What We Do

"First class"
European Legal 500 2011

Our Employment Pensions and Benefits Group was established more than 10 years ago in recognition of the increasing complexity and development of the law in the employment, equality and pensions areas, and the demands from clients for specialist advice. We provide legal advice on all aspects of the employment relationship, including pension schemes and employee benefits. We advise on all Irish and European legislation relating to or affecting the employment relationship and pensions/benefits entitlements and our employments and pensions practice has developed into one of the leading such groups in any law firm in Ireland.

We advise on pensions law from a consultative and compliance point of view, and also advise on contentious legal issues. We have considerable experience in the establishment of occupational pension schemes, both defined contribution and defined benefit and are involved in the provision of all necessary trust documentation. We also deal with legal issues arising from an employer and trustee perspective. We have been engaged in developing a significant number of innovative share schemes for clients. We have extensive experience in relation to Revenue approved employee share ownership plans (ESOPs) and have established a number of ESOPs for State or former State companies.

We work closely with the firm's Corporate Finance Group and have advised on a number of the leading merger and acquisition transactions in recent years.

The Group has been widely recognised and acknowledged as leaders in employment pensions and benefits law, including being invited:

• to write the Irish chapter for International Labour Laws, a publication of the International Labour Law Committee of the American Bar Association
• to become Legal Editors of the Personnel Policies and Procedures (The Law in Perspective) book, published by Graphite Human Resources Management, which is recognised as one of the leading HR managers’ handbooks in Ireland 
• to act as Irish Editors of the Ireland section of the international publication by Watson Wyatt on Employment Terms and Conditions, distributed worldwide 
• to write the Irish section on employment law for Getting the Deal Through, a publication by Who’s Who Legal to contribute monthly to the Legal Island special feature QandA section. You can register to subscribe at http://www.legal-island.ie/email-service/.  
  

The Group offers an experienced team of specialist lawyers who are well positioned to provide top-tier legal advice on all employment and pension law matters, including the following:

• employment and equality law
• preparing, drafting and negotiating contracts such as employment contracts (from basic statements of terms and conditions of employment to complex service agreements), consultancy agreements and severance agreements 
• employment equality 
• health and safety in the workplace and employer’s liability 
• work permits 
• bullying and harassment claims 
• stress at work 
• education 
• compliance with working time models 
• internal disciplinary and grievance procedures and investigations 
• redundancy and workforce restructuring 
• post-termination restrictive covenants 
• industrial relations 
• transfer of undertakings 
• contentious matters before the courts and tribunals 
• mediation and other dispute resolution mechanisms 
• Pensions Law 
• reconstruction/merger of pension arrangements 
• establishment of schemes 
• revenue approval 
• small self-administered schemes 
• pension aspects of mergers and acquisitions 
• winding up of schemes 
• trusteeship 
• fiduciary responsibilities 
• employment matters 
• investment management agreements 
• AMRFs/ARFs 
• regulatory compliance 
• employee share ownership plans 
• approved profit-sharing schemes 

The Matheson Ormsby Prentice team is lauded as “first class”. Team head Paul Glenfield is "highly experienced and commercial", and bBrian Buggy is singled out as a "proactive and effective negotiator".
Employment: European Legal 500 2011

The group's strong domestic reputation is mirrored internationally, with increasing referrals from top UK and US firms providing an important stream of work. Interviewees describe the team as "highly experienced, responsive and proactive: there is an astute commercial realism to its advice.” The team is active on both contentious and non-contentious matters. “The firm gives practical advice on sensitive issues, and the level of both written and verbal communication is first-class,” say clients. Paul Glenfield is one of the market's leading lights, and “he steers the client through problems with considered, sound, practical advice,” sources say. Bryan Dunne is an employment generalist, though he also offers considerable transactional experience. “Personal approachability, resourcefulness and thinking outside the box are his strengths,” according to clients. Brian Buggy leads the firm's pensions practice. His expertise includes regulatory compliance and employee benefit structures, and sources describe him as practising “at the cutting edge.” Clients praise associate Siobhra Rush for her “attention to detail and extremely clear, well thought-out advice.”
Employment: Chambers Europe 2010

Matheson Ormsby Prentice delivers "technical advice in a straightforward manner", with team head Paul Glenfield singled out as "proactive and effective" and Bryan Dunne praised as ‘first class and practical’. The firm recently advised Endesa on the employment aspects of its €450m acquisition of several power plants from ESB.
Employment: European Legal 500 2010

This firm’s employment practice possesses “great knowledge, customer service, cost-consciousness and pragmatism.”
Employment: Chambers Europe 2009

Matheson Ormsby Prentice boasts a "leading pensions specialist" in Brian Buggy and clients particularly recommend him for "interpretation of complex new pensions legislation".
Pensions and Employee Benefits: European Legal 500 2009

Matheson Ormsby Prentice "goes beyond the specific task for which it is engaged to help our business". Lawyers are "responsive, experienced, collegial and practical".
Employment: European Legal 500 2009

Clients testify that the team has "grown and developed strength in depth in recent years’.
Employment: European Legal 500 2008

Matheson Ormsby Prentice’s pensions team is led by Brian Buggy who is commended for his ‘ extensive industry knowledge’.
Pensions and Employee Benefits: European Legal 500 2008

This “very strong employment practice” advises domestic and international clients in a range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters. The firm is particularly well known for its work for inward investment clients, including international household names and leading technology companies. As well as handling advisory matters and employment disputes, the team also provides support to the firm’s thriving corporate group.
Employment: Chambers Europe 2008

The lawyers were praised for their “excellent advice” and commitment: “ They worked as if they were on a battlefield “…”Their biggest strength is their responsiveness – their advice is thoughtful, practical and always timely”. The firms is also respected for its pensions department.
Employment: Chambers Europe 2008