Practice Area
Employment & Benefits
Our Employment & Benefits Team advises domestic and international clients in relation to a wide range of employment law issues. We have years of experience in all matters, contentious and non-contentious, that arise in all aspects of the employer and employee relationship to include all workplace employment issues, employee grievances, workplace investigations, disciplinary disputes and industrial relations matters, together with employment law disputes that come before the Workplace Relations Commission and the civil Courts.
Our Employment & Benefits Department is ranked as a Leading Firm in The Legal 500 EMEA 2025 Guide
Client Testimonials:
"BHSM are approachable, very responsive and have a pragmatic approach to handling employment matters. In addition, when working with an international client, communicating the Irish laws and procedural requirements to individuals who are not familiar with Irish employment regulations is a very important skill. BHSM have been very thorough and comprehensive when providing advice."
"BHSM's employment team consistently guides clients in a manner that is commercially aware, responsive and dynamic. Approaches are always client-focused, whilst maintaining a cutting edge insight into evolving legal and practical developments. Richard Lee is a leading adviser in his field and has an exceptionally clear communication style, business focus and attention to detail."
"The knowledge and expertise of BHSM is exceptionally great. They pay attention to all details, focus on the case and listen to their customers. They address all concerns and questions and fight the case with the soul and heart, which has led to successful outcomes in our legal matters."
"Richard Lee is extremely responsive when we reach out with queries and always endeavours to be flexible in arranging a suitable time to arrange a call to discuss the issue at hand. Richard always asks insightful questions to fully understand any employment issues we present to him, which helps in making sure we have fully considered all aspects of the matter before taking any action."
"I find Richard Lee and his team highly responsive to queries. Provide thought leadership about suitable onboarding practices. Explains very clearly the impact of decisions. Clear and easy to understand."
Our Services
Our team regularly advise HR professionals, corporate and individual clients in relation to:
- Drafting and reviewing employment contracts and policies
- Employee handbooks
- Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court hearings
- Mediation and arbitration
- Workplace investigations and disciplinary procedures
- Termination of contracts and drafting severance agreements
- Unfair dismissals, equality and discrimination and victimisation claims
- Bullying and Harassment
- Whistleblowing and Protected Disclosures
- Redundancy and Reorganisations
- Data Protection and Freedom of Information issues
- High Court Employment Injunctions
- Breach of contract claims
- Obligations under transfer of undertakings regulations (TUPE)
Recent Experience
- Advised employer clients in contentious employment law litigation in relation to a breach of post-termination restrictive clauses which resulted in an emergency High Court Injunction applications.
- Advised a UK firm in relation to Irish employment matters, including a collective redundancy process in respect of a client with a cross-border presence in the UK and Ireland.
- Advised a Receiver on all employment law matters in the sale of a well-known shopping centre. The advices specifically concerned the rights and entitlements of employees of the Management Companies which serviced the shopping centre together with the client’s legal obligations in dealing with employees in a complex and large commercial sale.
- Advised the Executive Employment Team of a large Irish company in relation to its acquisition by a UK entity which included advices to all employees on contracts of employment, policies and procedures and bonus provisions. We were also engaged to enter into discussions and negotiations on behalf of the employees in the context of the acquisition.
- Advised numerous international companies expanding operations in Ireland to include advices on employment contracts together with the requisite policies and procedures.
- Regularly advise employers relation to health & safety obligations in the workplace to include obligations to employees in accordance with the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005.
- Advised an employer client in relation to an employee who threatened to bring a claim under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 (as amended), the Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977 (as amended), and the Industrial Relation Acts (as amended), in relation to an alleged pregnancy dismissal.
- Represented an employer client, which operates a number of well-known restaurants in Dublin, in claims brought to the Workplace Relations Commission by a former employee for discrimination pursuant to the Employment Equality Act 1998 (as amended) and in respect of hours of work pursuant to the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.
- Represented an employer client before the Workplace Relations Commission in relation to discrimination claims brought by a prospective employee on religious grounds.
- Advised an employer client in relation to the Tupe Regulations arising from a restructure of the Company’s Group and transfer of employees to different companies within the Group. The advices included the procedural steps to be taken, drafting correspondence to employees impacted by the transfer, together with a strategic approach in relation to the mitigation of risk of claims by any employees.
- We also frequently assist UK and International firms with Irish Employment Law advice in respect of clients with a cross-border presence in the United Kingdom and Ireland.