Ranking tables
Employment | Europe
Ireland
Rankings overview for Departments
Band 1
Band 2
Hayes solicitors LLP 14 Years Ranked
McCann FitzGerald LLP 19 Years Ranked
RDJ LLP 19 Years Ranked
William Fry LLP 19 Years Ranked- Eversheds Sutherland
- Lewis Silkin
Band 4
Beauchamps LLP 18 Years Ranked
DAC Beachcroft Dublin 11 Years Ranked
DLA Piper 3 Years Ranked
Whitney Moore 15 Years Ranked- Fieldfisher Ireland LLP
- GQ|Littler
Star Individuals
Band 1
Anne Lyne Hayes solicitors LLP12 Years Ranked
Breda O'Malley Hayes solicitors LLP14 Years Ranked
Bryan Dunne Matheson LLP18 Years Ranked- Duncan Inverarity A&L Goodbody19 Years Ranked
Jennifer Cashman RDJ LLP19 Years Ranked
Joanne Hyde Lewis Silkin18 Years Ranked
Kevin Langford Arthur Cox19 Years Ranked
Melanie Crowley Mason Hayes & Curran LLP18 Years Ranked
Michael Kennedy Byrne Wallace Shields19 Years Ranked
Michelle Ní Longáin SC Byrne Wallace Shields19 Years Ranked
Band 2
Catherine O'Flynn Mason Hayes & Curran LLP11 Years Ranked
Cian Beecher Arthur Cox17 Years Ranked
Karen Killalea Maples Group11 Years Ranked
Loughlin Deegan Byrne Wallace Shields9 Years Ranked
Maura Connolly Addleshaw Goddard (Ireland) LLP19 Years Ranked
Michael Doyle A&L Goodbody10 Years Ranked- Barry WalshFieldfisher Ireland LLP
- Siobhra RushLewis Silkin
Band 3
Alicia Compton William Fry LLP18 Years Ranked
Aoife Bradley Byrne Wallace Shields16 Years Ranked
Ciara McLoughlin DLA Piper5 Years Ranked
Elizabeth Ryan Mason Hayes & Curran LLP12 Years Ranked
Emmet Whelan Byrne Wallace Shields7 Years Ranked
Geraldine Carr Matheson LLP6 Years Ranked
Louise O'Byrne Arthur Cox9 Years Ranked
Mary Brassil McCann FitzGerald LLP13 Years Ranked
Ronnie Neville Mason Hayes & Curran LLP17 Years Ranked- Barry ReynoldsGQ|Littler
- Julie GalbraithEversheds Sutherland
- Linda HynesLewis Silkin
- Niall PellyGQ|Littler
Band 4
Bláthnaid Evans Ogier 5 Years Ranked
Ciara O'Kennedy Byrne Wallace Shields3 Years Ranked
Deirdre Lynch Pinsent Masons Ireland LLP3 Years Ranked
Elaine Kelly Byrne Wallace Shields17 Years Ranked- Emma Richmond Whitney Moore3 Years Ranked
Ger Connolly Mason Hayes & Curran LLP7 Years Ranked
Jeff Greene A&L Goodbody6 Years Ranked
John Lynch Whitney Moore17 Years Ranked
Nuala Clayton William Fry LLP1 Years Ranked
Patrick Walshe Philip Lee LLP11 Years Ranked
Russell Rochford Matheson LLP6 Years Ranked
Susan Battye Bird & Bird (Ireland) LLP11 Years Ranked- Deirdre MaloneEY Law
- Marie Claire ScullionEversheds Sutherland
Up and Coming
All Departments profiles
Band 1
1 A&L GoodbodyEmployment2025 | Band 1 | 19 Years RankedA&L Goodbody has an impressive practice with leading employment and pensions teams acting for clients from a range of sectors. The law firm is renowned for handling high-end employment disputes and large-scale transactional matters, advising on an extensive range of issues such as TUPE and collective redundancies. The team acts for several large trustees and employers on the restructuring of pensions schemes and related litigation, often for clients in the finance and insurance sectors. It regularly acts on cross-border matters. A&L Goodbody further assists with protected disclosure matters, GDPR compliance topics and data protection regulations.
1 Arthur CoxEmployment2025 | Band 1 | 19 Years RankedArthur Cox has a formidable employment department which handles the pensions and employment aspects of large transactional and internal restructuring projects. The law firm offers longstanding experience in high-end labour law matters concerning remuneration, social security disputes, employee transfers and senior executive terminations. It regularly assists companies with internal investigations and resultant disciplinary processes. The team handles disputes over protected disclosure and allegations of discrimination. On the pensions side, the law firm advises a combination of trustees and employers on the reorganisation and restructuring of pension schemes, on GDPR issues and on the resolution of internal disputes.
1 Byrne Wallace ShieldsEmployment2025 | Band 1 | 19 Years RankedByrne Wallace Shields has a widely admired and respected employment team providing top-quality advice on the whole spectrum of labour law matters, including terminations, unfair dismissals, disciplinary matters, discrimination claims, protected disclosures and whistle-blowing cases. It also assists with restructurings, collective redundancies and TUPE mandates. The team is experienced in public sector work, with a proven track record of advising the Irish government on a range of policy and procedural issues in the field. It advises on GDPR compliance for both public and private sector entities.
