Experience

Donal advises domestic and international employers on all aspects of the employment relationship, and has extensive experience advising on business transfer and outsourcing issues, corporate immigration, complex employee relations issues, and employment investigations, disputes and mediation. 

He represents clients before the WRC and Labour Court and advises organisations on complex industrial relations and contentious employment matters including the management of protected disclosures and the resolution of subsequent litigation. 

Donal has particular expertise advising clients on the enforcement of post-termination restrictive covenants and on team moves.

Donal lectures in employment law on the Law Society of Ireland’s professional practice course and speaks widely on employment law issues. He is co-author of the chapter on Protected Leave in Bloomsbury’s Employment Law (published March 2017) and regularly contributes to industry and national publications. 

Key highlights include advising:

  • Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. in relation to the employment law issues arising on its acquisition of c. €4.2 billion of performing Ulster Bank corporate and commercial loans, involving the transfer of c.280 employees in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
  • A major airline in relation to complex High Court proceedings brought by a group of former employees in connection with their pension entitlements following a pension scheme restructuring.
  • An international service provider in connection with the enforcement of post-termination restrictive covenants against a former employee resulting in the securing of a High Court injunction.
  • A Regulatory body on the establishment of a bespoke investigation process following receipt of a complex protected disclosure involving alleged regulatory breaches and complaints against staff.
  • A public body on employment law aspects of procurement documentation including on Transfer of Undertakings issues arising in the context of outsourcing and second generation outsourcing arrangements.