Ranking tables
Employment | UK
Northern Ireland
Rankings overview for Lawyers
Aisling Byrne A&L Goodbody17 Years Ranked
Ciara Fulton Lewis Silkin13 Years Ranked
Gareth Walls A&L Goodbody22 Years Ranked
Jan Cunningham Millar McCall Wylie14 Years Ranked
John McShane McCartan Turkington Breen10 Years Ranked- Julie Anne Clarke Elliotts Legal19 Years Ranked
- Michael Black Cleaver Fulton Rankin17 Years Ranked
Orlagh O'Neill Carson McDowell23 Years Ranked
Paul Gillen Lewis Silkin13 Years Ranked
Rachel Penny Carson McDowell18 Years Ranked
Rosemary Lundy Arthur Cox16 Years Ranked- Louise McAloonWorthingtons
Kiera Lee Mills Selig11 Years Ranked
Niall McMullan Edwards Solicitors4 Years Ranked
Patricia Rooney Tughans16 Years Ranked- Rosemary ConnollyRosemary Connolly Solicitors
Christopher Fullerton Arthur Cox4 Years Ranked
Ian McFarland Eversheds Sutherland4 Years Ranked
Sarah Cochrane Carson McDowell5 Years Ranked
Shirley Blair A&L Goodbody12 Years Ranked- Paul UpsonNapier Solicitors
- Seamus McGranaghanO'Reilly Stewart
All Lawyers profiles
Senior Statespeople

S Adam Brett
Lewis Silkin | Employment2026 | Senior Statespeople | 29 Years RankedAdam Brett represents clients in employment tribunal matters and also handles corporate advisory work. He has significant experience in the full range of employment law work for employers.
Eminent Practitioners
E Adrienne Brock
Elliotts Legal | Employment2026 | Eminent Practitioners | 28 Years RankedAdrienne Brock is managing partner and head of the employment practice at Elliotts Legal. She is a highly experienced and respected employment lawyer who handles contentious and non-contentious matters for a range of employer clients.
Band 1

1 Aisling Byrne
A&L Goodbody | Employment2026 | Band 1 | 17 Years RankedAisling Byrne regularly represents employers in employment disputes involving discrimination, whistle-blowing and unfair dismissal claims. She is additionally well placed to advise on non-contentious employment matters.
1 Ciara Fulton
Lewis Silkin | Employment2026 | Band 1 | 13 Years RankedCiara Fulton handles TUPE matters and general employment advisory work, as well as disciplinary and grievance issues. She leads the employment team and is head of Lewis Silkin's Belfast office.
1 Gareth Walls
A&L Goodbody | Head of Employment2026 | Band 1 | 22 Years RankedHead of the employment team at A&L Goodbody, Gareth Walls has a broad practice, providing businesses with advice on their day-to-day operations as well as contentious issues relating to discrimination and harassment.
1 Jan Cunningham
Millar McCall Wylie | Employment2026 | Band 1 | 14 Years RankedJan Cunningham leads the employment law practice at Millar McCall Wylie. He is highly regarded in the area, with a broad practice, and has a notable specialism in the sports sector.
1 John McShane
McCartan Turkington Breen | Employment2026 | Band 1 | 10 Years RankedJohn McShane leads the employment practice at McCartan Turkington Breen and has extensive experience in employment litigation. He has particular expertise in holiday pay and wage deduction cases.
1 Julie Anne Clarke
Elliotts Legal | Employment2026 | Band 1 | 19 Years RankedJulie Anne Clarke frequently advises on sensitive employment disputes as well as assisting with non-contentious matters. She has experience representing both public and private sector employers.
1 Michael Black
Cleaver Fulton Rankin | Head of Employment2026 | Band 1 | 17 Years RankedMichael Black leads Cleaver Fulton Rankin's employment and immigration team. He advises clients across a broad range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters.

