LAWYER PROFILE
Karen Killalea

Karen Killalea

Europe 2026

Chambers ranking badge
Chambers ranking badge

Ranked in 1 practice area

About

Provided by Maples Group

Europe

Practice Areas

Karen is head of Maples and Calder's Employment team in the Maples Group's Dublin office. She has over 20 years’ experience advising clients on all aspects of employment law including contractual matters, sensitive investigations, employee privacy issues, GDPR, gender pay gap preparation, TUPE, HR aspects of corporate re-structuring and asset disposals, industrial relations, working time, equality issues, executive compensation, removal of directors and senior executives and the protection of confidential information. Karen’s recent cases include securing court orders to prevent the theft of confidential information, restraining a team move and defending a High Court challenge to the suspension and investigation of a senior employee. She regularly represents clients before the WRC and the courts and has extensive experience of successful mediation and dispute resolution.

Karen joined the Maples Group as a Partner and Head of the Employment team in 2019. Previously, she was a partner with a large Irish corporate law firm. Before that, Karen worked for Linklaters in their Rome office

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers European Guide

Employment - Ireland

Band 2
Band 2

Individual Editorial
Karen Killalea leads the employment team in Maples' Dublin office. She has established a strong profile in the employment market, offering experience in cross-border restructurings, senior executive terminations, misconduct investigations and immigration matters.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Karen has an excellent marriage of commercial awareness, business sense and employment law expertise.

    EmploymentChambers European Guide
  • Karen Killalea is a great communicator who always has a solution and practical advice.

    EmploymentChambers European Guide

Ranked Individuals at Maples Group (27)

Ireland

Jersey

Luxembourg

What success is built on

Chambers is the leading data and intelligence partner for the legal sector.

Explore thought leadership