Annual Review of Employment Law 2023 - Early Bird Reopen for 48 hours only!

Annual Review of Employment Law 2023 - Early Bird Reopen for 48 hours only!

Thank You Offer

We are happy to reopen our Early Bird offer for 48 hours only* - allowing you to save up to £70 on each registration.

7th November 2023, ICC Belfast - Join Us In Person!

The Annual Review of Employment Law is the ultimate gathering for HR practitioners seeking to elevate their knowledge, skills, and connections in the ever-changing world of employment law and HR best practices.

🌟 Why should you attend? 🌟

🎤 Inspiring Speakers: Prepare to be empowered by nationally recognised speakers who will inspire you with their insights and expertise. Mark Devenport, the acclaimed Broadcaster, and former BBC NI Political Editor, will serve as our Chair for the day's proceedings, promising a day filled with invaluable advice and discussions.

📚 Comprehensive Learning: Our lineup of 13 sessions, led by jurisdiction-specific employment lawyers, seasoned HR professionals, and subject matter experts, will tailor your conference experience to your unique needs and industry interests.

💡 Stay Ahead of the Curve: Invest in yourself, your career, your organisation, and your profession. Gain crucial insights into the most vital employment law developments of 2023, anticipate emerging trends, and mitigate risks as we explore potential developments for 2024.

🛍️ Exhibition Area: Explore our vibrant exhibition area, a one-stop-shop where you can discover cutting-edge products and services to enhance your HR practices.

💼 Flexible Attendance: For the first time ever, Annual Review is a hybrid event! Whether you prefer to attend in person at the ICC Belfast or join us online, we're committed to delivering top-notch customer service with technical support available throughout. And don't worry – we've got you covered with comprehensive digital session notes, slides, and recordings to ensure you won't miss a thing.

🤝 Network and Connect: Get your burning questions answered by our panel of experts and seize the opportunity to network with your HR and legal peers from across Northern Ireland.

🌐 Unlock Your Potential: Join us at the Annual Review Conference and open the door to endless possibilities for your professional growth and organizational success. Let us be your guide as you explore the broader world of HR and chart your path towards where you want to be.

🎟️ Secure Your Ticket Today: Don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity to supercharge your HR career. Grab your ticket now and embark on a journey to new heights in HR excellence!

In Person places are limited. Early Bird rate available until Friday 15th Sept!

For booking of 5 or more staff members, please contact vanessa@legal-island.com to talk about group discounts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Sponsored by:

MCS Logo

Programme

 

Click here to view Long Programme for Annual Review 2023

Short Programme

TIME 

SESSION 

8.30am – 9.20am 

Registration/ Exhibition/ Teas and Coffees 

 

MAIN HALL 

9.20am – 9.35am 

Welcome Address

Introduction from Chair, Mark Devenport, the acclaimed Broadcaster, and former BBC NI Political Editor

9.35am – 10.20am 

Review of the Year (Part 1 – 2023 – Looking Back)

Mark McAllister, Director of Employment Relations Services, Labour Relations Agency

 

Allow 5 mins for change over 

Allow 5 mins for change over 

 

MAIN HALL 

PARALLEL HALL 

10.25am – 11.10am 

Recruitment, Retention and Restructuring – Challenges and Solutions (to avoid the other ‘R word’)

Gareth Walls, Partner, A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland LLP 

Neurodiversity: 5 Things Employers Need to Know 

Jude Morrow, CEO of Neurodiversity Training International

 

11.10am – 11.45am 

BREAK & EXHIBITION

 

MAIN HALL 

PARALLEL HALL 

11.45am – 12.30pm 

Regulating the use of ChatGPT and AI at Work – Reducing the Risks While Ramping Up the Benefits

Sarah Cochrane, Partner, Carson McDowell

This very special session includes a bonus AI Tool Kit containing :

  • Guidance on the questions you need to ask your CEO before tackling workplace regulation of AI
  • A draft template AI Use Policy
  • Guidance on how to implement a new AI Use Policy in your organisation

Alternative Dispute Resolution: Maximising the Alternatives to Tribunal

Karen McGonigle, Employment Relations Manager, Labour Relations Agency

 

Allow 5 mins for change over 

Allow 5 mins for change over 

12.35pm – 1.20pm 

The NI Case Review 2023 and Key Next Steps

Jason Elliott BL

Actions Not Words – How to be a Workplace Ally

Eileen Chan-Hu, Executive Director and Founder of CRAICNI       

1.20pm – 2.15pm 

LUNCH & EXHIBITOR 

2.15pm – 3pm 

Gender Identity in the Workplace: Inclusive and Equitable Practices

Karen McShane of Kevin McShane Ltd and Paul Gillen, Partner, Lewis Silkin

Zero Tolerance: Tackling Bullying and Harassment Head-On

Christine Swail, Director, People Management Solutions

 

 

Allow 5 mins for change over 

Teas and coffee available 

Allow 5 mins for change over 

Teas and coffee available 

3.05pm – 3.50pm 

What’s in a Word - Must We Really Ban ‘Banter’ in the Workplace?

