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Ranked: Highly recommended
Labour and employee benefits: PLC Which Lawyer?
Endorsed by PLC Cross Border Labour Handbook 2010/2011.
2008 John is recognised as a leading lawyer by international legal directories, Chambers Europe and PLC Which Lawyer.
Expertise
John is a partner in the Employment Pensions and Benefits Group at Matheson Ormsby Prentice. John advises on a wide range of employment law issues, both contentious and non-contentious. This work includes the drafting and review of employment contracts, company handbooks, and human resource policies, plaintiff and defence work in litigious matters, advising on the various aspects of commercial transactions and on new developments in case law and legislation in the area of employment and equality law.
John previously practised with the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC), and has developed extensive experience both on industrial relations issues and trade union law, and in employment and equality law matters generally. He has particular expertise regarding contentious matters heard before the Employment Appeals Tribunal, and in this regard has represented numerous clients before the Rights Commissioner Service and the Tribunal. In addition to this, John has advised on a number of large and complex commercial transactions, involving many facets of employment and equality law, with particular emphasis on commercial re-structuring and the transfer of employees.
John's clients range from large national and multinational employers requiring advice on compliance issues, human resource strategies, and commercial re-organisation, including semi-state bodies such as An Post, BGE, and the Office of the Commission of Public Service Appointments, and private sector companies such as Irish Distillers Limited.
John is a member of the European Employment Lawyers Association, the Employment and Equality Law Committee of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, and the Irish Society for Labour Law. John regularly runs seminars on developments in Irish employment legislation, and is part of the team which formerly reviewed and edited the Graphite HRM Personnel Policies and Procedures publication, which provides a comprehensive guide to employment and equality legislation, and best human resource practice, in Ireland.
Education
University College Dublin, Bachelor of Arts in English and Economics
Highlights
Regulatory Investigations
John was a member of the team which advised GAMA Endustri in relation to allegations of breaches of employment rights legislation, and successfully judicially reviewed an investigation of GAMA by the Labour Inspectorate of the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment.
Private Sector Work
John has previously advised on and been involved in one of the first High Court cases on the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997, concerning the exemptions available to the transport sector. John has also advised on a number of large and complex commercial transactions, involving many facets of employment and equality law, with particular emphasis on commercial re-structuring and the transfer of employees.
These transactions include:
- the disposal by AIB Bank Plc of its life assurance subsidiary Ark Life and the creation of a joint venture with Aviva Plc for life assurance and investment operations.
- the flotation of Cantrell & Cochrane Group, in which Matheson Ormsby Prentice acted for the joint global underwriters
Public Sector Work
John advises An Post and the National Lottery on a wide range of employment law issues. Following its establishment in October 2004, John has advised the Commission for Public Service Appointments in relation to the conduct by the Commission of investigations into complaints regarding the appointments process applied by public sector bodies, and related matters. John has also advised Bord Gais Eireann on a number of general employment matters.
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