1 Mason Hayes & Curran LLPEmployment2025 | Band 1 | 19 Years RankedMason Hayes & Curran has a highly regarded employment law department with an extensive base of prominent domestic and international clients, particularly in the technology and education sectors. The law firm demonstrates considerable activity in contentious and injunctive proceedings, including unfair dismissal cases. The team also has experience in M&A-related labour mandates, transfers, multiple redundancies and industrial relations matters. Additionally, the law firm has a capable pensions practice which often assists employers or trustees with a range of issues, including scheme establishment and closure or questions arising from corporate transactions.
1 Matheson LLPEmployment2025 | Band 1 | 19 Years RankedMatheson has an impressive employment practice which frequently assists large multinational companies in the financial and technology sectors. The team is proficient in redundancy and transfer mandates, in addition to M&A-related employment matters. The law firm is also experienced in the handling of complex contentious matters concerning employment relationships and dismissals, regularly defending employers before the Irish High Court. Matheson comes particularly recommended for cross-border and international work, with experience advising large US multinationals and global law firms on Irish employment law. The law firm also maintains a respectable pensions practice advising on IORP II compliance and scheme transfers.
Band 2
2 Hayes solicitors LLPEmployment2025 | Band 2 | 14 Years RankedHayes solicitors has a strongly rated group advising on a range of employment matters, including the implementation of workforce reorganisations or redundancies on behalf of clients needing to downsize or to relocate employees. The team has experience on both the plaintiff and employer sides of unfair dismissal claims. It advises on disciplinary and discrimination claims and assists with litigation seeking to enforce restrictive covenants against former executives. Lawyers at the firm act for a mixture of multinational corporations, charities and state organisations.2 McCann FitzGerald LLPEmployment2025 | Band 2 | 19 Years RankedMcCann FitzGerald has a widely praised employment department with substantial experience within the team. The law firm acts on non-contentious mandates relating to the transfer of undertakings in transactions, collective redundancies or data protection compliance. Lawyers in the practice handle employment-related litigation pertaining to discrimination, equality, unfair dismissal and harassment claims. The team also has experience in remuneration matters and protected disclosure mandates. In addition, it has strong knowledge of pensions issues within both the public and private sectors, advising trustees and employers on a range of matters relating to defined benefit and defined contribution pensions, including IORP II compliance, benefits harmonisation and pensions-related disputes.2 RDJ LLPEmployment2025 | Band 2 | 19 Years RankedRDJ dominates the Cork market and has a significant presence in Galway and Dublin. The law firm demonstrates strong experience in employment disputes concerning discrimination and equality claims and unfair dismissals. The team includes lawyers experienced in data protection matters and protected disclosure. The law firm also handles employment law issues related to corporate transactions, such as TUPE considerations and collective redundancies. It advises employers across a wide range of sectors, with a particular focus on the healthcare, technology and education spheres.
2 William Fry LLPEmployment2025 | Band 2 | 19 Years RankedWilliam Fry LLP has a respected employment and pensions law practice that offers advice to domestic and international clients on complex corporate employment issues. The team members have particular experience in employee transfers, employee incentive schemes and top executives' severance packages. The law firm also possesses an acclaimed contentious practice with expertise in unfair dismissals, protected disclosure, discrimination claims and senior executive terminations. It offers comprehensive pensions advice for employers in the context of transactions, restructurings and wind-ups, in addition to related IORP II compliance.
Band 3
3 Addleshaw Goddard (Ireland) LLPEmployment2025 | Band 3 | 19 Years RankedAddleshaw Goddard is well regarded for its capacity to assist with a broad range of employment topics for clients in various sectors. The law firm provides a comprehensive advisory service on employment contracts and handbooks, as well as disciplinary matters, redundancies, acquisitions and TUPE. The team has a respected contentious practice, acting for employers on contested dismissal matters as well as allegations of discrimination. It has experience in mediation proceedings and notable expertise in immigration-related concerns.
Band 4
4 Beauchamps LLPEmployment2025 | Band 4 | 18 Years RankedBeauchamps has a noteworthy employment group working with domestic and international clients on contractual and advisory issues, including policy review, internal investigations and performance management. The law firm is also active in employment disputes, advising employers and employees from regulated industries such as professional services and the public sector. The team acts in litigation and settlement proceedings relating to unfair dismissals, redundancy negotiations and disciplinary processes, and also advises on protected disclosures.4 DAC Beachcroft DublinEmployment2025 | Band 4 | 11 Years RankedDAC Beachcroft has a dedicated employment team with a strong reputation for contentious work relating to dismissals and discrimination claims. The team acts for prominent corporate and public sector clients in the healthcare, insurance, telecoms, financial services, hospitality and technology sectors. The law firm advises on redundancies and workforce reorganisations, as well as data protection matters and is noted for its work on TUPE projects.
4 DLA PiperEmployment2025 | Band 4 | 3 Years RankedDLA Piper maintains a reputable employment practice, frequently advising on the employment aspects of M&A transactions and corporate restructurings. Lawyers in the team provide advisory services to clients across jurisdictions in relation to HR matters such as health and safety and data protection. Additionally, the law firm has a strong disputes practice, assisting clients with unfair dismissals and senior executive terminations.4 Whitney MooreEmployment2025 | Band 4 | 15 Years RankedWhitney Moore advises employers on a number of contractual and labour law issues, including mandates related to TUPE regulations or recruitment and performance plans. The law firm has particular knowledge in corporate immigration. It acts on contentious matters relating to disciplinary hearings, terminations of top executives, protected disclosure cases, unfair dismissal and personal injury claims. It is also experienced in data protection and matters involving employee grievances.