Seamus McGranaghan, Director, O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors

Emotional Intelligence in the Age of Artificial Intelligence - How You Show Up: Success in the Workplace of Tomorrow

Deiric McCann, Managing Director of Genos International Europe

 

 

Allow 5 mins for change over 

Allow 5 mins for change over 

3.55pm – 4.35pm 

Review of the Year (Part 2 – Looking Forward to 2024)

Mark McAllister, Director of Employment Relations Services, Labour Relations Agency

ESG for SMEs – Seize the Opportunity, Maximise your Return!

Ryan Calvert, Head of Human Resources, Sales & Marketing Recruitment from MCS Group

 

 

Testimonials

"The content and speakers are amazing and the amount that is packed into this course is fantastic.  It is the must attend course for HR professionals."
Ruth Mulholland, Senior HR Business Partner, Habinteg Housing Association

"Excellent conference, great chairs in the sessions, and the speakers as usual were really good. Lots of great learning and take-aways from the two days."
Margaret Davern, HR Adviser, Irish League of Credit Unions

"Excellent conference with a variety of different topics discussed. Speakers were all very clear and knowledgeable. Thoroughly enjoyed the case law reviews and roundtable discussions."
Joanne Mallon,
HR Manager, Inspire Wellbeing

"Excellent conference, very informative and lots of practical advice. "
Melissa Hasson, HR Advisor, North West Regional College

Organisations represented included:

 Attendee Logos

Presenters


  • Christine Swail
    Christine Swail Director & Co-Founder
    People Management Solutions

    Christine is Director and Co-Founder of People Management Solutions, an award-winning HR Consultancy with offices in Belfast and Dungannon. Christine works with small to medium sized organisations putting best practice HR in place as well as working with larger multi-nationals on specific HR projects and complex workplace disputes.  Christine has worked in HR throughout Ireland for over 25 years with some of the leading and most innovative companies. Key areas of expertise include workplace investigations, mediation, employee relations and HR related training. Christine was recently awarded the CIPD NI HR Consultant of the Year award.

  • Damian McAlister
    Damian McAlister Chief People Officer
    ‎Ulster University

    Damian McAlister is Chief People Officer in Ulster University. Prior to joining the University in 2018 Damian worked within the NI Health and Social Care system and from 2014 – 2018 was the Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. Prior to this Damian was the Human Resources Director for the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and also worked as a Co-Director within HR in the Belfast Trust.  

  • Deiric McCann
    Deiric McCann Managing Director
    Genos International

    Deiric McCann leads Genos International Europe – the EU division of a world-leading provider of emotional intelligence solutions.

    He has 20+ years of experience at the highest levels of management in multinational organisations, and a further decade of experience working with multinational clients worldwide, helping them to develop the resilience, emotional intelligence, psychological safety and engagement of their teams.

  • Eileen Chan-Hu
    Eileen Chan-Hu
    CRAICNI

    Born in Belfast, of first generation Chinese, Eileen is passionate about adding diversity, inclusion, creativity and colour to our society. With over 25 years’ experience in the field of race covering English language teaching, community development, community safety initiatives and health and well-being.

    Eileen has sat on an array of boards, was a member of the Centenary Forum and an Equality Commissioner (2018 – 2020). She is currently on the All-Island Women’s Forum, Vice Chair of Migrant and Minority Ethnic Council NI, Trustee of New Europeans UK and a Patron of Horatio’s Garden.  

    Eileen has been a member of the Belfast Speaker’s Circle and has spoken on race equality, social entrepreneurship and women issues at events. In 2021, Eileen was a TEDxSpeaker for TEdxStormont. Her TEDxtalk, reached the TEDTalk platform: ‘GaiWaak, Made in Belfast, Made with Purpose’, which presents both her cross-cultural experience and the philosophy she inherits from her parents. These influences all she does. 

  • Gareth Walls
    Gareth Walls Partner & Head of Employment and Incentives Group
    A&L Goodbody LLP

    Gareth Walls is a Partner and Head of the A&L Goodbody's Employment group in Belfast. Gareth represents a number of local, national and international brands in business support, strategic workforce planning and high-profile tribunal matters. He also has significant experience advising stakeholders on complex redundancy, re-structuring and TUPE issues. Gareth is an accomplished commercial litigator with particular emphasis on procurement challenges and injunctive relief in the Employment context, as well as being a sought-after speaker on Employment issues in Northern Ireland.

