Employees – Discrimination, Harassment, Claims, Dismissal, Redundancy – Employment Law Solicitor Northern Ireland
We offer a free initial interview to people needing advice on their employment position.
What are my employment rights? How do I enforce my employment rights? What is my position? Should I appeal this decision? Can I be reinstated? What pay or severance am I entitled to? Am I entitled to compensation?
Employment related issues to include:
- Employment contracts and policies
- Bullying and harassment in the workplace
- Sexual harassment
- Industrial Tribunals
- Equal pay issues
- Disciplinary proceedings
- Grievance proceedings
- Unfair or constructive dismissals
- Disability, age, race, religious and sex discrimination
- Redundancy
- Compromise agreements
- And more besides.
OUR SKILLS COVER A BROAD RANGE OF MATTERS, INCLUDING:
The Employment Unit is dedicated to advising employees, including directors and senior executives, on all employment-related issues, ranging from advice on their terms of engagement to tribunal claims and representation at tribunal hearings.
The work we do includes:
- Advising on employment contracts and directors’ service agreements, including post-termination restrictions.
- Advising and representing individuals in tribunal claims covering all areas of employment law including unfair, wrongful or constructive dismissal, redundancy and all types of discrimination.
- Advising employees on the employment implications of corporate transactions (including transfers of undertakings).
- Advising individuals on their rights and duties as employees.
- Advising individuals on proposed changes to their contracts of employment.
- Providing group advice to employees being made redundant or dismissed following the sale or transfer of a business or company.
- Advising and negotiating on severance packages and on the terms and effect of signing compromise agreements.
We advise on compromise agreements. This will cover the time spent giving independent legal advice on the terms of the agreement, in advising briefly on the potential claims you may have and dealing with the formalities associated with signature of the agreement. This fee (or at least part of it) will often be paid by the employer as part of the deal. If you ask us we can get involved in negotiating an improved compensation package, or different wording for the agreement, or to provide detailed advice on the prospects of success of your potential claims and likely compensation.
We to offer you an initial fee interview to discuss your case. This will cover the cost of a half hour consultation on the merits of your case. If this might be of interest to you, please contact Kevin Neary in or Northern Ireland office
Before we can advise or act for you in any matter we need to be sure that we do not have a conflict of interest, for example, that we do not already act for your employer. So, at the outset we will ask for your name, the name of your employer, your contact details and a brief summary of your query. Please contact us to provide this information if you would like us to consider your case.
Check your household, credit card, private healthcare and personal accident insurance policies. You may be pleasantly surprised to discover that you have insurance which will cover the cost of you bringing a tribunal claim. You have the right to choose your own solicitor even though your insurer may try to insist on a solicitor from their own panel. For no extra fee, we would be happy to look at your insurance policies to find out whether you are covered and to determine the extent of that cover.
Licensed to practice in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
A vital extra dimension to all these services is that, since we are licensed to practice in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, we are uniquely placed to advise the increasing number of businesses choosing to pursue commercial projects on both sides of the border.
Being licensed to practice in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, we provide high-quality, all-Ireland legal services to business. Our Strategic location in the city of Northern Ireland near the border and within easy reach of Belfast and Dublin also offers obvious advantages.
HOW CAN A SOLICITOR HELP? (DISPUTE RESOLUTION SOLICITOR Northern Ireland)
A solicitor can provide advice about the mediation process – for instance, he or she can help you to decide if mediation is suitable for your dispute, and can refer you to a mediator. A solicitor can also provide legal advice during the mediation, and explain the options if you cannot reach a solution. In some cases, your solicitor may accompany you and speak for you during the mediation.
Some mediators are solicitors. Solicitor mediators have the benefit of both legal and mediation training, and they are highly regulated. Solicitor mediators usually specialise in commercial/civil or family mediation.
Yes: you should get confirmation from the mediator about how much mediation costs will be. If you are using mediation in a divorce or relationship breakdown, you may be eligible for public funding.
Straightforward disputes may be resolved in a single mediation session of up to three hours, but more complicated cases or those where a large amount of money is at stake can take a week or more.
Family mediations typically involve three to five sessions, each lasting 60 – 90 minutes, over a period of two to three months.
The mediator cannot impose a decision on the parties, but a civil/commercial mediated solution is binding on all parties once they have all signed the written record (which is usually prepared by the solicitors).
