary processes for a senior executive. Director Michael Black and associate Aisling Byrne are ‘excellent’.

The ‘experienced, superior’ team at Elliott Duffy Garrett advises corporate clients on all aspects of employment law. Practice head Adrienne Brock is recommended.

Jones Cassidy Jones Solicitors is a niche employment law firm with a focus on litigation involving public and private sector clients. Fiona Cassidy and Beverly Jones have previously served as regulators, and are both recommended.

Mills Selig provides a highly rated service. It advised buyer DCC Energy in a CHIP acquisition, and O’Kane Poultry in a multi-claimant dispute, securing a 100% ‘Polkey reduction’. ‘Knowledgeable’ practice head Kiera Lee is recommended.

Napier and Sons advises on contentious and non-contentious employment issues, including workplace and industrial relations and redundancies resulting from corporate restructuring or insolvency. John Gordon and Lisa Sturgeon head the practice.

Rosemary Connolly Solicitors is well regarded for claimant work, and also represents public bodies. Rosemary Connolly is recommended.

Thompsons McClure is the main union-side firm in Northern Ireland. It successfully represented members of the Irish Bank Officials Association in the first-ever claim brought before the employment tribunal seeking compensation for an inducement relating to collective bargaining; and is representing the claimant in McNally v NI Fire & Rescue Service in the Court of Appeal. John O’Neill is the name to note.

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Legal Developments in Northern Ireland for Employment

  • Personal accounts and auto-enrolment: looking ahead

    The government plans to introduce a new national ‘personal accounts’ pension system in 2012. From October of that year, all employers will be required to auto-enrol eligible employees into either the government’s new personal accounts scheme or, if it meets certain ‘qualifying’ criteria, the employer’s own pension arrangement.
    - Eversheds LLP

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