1 Orlagh O'Neill
Carson McDowell | Employment2026 | Band 1 | 23 Years RankedOrlagh O'Neill heads the employment department at Carson McDowell. She stands out for her work on employment disputes and regularly assists clients with unfair dismissal and discrimination claims.
1 Paul Gillen
Lewis Silkin | Employment2026 | Band 1 | 13 Years RankedPaul Gillen has a 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. He is well placed to provide cross-jurisdiction advice across the UK and Ireland as he is tri-qualified.
1 Rachel Penny
Carson McDowell | Employment2026 | Band 1 | 18 Years RankedRachel Penny frequently advises clients on a range of matters including industrial relations, disciplinary procedures and dismissals.
1 Rosemary Lundy
Arthur Cox | Head of Employment2026 | Band 1 | 16 Years RankedRosemary Lundy handles tribunal matters and other disputes, as well as corporate transactional support and TUPE issues. She has a strong industrial relations practice and also specialises in equality law issues.
Band 2

2 Kiera Lee
Mills Selig | Employment2026 | Band 2 | 11 Years RankedKiera Lee heads the employment team at Mills Selig and is a highly experienced employment law specialist with a broad practice acting for employers. She handles day-to-day employment matters as well as restructurings, redundancy programmes and TUPE issues.

2 Niall McMullan
Edwards Solicitors | Employment2026 | Band 2 | 4 Years RankedNiall McMullan is an employment partner at Edwards & Co with experience acting for both employees and employers on contentious and non-contentious matters. His expertise spans unfair dismissal and discrimination claims to TUPE and due diligence of commercial transactions.

2 Patricia Rooney
Tughans | Employment2026 | Band 2 | 16 Years RankedPatricia Rooney handles a wide range of employment law matters, including advice on unfair dismissal and discrimination matters, disciplinary processes and TUPE and outsourcing issues.
Band 3

3 Christopher Fullerton
Arthur Cox | Employment2026 | Band 3 | 4 Years RankedChristopher Fullerton specialises in non-contentious matters, including contracts and incentive plans, as well as TUPE and wider employment aspects of commercial transactions. He has additional strengths in handling disputes.
3 Ian McFarland
Eversheds Sutherland | Employment2026 | Band 3 | 4 Years RankedIan McFarland has experience representing clients in employment disputes, including claims of unfair dismissal and discrimination. He has additional expertise in assisting with commercial transactions and redundancy processes.

3 Sarah Cochrane
Carson McDowell | Employment2026 | Band 3 | 5 Years RankedSarah Cochrane is involved in many of the Carson McDowell team's most significant matters. She has impressive knowledge of industrial tribunal and Fair Employment Tribunal claims.
3 Shirley Blair
A&L Goodbody | Employment2026 | Band 3 | 12 Years RankedShirley Blair is particularly noted for her contentious expertise and handling of tribunal claims.
Star Associates
- Craig Patterson
Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP | Employment2026 | Star Associates | 7 Years RankedCraig Patterson is a legal director in the employment team at Pinsent Masons who is dual-qualified to practise in Northern Ireland and in England and Wales. He advises on both contentious and non-contentious issues, including TUPE matters and redundancy and terminations.
David Mitchell
Millar McCall Wylie | Employment2026 | Star Associates | 4 Years RankedDavid Mitchell is a director in the employment practice with an impressive level of experience in employment litigation, including unfair dismissal and discrimination claims. He has further strength in advising clients on a range of non-contentious matters, including reviewing contracts, policies and commercial agreements.
Kevin Gallagher
Lewis Silkin | Employment2026 | Star Associates | 6 Years RankedBelfast-based Kevin Gallagher is a managing associate in the employment practice at Lewis Silkin. He handles employment litigation matters for prominent employers and also handles advisory work.
Associates to watch
Hannah McGrath
Carson McDowell | Employment2026 | Associates to watch | 1 Years RankedHannah McGrath is a senior associate in the firm's employment team. She advises employers on both contentious and non-contentious matters.
- Jack Balmer
Tughans | Employment2026 | Associates to watch | 1 Years RankedJack Balmer is a director at Tughans and is qualified in Northern Ireland and in England and Wales. He advises clients on all aspects of employment law, including TUPE processes and senior employee exits.
- Nathan Campbell
Cleaver Fulton Rankin | Employment2026 | Associates to watch | 5 Years RankedNathan Campbell is an associate director in the employment team with experience spanning the public, private and third sectors. He is capable of advising on a host of contentious and non-contentious matters from drafting and reviewing contracts and policies to senior exits and grievance processes.