Analysis

Barry Walsh, head of Fieldfisher Ireland's employment department, comments on a recent case involving disability discrimination. Employers are often asked by employees to provide references for future would-be employers or for internal promotion competitions. Many employers are reluctant to do so an

Lisa Bryson, partner and head of employment at Eversheds Sutherland in Belfast, considers where employers in Northern Ireland stand in relation to the "return to the office". As we approach the autumn, minds will inevitably turn to the final quarter of 2021 and many will begin thinking about next ye

William Fry partners Colette Brady and Laura Scott examine when the Unified Patent Court (UPC) could become a reality. The creation of a single European patent with unitary effect across participating EU member states (Unified Patent/UP) and a new court system to enforce and defend such patents (Uni

Niall Moran examines the stalemate between the United Kingdom and the European Union on the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol. On July 21, the UK government published its command paper seeking fundamental change to the rules governing trade in goods and the “overarching instituti

McCann FitzGerald partner Audrey Byrne and senior associate Áine Murphy consider a recent High Court judgment which provides useful clarity on contributories’ inspection rights arising in a liquidation under Sections 631 and 684 of the Companies Act 2014. In a recent judgment, which pro

As a child growing up in 1980s west Belfast, Pádraig Ó Muirigh did not have a lot of trust in authority. Living in the Falls Road area, he says the views he formed of the police and the army were negative ones, which were reinforced when his father spent seven years behind bars.

Matthew Howse, partner at Eversheds Sutherland in Belfast, examines why landowners and tenants are bringing more litigation involving 4G masts. A recent announcement by three mobile telephone networks that they have agreed a deal to build and share masts in order to improve 4G coverage in rural Nort

Wayne Finn, partner and head of defence litigation at Holmes, examines a recent case involving costs differential letters. In a recent case, defendants issued a costs differential letter to the plaintiff’s solicitors putting them on notice that if the plaintiff failed to achieve an award of da

Les Allamby, the outgoing chief commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC), reflects on the human rights landscape in Northern Ireland ahead of the end of his term early next week. Human rights remains a contested space, both publicly and politically. Nonetheless, as I refl

Eugene F. Collins partner Margaret Austin and solicitor Kate Liddy-Cormican examine a recent decision with implications for transparency in decision-making processes. A recent decision of Judge Max Barrett regarding the duty of An Bord Pleanála to give reasons for its planning decisions has b

Christopher McCann, solicitor and head of the Traveller legal service at legal rights group FLAC, recounts a High Court case where civil legal aid was not available. On 29 July 2021, FLAC called on the Minister for Justice, in the context of an upcoming review of civil legal aid provision, to ensure

Niall Pelly, partner and head of GQ|Littler in Dublin, considers what the remote working landscape will look like after the Covid-19 pandemic. The Irish government has recently announced that it plans to provide employees with the right to request remote working. As many employers turn their mind to

Last month the team at HOMS Assist secured a high value undisclosed settlement and an apology from the HSE for our client, a widow whose young husband died as a result of deficits of care at the University Hospital Kerry, which tragically resulted in his untimely death. However, it took a four-year

Given his reputation as a libel lawyer who has never lost a case, it is little wonder that Gateley Tweed partner Paul Tweed is in such high demand. From politicians to Hollywood actors, royalty to pop stars, Mr Tweed’s client list reads like a who’s who of anyone and everyone who has ever featur

Comyn Kelleher Tobin partner Sinead Fitzgerald and intern Mary Maunsell examine a recent High Court judgment on spousal maintenance and "proper provision". A High Court decision in which the wife of a dairy farmer was awarded €800 per month for a four-year period in spousal maintenance was rece