The solution in a family mediation has to be turned into a court order in order to be binding. This is usually done by your solicitors, with your agreement.
No. Judges expect people to attempt to resolve their case before the court hears it, and will ask you if you have done so. Mediation is conducted on a ‘without prejudice’ basis which generally means that anything discussed in the mediation cannot be referred to in court, although the parties will of course be aware of what has been revealed.
YOUR TEAM
Educated at St Colman’s College in Newry, Kevin graduated from University College Dublin in 1982 with a degree in Law (BCL).
He graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a Certificate of Professional Legal Studies in 1984 and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Northern Ireland in 1984. He was later admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in the Republic of Ireland in 1992, as well as in England and Wales in 2008. He qualified as a Solicitor Advocate in 2013. He is also a certified Mediator.
Kevin has worked at Donnelly Neary & Donnelly since he was admitted to the Roll in 1984 and has been a partner in the firm since 1988.
Kevin is a Notary Public, and is currently the President of the College of Notaries in Northern Ireland. He is also a Trusts and Estates Practitioner (TEP) of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and a member of the NI Commercial Property Lawyers Association. Kevin currently acts as Treasurer for the Irish Legal History Society and is Deputy Chair of the Statutory Committee for the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.
Kevin has experience in all areas of practise; however, Kevin specialises in commercial property, as well as in general conveyancing, trusts and wills.
Born in Donegal, Lisa was educated at Falcarragh Community School. She graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 2007 with a degree in Law (LLB). In 2008, Lisa graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a Masters Degree in Law. Her dissertation was focused on public interest law and was supervised by Gerard Whyte B.L. and Gerard Hogan, now Advocate General of the European Court of Justice.
Lisa graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a certificate in professional legal studies in 2010 and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Northern Ireland in 2010. She was then admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in the Republic of Ireland in 2015.
Lisa sits on the Board of Governors of St Matthew’s Primary School. She has also participated on the Young Professionals on Arts Boards programme and was previously on the Board of Trustees of Aware NI.
Lisa has a special interest in conveyancing, as well as probate and administration of estates.
Daniel was educated at the Abbey Grammar School in Newry. He then went on to study Law (LLB) at Queen’s University Belfast, graduating in 2014.
He graduated from the Institute of Professional Legal Studies, Queen’s University Belfast, with a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Studies and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Northern Ireland in 2016.
Daniel is the fourth generation of the Neary family in the firm.
Daniel has a particular interest in immigration law. He also has experience in conveyancing and civil litigation.
Brendan Hagan LLB graduated from Queen’s University in 1973 with a BA Honours Degree in Modern History.
Brendan commenced practising as a Solicitor in 1978 and completed his apprentice with John P Hagan.
Brendan specialises in Criminal, Matrimonial and employment law and is a Solicitor Advocate and a member of the Children Order Panel.
Brendan has acted in a number of high profile criminal cases as well as Public Enquiries.
Kate Ervine graduated from Queen’s University and completed her degree in Law & Accountancy in 2006 and Trust & Estate Administration in 2009.
Kate was formerly employed by two provincial firms before joining the practice in August 2007. Kate specialises in Conveyancing, Administration of Estates; contentious Probate; Will drafting; Agricultural law and Taxation. Kate is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
Educated at St Joseph’s Grammar School Donaghmore, Kathryn graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 2002 with a degree in Law and Politics (LLB).
Kathryn obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice with Distinction from Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne in 2003.
In 2005 Kathryn was admitted as a Qualified Solicitor in Northern Ireland, England and Wales.
Kathryn worked in our Portadown office JPH Law in 2018 and later moved to our Dungannon office Simmons Meglaughlin & Orr.
Kathryn is a multifaceted general practice Solicitor who specialises in Property, Probate and Wills. She also practices in Matrimonial Law, Children’s Law, Personal Injury and General Litigation.
Michael graduated in law with LLB Hons from Queens University Belfast in 1985 He works with JPHLAW as well as being the Principal of Campbell & Grant in Newry.
Michael’s legal expertise includes conveyancing, criminal law, commercial property acquisition, sales development, residential property development, licensing, planning, trusts, inheritance tax, wills and estates both in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland.
