Our People

• University College Dublin (MA)

• The Law Society of Ireland         

Liam is a Partner in the in the Education and Healthcare unit of the Employment Law and Benefits Group. Liam practices in the area of education law. He has extensive experience in advising educational institutions at first, second and third level on the wide range of issues that arise from the day to day interaction of teachers, students, parents and management. 

He has advised and represented clients in relation to the operation of disciplinary procedures and grievance procedures. He has also advised on the investigation of complaints including bullying/harassment complaints as well as on dealing with statutory bodies such as the HSE and the Ombudsman for Children. Liam has represented Boards of Management at the Employment Appeals Tribunal, the Labour Court, the Labour Relations Commission and the Equality Tribunal as well as in the civil courts up to and including the Supreme Court. Liam works closely with the relevant management bodies representing educational management.

Areas of Expertise:

• Education Law
• