Annual Review of Employment Law 2021: Printed Notes Bundle

Programme

Testimonials

"It was a fantastic event and very informational with regards to so many aspects of HR that we focused on this year and will focus on next year."
Kasia Domanska, HR Advisor, Bookassist

"Excellent conference, really informative and broad range of topics covered."
Andrea Swift, HR Generalist, Pat O'Donnell & Co

"Very professional, top expert speakers, forward thinking."
Una O'Donnell, HRBP, Compliance and Risks

"Excellent speakers wide range of topics. With the two streams and recordings you have access to 4 days of information for the price of two."
Fiona O'Connell, HR & Finance Manager, Innovate Solutions 

"Another excellent conference from Legal Island. Well organised, easy to access and great speakers. Well worth 5 stars."
Jean Murray, Head of Human Resources, Property Registration Authority

"Great conference - one stop shop for HR."
Kenny O' Brien, Operations Manager , Athlone Extrusions Ltd.

Presenters

• 

  Louisa Meehan President Network Ireland 2020; Owner, Woodview HRM; PT Lecturer, UCD & Smurfit

  Woodview HRM

  As the owner of Woodview HRM, Louisa provides HR & Workplace Mediation Solutions to organisations through consultancy, mentoring and training.  She is an accredited mediator with The Mediators' Institute of Ireland, a recognised public speaker and lectures part-time at UCD and Smurfit on the areas of HR and Organisational Behaviour.  She was a founding member of Network Ireland’s Wicklow Branch and is the National President of Network Ireland for 2020 – an organisation supporting the development of professional women.

• 

  Seònaid Ó Murchadha Workplace Coordinator

  See Change - The National Mental Health Stigma Reduction Partner

  Founder of Amputee Disability Federation Ireland, Seònaid Ó Murchadha (pronounced ‘Show-nid Oh Muraku’) has been promoting the employment of disabled people for more than two decades, regularly contributing pieces across news media, Irish national radio, and television.

  With certification from the International Disability Management Standards Council as well as recognition from the Canadian National Institute of Disability Management & Research (NIDMAR), she helps organisations embrace disability and difference by providing creative solutions to disability inclusion at work, facilitating inclusive recruitment processes, and advising on policy. She also represents the Independent Living Movement Ireland on employment issues at government level and was honoured to be elected to their board of directors last year. She currently lectures at Maynooth University on Disability Studies and provides HR support for members of the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association.

  Nicknamed the Bionic Business Woman by broadcaster Conall Ó Morain when she received her new bionic arm in 2017, she uses the moniker as her social media handle as it is much easier for others to spell or remember!

• 

  Marian Jennings Specialist in Employment & Business Law

  TU Dublin

  Marian is an experienced Law Lecturer, with a specialist offering developed over 20 years, in Employment and Business Law. She offers the combined value of a proven track record in academia together with professional private practice/in-house legal roles and significant board, governance and organisational management experience in the community and voluntary sector.  

• 

  Pat Brady Director & WRC Adjudication Officer

  Workplace Solutions

  Pat Brady is Director of Workplace Solutions and is an experienced WRC adjudication officer. Pat has extensive experience in HR, employment law theory & practise and dispute resolution. He is an Accredited Mediator (CIArb) and a Certified Mediator (Mediators’ Institute of Ireland) and a qualified Arbitrator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and both experienced as, and one of a very small number of Certified Workplace Investigators (CIArb).

  He was previously Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Irish Branch) for 2011-2012, current Chairman of the HR & Employment Council of Chambers Ireland, a member of the panel of mediators at the Medical Council of Ireland and the Independent Appeals Assessor at Dublin City Council for Casual Trading appeals.

• 

  Jennifer Cashman Partner, Head of Employment

  RDJ LLP

  Jennifer is Head of Employment and is also a member of the firm’s Healthcare and Cyber and Data Protection Teams. She is nationally regarded for her encyclopaedic knowledge of employment law and is the “go-to” advisor for corporate clients in both the public and private sector.

  Jennifer's key clients include scaling and established Irish companies in a variety of sectors, multinational companies in the technology, pharmaceutical, medical devices and diagnostics sectors and public authorities. Her focus is on working closely with her clients to provide commercial legal advice and practical, commercial solutions for their business.

  Strengthening the Team’s focus in the medical-technical sector, Jennifer is a member of RDJ’s Healthcare Team, acting for clients including pharmaceutical companies, health insurers, numerous medical device companies, and nursing homes. Advice includes regulatory and employment healthcare-specific issues, in respect of which Jennifer represents her clients before the Courts and the WRC/Labour Court.

  Jennifer is regularly invited to contribute as a key-note speaker at employment law and HR conferences, events and webinars for CIPD, and Legal-Island. She is a recognised thought-leader on various employment law and HR issues, in particular in the areas of retirement ages and age discrimination.

• 

  Caroline Reidy Managing Director

  The HR Suite

  Caroline Reidy runs The HR Suite who offer specialist tailored and effective human resources, employment law and business solutions to over 500 clients throughout Ireland. Many of which are SME’s who have no HR function and the HR Suite are their HR partner to advise them in this area.  The HR Suite also assist with complex investigations, training all areas of people management and skills development and representation at third party forums.  The HR Suite has offices in Dublin and Kerry.

  Caroline is a past Commissioner on the Low Pay Commission and is also an adjudicator in the Work Place Commission.  Caroline has completed a Masters in Human Resources in the University of Limerick and is a trained mediator. She is also the author of ‘The Art of Asking the Right Questions” that provides top tips to people managers throughout the employment journey. To mark 10 years in business in 2019 Caroline launched a children’s book ‘Celebrating You’ to advocate diversity and the importance of celebrating individuality in children. Caroline also contributes as a thought leader to national media, conference speaker and articles in national press. 

• 

  David Casey Wellness & Health Promotion Manager

  DeCare Dental

  David works for DeCare Dental as a dental professional and health promotion manager. David Casey, RDN holds a national certificate in biology and a specialist in oral health with health promotion. He is currently completing his M.A. in Health Promotion with specialist interest in mental health and workplace health promotion at the school of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science at NUI Galway.

   

• 

  Mary Connelly Director of HR Services

  National College of Ireland

  Always passionate about HR and experienced in the particular challenges and rewards of the third level sector, Mary Connelly is proud to contribute her expertise to National College of Ireland’s mission to change lives through education. Since taking up the role of Director of HR in 2019, she has worked with her team to provide a comprehensive range of human resources services, promoting and offering practical clarifications of the supports available to all staff, and encouraging inclusivity, equality, diversity and integrity. Drawing from NCI’s core values, the HR team strives to create online and offline community spaces for communication and shared experience, and centre wellness at the heart of NCI’s working life.

   

• 

  Dermot Casserly Partner & Head of Employment (Ireland)

  DWF

  Dermot advises on all legal issues arising out of the employment relationship including employment contracts, disciplinary and grievance issues, absenteeism and dismissal issues.

  He is also experienced in the review and preparation of contracts of employment, bonus schemes, staff handbooks, advising on day to day HR queries, disciplinary matters, redundancy consultation, union representation, employment audits, immigration issues, TUPE, compromise agreements and employment issues in mergers and acquisitions.

  Dermot leads the Employment team in Ireland and also provides representation in respect of defending all forms of employee claims including unfair dismissal and equality claims for his clients.

• 

  Ger Connolly Partner

  Mason Hayes & Curran

  Ger advises employers in the public and private sector on all employment law and industrial relations issues. Ger acts for clients in various employment claims such as unfair dismissal, equality/discrimination, occupational stress, fixed-term and part-time work, restraint of trade, strikes and picketing.

• 

  Linda Hynes Partner

  Lewis Silkin

  Linda is a Partner in the Employment, Immigration and Reward division based in Lewis Silkin's Dublin office. She is qualified to practice in Ireland, England & Wales. Linda is also the current chair of the Employment Law Association of Ireland and has an in-house employment counsel background. 

  Linda advises on all aspects of the employment law relationship from recruitment to termination and everything in between. Linda also advises multinationals and employers on changes to terms and conditions, unfair dismissals, payment of wages claims, restructuring and transfer of undertakings. Linda is also a workplace data protection expert and advises employers on all aspect of processing employee personal data to include advice on subject access requests, employee monitoring, privacy notices, retention and data protection complaints. 

• 

  Emmet Whelan Partner

  ByrneWallace LLP

  Emmet Whelan is a Partner in the ByrneWallace LLP Employment team. With over ten years’ employment law experience, Emmet advises on all aspects of employment law and in particular specialises in contentious employment matters and employee benefits. Clients include senior executives and large public and private sector employers. 

• 

  Gwendolen Morgan Registrar

  Workplace Relations Commission

  Gwendolen is an award-winning, UK and Irish-qualified solicitor with over 15 years in human rights, equality law, public law and good governance. She has expertise in strategic litigation, mediation and training for a wide range of NGOs, public bodies and individuals. Before joining the WRC, Ms. Morgan practised as a senior lawyer with the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission representing IHREC in amicus curiae briefs before the Superior Courts, advising on international reporting and EU free movement issues, and representing individuals before the WRC, domestic and European Courts.

  Before returning to Ireland in 2015, Gwendolen worked in Tanzania for the European Centre for Electoral Support, and as a senior lawyer at London public interest law firm, Bindmans LLP.  Based on test case work and independent reviews, from 2008 to 2016 she was a 'recommended lawyer' in UK Chambers and Legal 500 directories for public law and civil liberties, including equality law. Notable clients included David Miranda for Guardian News in relation to the Snowden leaks, the Law Society, EHRC, Down Syndrome Association, Humane Society International and Badger Trust. Gwendolen is an International Senior Lawyers Project panel member and board member of Holocaust Education Trust Ireland.

• 

  Michelle Halloran Trainer

  MH Human Resource Management Services Solutions

  Michelle Halloran is an experienced Human Resource Management professional and an accredited workplace mediator providing training and consultancy services to organisations nationwide, in the Public and Private sector. She has spent a long career originally in executive and general management roles, then specialising in Human Resources management in Ireland, the UK and Europe, across various sectors including investment banking, information technology, manufacturing and services plus some time in the public sector, before starting her own HR consultancy business 17 years ago. Her key areas of expertise are in workplace investigations, disciplinary and performance management and employee relations, and the practical application of employment law in a HR context.

   

• 

  Jayne Gallagher Managing Director

  Legal Island

  A graduate of the University of Edinburgh (MA Business Studies), Jayne is also a Chartered Marketer. After completing her studies, Jayne entered a career in event management, working in Belfast and Glasgow before becoming Event Manager for Legal Island. Within 3 years Jayne was promoted to her existing role of Managing Director leading the company to significant growth and awards such as the successful accreditation of Investors in People Platinum, Mark of Excellence (EFQM), ISO 9001 and the Gold Star Customer Service Award (EFQM).    Jayne is a TedX speaker, has previously sat as Vice Chair on the Board of the Orchardville Society, is a Belfast Board member of the Business Beats Cancer for Cancer Research UK and has coached and mentored through both Business in the Community and Women in Business.

• 

  Olga Pollock HR Manager

  Firmus Energy

  Olga started her HR career back in 2002 at Administrator level and worked her way up to Human Resources Manager responsible for managing the entire HR life-cycle in a fast-paced tech environment.

  After leaving the software sector Olga worked in the public sector in an interim Employee Relations position before moving to Phoenix Natural Gas as Human Resources Manager responsible for both HR and payroll. Here Olga digitised the recruitment process and created a health and wellbeing strategy among other things.

  Still within the utilities sector, Olga moved to firmus energy as HR Manager in August 2019 where she focuses on  employee engagement through an array of engagement interventions.

• 

  Peter Nolan Leadership Consultant

  Coaching Mindsets

  Peter believes that every person has the capacity to live the life they choose. He is driven by the desire to support people in achieving their goals, overcoming their limiting beliefs and contributing meaningfully to teams and communities.

  For over 15 years, Peter has supported individuals and businesses in achieving their goals. His diverse experience and unique skills provide him with the ability to ask insightful and challenging questions. A natural innovator and persuasive speaker, Peter improvises and shapes creative solutions with ease. He has a track record of building collaborative teams, guiding strategic partnerships and delivering effective and sustainable solutions in diverse markets.

• 

  Niamh Gaffney Executive Coach & Facilitator

  KinchLyons

  Niamh is an award-winning organisational psychologist with KinchLyons – where psychology means business! She is passionate about helping people achieve sustainable, healthy high performance, supporting them through their challenges and empowering them to better navigate their changing landscapes.

   She is an experienced trainer, psychometrician and facilitator, as well as a licenced medical coach and certified Mental Health First Aider. Niamh holds a PCC level accreditation with the ICF and she is a member of CIPD, the PSI and the BPS. She is a recovering accountant with 15 years’ international senior leadership experience under her belt, and her commercial understanding allows her to connect with and empower clients across hierarchical and geographical lines.

• 

  Patrick White Head of International Growth

  Applied

  Patrick is Head of International Growth at Applied, working as a leading trainer on D&I issues including how to create fairness and remove bias from recruitment processes.

• 

  Triona Sugrue Knowledge Lawyer

  A&L Goodbody

  Tríona Sugrue is a Knowledge Lawyer in the firm’s Employment Practice Group. Tríona has extensive experience advising on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment issues and representing parties in employment disputes before the Workplace Relations Commission, the Labour Court and the civil courts. She provides professional support to the Employment Practice Group and clients in relation to all aspects of employment law. She is a lecturer in Employment Law at the Law Society of Ireland and regularly contributes to publications on employment law topics. She is co-author of Labour and Employment Compliance in Ireland.

• 

  Duncan Inverarity Partner, Head of Employment Law Practice Group

  A&L Goodbody

  Duncan is Head of A&L Goodbody's Employment Law Group and has practiced exclusively in the area of employment law and industrial relations in multiple jurisdictions. Duncan advises public and private sector employers on both contentious and non-contentious matters. He advises Boardrooms across Ireland and abroad on strategic and complex employment and industrial relations matters. Duncan also specialises in crisis management for clients and has advised on some of the most high profile corporate issues in Ireland. Duncan regularly appears for clients in the Workplace Relations Commission, the Circuit Court, the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Duncan also acts for partnerships in mediated settlements and in proceedings in the High Court.

• 

  Deirdre Crowley Partner in Employment & Technology Groups

  Matheson

  Deirdre Crowley is a partner in the Employment Law, Technology and Innovation Groups in Matheson. Deirdre’s sessions with us are always highly anticipated and her focus is on delivering an up to date and practical insights into the topic of the day. At the conference, we are going to hear from Deirdre about a very current topic – that of employer liability during these extraordinary and unprecedented times. You will leave here knowing the potential legal avenues open to an employee to pursue in a Covid-19 related employment, privacy and health and safety legal challenge. You will also leave with tips on how to mitigate your organisation’s exposure.

• 

  Joe O'Connor Director of Campaigning

  FÓRSA

  Joe O’Connor is a driven and dynamic activist and campaigner, with extensive leadership experience, a passion for social justice and progressive change, and a flair for modern communications.

  He currently works as the Director of Campaigning with Fórsa Trade Union, Ireland’s largest public service union. He is responsible for coordinating Fórsa’s national campaigns, developing and leading a campaigning culture and capacity, and building a greater profile for the union’s concerns and policies.

  Joe is also the chairperson of the Four Day Week Ireland campaign, having coordinated the formation of the coalition in 2019, and the successful launch of a pilot programme and government-funded research project in 2021.

   

• 

  Margaret Cox Owner & Director

  ICE Group

  Margaret is a committed leader with unique experience managing a thriving multi-faceted business, she is a passionate advocate for the 4 Day Work Week. With a dual vision to Change Lives and Be Bloody Brilliant, Margaret and ICE Group pioneered the 3 Day Weekend pattern to give back to her hard-working staff, who spend every day striving to upskill, retrain, and place people into their dream careers.

  With 30 years of success in business management and leadership, Margaret also spent 10 years as an elected member of Seanad Eireann, during that time she successfully represented Ireland on European and UN platforms, speaking on IT, E-Business and the Status of Women in Ireland.

• 

  Michelle Murphy Head of Operations & HR

  JMK Solicitors

  Michelle qualified as a Solicitor in Northern Ireland in 2007, and worked in both commercial and general practice.  Michelle’s interest in law and business management led her onto the role of Head of Operations and HR with JMK Solicitors in 2010 and additionally with CRASH services since 2017.

  Michelle has responsibility for a collective of team of over 160 in a wide variety of professions within the business. Overseeing all aspects of Human resources, employee wellbeing, benefits, remuneration, recruitment, systems, policy and Health and Safety for the group.

  Michelle has been instrumental in developing a range of workplace strategies including introducing the ‘4 day working week’ and ‘Working in the Sun’ initiatives, putting employee health and wellbeing at the heart of our business.

• 

  Christine Crawford Senior HR Consultant

  Willis Insurance and Risk Management

  Christine is Senior HR Consultant at Willis Insurance & Risk Management, joining the team in late 2015. Christine has recently undertaken her CIPD Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management.

• 

  Dr Gerard McMahon Managing Director

  Productive Personnel Ltd

  Gerry McMahon is acknowledged as a national expert in the area of People Management and Employee Relations.  He has over 40 years’ practical experience working as an advisor/consultant in the area, across a range of sectors.  He also has extensive experience working as a consultant, trainer, facilitator, team builder, negotiator, adjudicator, mediator, coach, investigator, researcher, arbitrator and expert witness on behalf of a wide range of Government departments, public sector enterprises, semi-state entities, blue chip companies, professional institutes, trade unions, staff associations, employer and community/voluntary and religious organisations.

