Overview
Sinead advises clients on their most complex and sensitive employment and HR issues, including executive appointments and terminations, internal and regulatory investigations, restrictive covenants and the employment aspects of public and private M&A deals. She has particular expertise working with clients on crisis management mandates, advising them on their most challenging and sensitive HR issues as they navigate their way through a crisis.
Sinead is an experienced litigator with a strong track record in defending high-value and reputationally sensitive claims, representing clients before the Employment Tribunal, the High Court and the Court of Appeal, including unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing and breach of contract claims.
Work highlights
- Glencore on its successful defence in the Court of Appeal of a high-value bonus claim from a former Xstrata employee.
- the Royal Bank of Scotland Group on the employment aspects of its ringfencing project, affecting approximately 50,000 employees.
- Three/CK Hutchison Group on the sector-defining merger of Three UK and Vodafone UK.
- Endeavour Mining plc on its listing on the London Stock Exchange.
- A multinational listed client on the departure of its CEO and appointment of a successor.
- A broadcaster on a complex and reputationally sensitive misconduct investigation and parallel criminal proceedings.
- A US-head quartered bank on a complex and reputationally sensitive grievance investigation.
Professional experience
Sinead acted as secretary to the Board of the Royal Courts of Justice Citizens Advice Bureau for two years. She is a trustee of Irish in Britain, a national charity supporting a network of diverse Irish organisations.
Sinead is a regular contributor to publications on employment law and related topics, including contributing chapters covering English law and case law on age discrimination and social media to Europe-wide projects. Her articles include:
“Employers experiment with reduced workweeks”, initially published on the EmploymentLinks blog, SHRM, and elsewhere.
Education and qualifications
Sinead studied law at Trinity College Dublin. She also holds diplomas in corporate law and governance, and employment law from the Law Society of Ireland.