  • Jason Elliott BL
    Jason Elliott BL BL
    Ulster University

    Jason Elliott was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 2013 and is the Associate Head of School of Law at Ulster University.  As a practising barrister, he has developed a largely civil practice representing individuals, companies and public bodies in litigation.  This covers a wide range of areas including personal injuries, wills and employment law. In terms of employment law, he has represented both applicants and respondents in the Industrial Tribunal. At Ulster University, Jason lectures extensively on the civil areas of practise such as Equity and Trusts and delivers employment law lectures for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. 

  • Jude Morrow
    Jude Morrow CEO and Founder
    Neurodiversity Training Internationa

    Jude Morrow is an autistic best-selling author, motivational storyteller, and the founder of Neurodiversity Training International and the EndeeSphere App. Jude travels the world to showcase through his talks and workshops that Autistic and Neurodivergent adults can thrive at work and in business. Jude has helped weave Neurodiversity into the fabric of corporate giants such as Google, IBM, 3 Mobile, Baker Hughes, Chevron, and more. When not speaking, ranting, travelling, or advocating - Jude spends time with his son Ethan, his cat Dan, and training for his solo-skydiving A-License.

  • Karen McShane
    Karen McShane Managing Director
    Kevin McShane Ltd.

    Karen McShane is a Trustee of The Rainbow Project – a health organisation that works to improve the physical, mental and emotional health and well-being of LGBTQIA+ people and their families in Northern Ireland. She starred in the 2019 Channel 4 documentary “The Making of Me”. 

  • Mark McAllister
    Mark McAllister Director of Employment Relations Services
    Labour Relations Agency

    Mark McAllister is Director of Employment Relations Services with the LRA and part-time lecturer in Law. He specialises in employment law, dispute prevention and strategic collaborative working in industrial and employment relations. Mark is the former Northern Ireland Convenor of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and the Chair of the NI ICSA Governance Institute. He is an accredited mediator,  a member of the Employment Lawyers’ Group and the Industrial Law Society and is a regular speaker on the employment law circuit and contributor to employment law publications.

  • Paul Gillen
    Paul Gillen Partner
    Lewis Silkin LLP

    Paul is a partner in Lewis Silkin’s Employment, Immigration and Reward division based in Belfast. He is qualified in England & Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. He provides cross jurisdiction and comparative law advice to clients throughout the UK and Ireland. Paul advises clients on contentious and non-contentious matters, including HR support, mergers & acquisitions, restructuring, executive management, performance management, TUPE, outsourcing, discrimination law, and a full range of employment litigation.

    Prior to training as a lawyer Paul had more than a decade of experience working in in-house HR roles, including being Head of HR, across sectors covering retail, construction, manufacturing and logistics.

    Paul is a Band 1 ranked Employment Partner in Northern Ireland, Chambers noting my ‘wealth of experience assisting clients with a broad range of employment matters including TUPE and post-acquisition restructuring, in addition to day-to-day HR support.’

  • Ryan Calvert
    Ryan Calvert Manager of HR Recruitment for UK and Ireland
    MCS Group

    Ryan completed a Psychology degree before carving a successful career in Recruitment particularly within the HR Market. As part of the growing Professional Services Team at MCS Group, Ryan manages HR, Legal and Compliance roles. His approach is highly personable and customer service focused, building sustainable working relationships with both candidates and clients at all times.

  • Seamus McGranaghan
    Seamus McGranaghan Director - Commercial
    O'Reilly Stewart Solicitors

    Seamus McGranaghan qualified as a Solicitor in O'Reilly Stewart Solicitors in 2003 and is an experienced Commercial Lawyer dealing with employment, commercial and education cases.

    He has experience in the Industrial Tribunal representing both Claimants and Respondents and has provided seminars in relation to particular areas of employment law. Seamus is the only member of the Education and Law Association in Northern Ireland. He specialises in advising schools and colleges on policy matters, employment issues and student welfare. He is also responsible for the Education Law Quarterly Review.

  • Sarah Cochrane
    Sarah Cochrane Partner
    Carson McDowell

    Sarah Cochrane joined the Employment Team at Carson McDowell in 2012. Sarah attained a degree in law (LLB Honours) from Queens University in 2005 before embarking on the Legal Practice Course (LPC) at the College of Law in Chester later that year. Sarah trained with DAC Beachcroft LLP in Manchester and qualified as a solicitor into the Employment & PensionsTeam in 2009.

Event details

Duration

1 Day

Date

07 November 2023

Location

ICC Belfast

Price

In Person

EarlyBird Standard £515
Standard  £565

EarlyBird Charity £415
Charity/Small Business Rate £465