   

• 

  Lauren Kierans Barrister

  Dr Lauren Kierans BL is a practising barrister and Lecturer in Law at Maynooth University where she lectures on whistleblowing law at undergraduate level, as well as a Professional Certificate.

  She was awarded her PhD on the Irish Protected Disclosures Act 2014 in June 2019.  She has published articles and book chapters on protected disclosures and co-authored the Annotated Statute on the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. She has also produced two country reports on protected disclosures and spoken on this topic at various conferences, CPD events, round-table panel discussions, and legislative briefings at both national and international level. Lauren was awarded the governmental project for the drafting of the protected disclosures procedures guidance for public bodies on behalf of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. 

• 

  Kevin Empey Director

  WorkMatters

  Kevin has specialised in organization development, leadership development and people strategy for over 25 years.

  With a background in technology and business development, Kevin developed an international career in people consulting and leadership development working across a wide range of organizations, sectors and geographies.

  Before establishing WorkMatters, he founded and led several start-up companies and was a Partner and Director in Willis Towers Watson where he led the firms HR and Talent consulting business in Ireland from 2002 to 2015. He also established the firm’s ‘Future of Work’ offering in Ireland.

• 

  Lynsey Perdisatt Head of Future of Work

  Irish Life

  Lynsey Perdisatt is the Head of Future of Work for Irish Life. In this role Lynsey is focused on leading a programme for change as the organisation moves towards more flexible and blended ways of working. Prior to this her most recent role was as Director of HR and Change with the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) where she focused on organisation development and in particular building a culture of wellbeing. Experienced in the areas of change, management and leadership development, Lynsey is passionate about health and wellbeing and identifying opportunities to improve the employee experience and enhance organisational performance.  In 2019 Lynsey was appointed by the Minister for Health to the Board of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), where she also Chairs the organisation’s Resource Oversight Committee. Lynsey is also a Non-Executive Director of the charity One in Four.

   

• 

  Karen Hackett Head of People Experience

  Permanent TSB

  Karen is an experienced HR Leader who has worked in the Financial Services sector since 1988, starting her career in Banking with Trustee Savings Bank, and moving into HR in 1999. Karen was appointed Head of People Experience in Permanent TSB in 2020 having previously held the role of Head of HR Operations in Permanent TSB since 2012.    

  Karen has a passion for driving connection to organisational purpose through Cultural Evolution, Workforce Engagement, Stakeholder Management and collaboration with Employee Resource Groups to enable a diverse and inclusive high performing organisation.  Karen has been at the forefront of Permanent TSB’s new Ways of Working Programme since 2020, championing Permanent TSB’s ‘Hybrid Workplace’.  Karen is a Fellow of the CIPD and has a passion for continuing professional development and education, having completed a Master’s in Business Studies through IMI/UCC (2020) specialising in Strategic HRM, Leadership and OD & Transformation.

   

• 

  David Cagney Chief Human Resource Officer

  Civil Service

  David was appointed Chief Human Resource Officer for the Civil Service in September 2015. His remit includes the development and implementation of HR policies in the civil service including workforce planning and policies on recruitment; promotion; mobility; secondment, redeployment and performance management. It also includes the Senior Public Service.

  Prior to joining the Civil Service he held the position of Director of Human Resources at the Dublin Institute of Technology.

  David has previously worked with An Post, IBEC and with the Local Government Staff Negotiations Board in a variety of HR roles. He also served as a Vice Chairman of the Employment Appeals Tribunal from 2007 to 2010.

  A graduate of University College Dublin David is a Charted Fellow of the CIPD and was called to the bar in 1993.

• 

  Maura Connolly Partner

  Addleshaw Goddard

  Maura is head of the Dispute Resolution Department in Addleshaw Goddard's Dublin office, she also leads the Employment & Employee Benefits Law Group.  Maura advises employers and employees on all aspects of employment law including contentious and non-contentious matters. Maura is experienced in civil litigation and has represented clients in employment law tribunals, before industrial relations bodies and in the Courts. Recent experience has included advising an employer on a high profile executive termination, which included wide ranging disputes relating to the executive’s directorship, shareholder and financial interests in the group; advising a registered charity on an investigation arising from a protected disclosure; providing strategic advice to an advertising company on the loss of a major contract and the transfer of its workforce under transfer of undertakings regulations.