Ranking tables
Employment | UK
Northern Ireland
Senior Statespeople
Eminent Practitioners
Band 1
- Aisling Byrne A&L Goodbody
- Ciara Fulton Lewis Silkin
- Gareth Walls A&L Goodbody
- Jan Cunningham Millar McCall Wylie
- John McShane McCartan Turkington Breen
- Julie Anne Clarke Elliott Duffy Garrett
- Orlagh O'Neill Carson McDowell
- Paul Gillen Lewis Silkin
- Rachel Penny Carson McDowell
- Rosemary Lundy Arthur Cox
- Louise McAloonWorthingtons
Band 2
- Kiera Lee Mills Selig
- Michael Black Cleaver Fulton Rankin
- Patricia Rooney Tughans
- Rosemary ConnollyRosemary Connolly Solicitors
Band 3
- Christopher Fullerton Arthur Cox
- Niall McMullan Edwards & Co
- Sarah Cochrane Carson McDowell
- Shirley Blair A&L Goodbody
- Ian McFarlandEversheds Sutherland
- Paul UpsonNapier Solicitors
- Rachel RichardsonDWF
- Seamus McGranaghanO'Reilly Stewart
Up and Coming
- Katie BuchananHSCNI
Star Associates
Senior Statespeople
S Adam BrettLewis Silkin | Employment2025 | Senior Statespeople |Adam 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 BrockElliott Duffy Garrett | Employment2025 | Eminent Practitioners |Adrienne Brock is managing partner and head of the employment practice at Elliott Duffy Garrett. 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 ByrneA&L Goodbody | Employment2025 | Band 1 |Aisling 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 FultonLewis Silkin | Employment2025 | Band 1 |Ciara 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 WallsA&L Goodbody |2025 | Band 1 |Head 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 CunninghamMillar McCall Wylie | Employment2025 | Band 1 |Jan 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 McShaneMcCartan Turkington Breen | Employment2025 | Band 1 |John McShane leads the employment practice at McCartan Turkington Breen and has extensive experience in employment litigation matters. He has particular expertise in holiday pay and wage deduction cases.1 Julie Anne ClarkeElliott Duffy Garrett | Employment2025 | Band 1 |Julie Anne Clarke frequently advises on sensitive employment disputes as well as assisting with non-contentious matters.1 Orlagh O'NeillCarson McDowell | Employment2025 | Band 1 |Orlagh 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 GillenLewis Silkin | Employment2025 | Band 1 |Paul 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 PennyCarson McDowell | Employment2025 | Band 1 |Rachel Penny frequently advises clients on a range of matters including industrial relations, disciplinary procedures and dismissals.1 Rosemary LundyArthur Cox |2025 | Band 1 |Rosemary 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 LeeMills Selig | Employment2025 | Band 2 |Kiera 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 Michael BlackCleaver Fulton Rankin |2025 | Band 2 |Michael Black leads Cleaver Fulton Rankin's employment and immigration team. He advises clients across a broad range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters.2 Patricia RooneyTughans | Employment2025 | Band 2 |Patricia 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 FullertonArthur Cox | Employment2025 | Band 3 |Christopher 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 Niall McMullanEdwards & Co | Employment2025 | Band 3 |Niall 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.
3 Sarah CochraneCarson McDowell | Employment2025 | Band 3 |Sarah 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 BlairA&L Goodbody | Employment2025 | Band 3 |Shirley Blair is particularly noted for her contentious expertise and handling of tribunal claims.
Up and Coming
Star Associates
- Craig PattersonPinsent Masons Belfast LLP | Employment2025 | Star Associates |Craig Patterson is a senior associate 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.
Associates to watch
- David MitchellMillar McCall Wylie | Employment2025 | Associates to watch |David Mitchell is an associate 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 GallagherLewis Silkin | Employment2025 | Associates to watch |Belfast-based Kevin Gallagher is a senior associate in the employment practice at Lewis Silkin. He handles employment litigation matters for prominent employers and also handles advisory work.
- Nathan CampbellCleaver Fulton Rankin | Employment2025 | Associates to watch |Nathan Campbell is an associate 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.