Ciara acts in a broad range of employment, commercial, contractual and tortious disputes.

Ciara advises on both contentious and non-contentious employment issues with significant experience in contentious employment matters and in particular resolving complex and sensitive disputes involving the senior executives and employee shareholders, to include the negotiation and drafting of severance packages relating to senior management exits and advising on all aspects of corporate governance issues associated with such exits.

Ciara advises on all legal issues arising out of the employment relationship including employment contracts, TUPE disciplinary issues, dismissal, together with partnering with clients to implement remote working and hybrid working policies, tailored to the specific industry needs.  

Ciara is the Chair of the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association Employment Committee and is a regular speaker at employment events

Experience

  • Ciara advises clients in the resolution of complex employment related disputes in the context of redundancies and contentious dismissal situations, to include advising on alternative dispute resolution and regularly assists clients in resolving disputes through mediation.
  • Advises clients dealing with complaints of bullying and harassment and advises on work place stress claims.
  • Provides assistance to a diverse portfolio of corporate clients in relation to reorganisations and restructurings and resulting redundancies.
  • Ciara also regularly advises employers on issues arising from the employment relationship such as the rules governing leave arrangements, maternity, recruitment and equality issues and social media issues and more recently on covid related queries around vaccination, returning to the work place and remote working requests.
  • Developing and updating employee handbooks, HR policies and practices for clients
  • Advising clients in relation to TUPE to include assisting clients in relation to employee consultation issues and employees’ terms and conditions during the transfer process, to include obtaining indemnities, where appropriate.
  • Acted in numerous Arbitrations involving breach of contract claims to include defending a high court challenge on the validity and outcome of a particular arbitration.
  • Acted for a world leading Insurer in a recovery action involving a construction dispute arising from a manufacturing and design defect in the construction of the roof of the National Acquatic Centre.
  • Advising multi-national insurer on policy and cover disputes involving the implementation of construction bonds.
  • Advising large multi-nationals on intellectual property related disputes and defamation claims.
  • Advised leading Irish food manufacturer in relation to commercial agency issues.

Related Practice Areas

Contact Ciara

+ 353 1 638 5870
cokennedy@lkshields.ie

LinkedIn

More about Ciara O’Kennedy

Awards &
Recommendations

"Ciara is excellent at what she does, she has a great understanding of our business and how we operate, she will do her best to advise on how to approach very tricky situations and is quick to find the best solution for our business. She is easy to deal with and very approachable, there is no such thing as a silly question with Ciara, which is always appreciated."

Legal 500 2021
Awards &
Recommendations

"Ciara O’Kennedy is incredibly responsive and provides advice on interpretation of the law which is very useful and practical when operating a commercial business; she does not just recite the law."

Legal 500 2021
Awards &
Recommendations

Recommended for Employment.

Legal 500 2021
Awards &
Recommendations

Recommended for Employment.

Legal 500 2020
Awards &
Recommendations

'Ciara O’Kennedy and associate Muireann Granville were very knowledgeable and pleasant at all times. They provided excellent research and understanding at all stages of the process and were very supportive.' Recommended for Dispute Resolution.

Legal 500 2020
Awards &
Recommendations

'Hardworking, knowledgeable and pleasant' Ciara O’Kennedy is recommended for Dispute Resolution.

Legal 500 2019
Awards &
Recommendations

Recommended for Dispute Resolution.

Legal 500 2018
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  • Admitted as a Solicitor in Ireland
    Law Society of Ireland
    2003
  • Diploma in E-Commerce
    Law Society of Ireland
    2002
  • LLB (Hons) Law & European Studies
    University College Limerick and Universite De Pau, France
    1998
  • Chairperson of the Employment Law Committee of the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association – this Committee was established in 2017 and Ciara was very active and influential in setting up of this Committee.

  • Council Member
    Dublin Solicitors Bar Association
  • Ciara regularly presents seminars on topical employment issues and annually speaks at the Legal Island Employment Review Conference.

  • Ciara regularly contributes to various publications on a wide range of topical employment related matters and is a Director of the SWICLEC Employment Centre.

  • Ciara is also a member of the Employment Law Association of Ireland and has lectured at the Law Society’s diploma on In-House Practice.

  • Working knowledge of French and German.

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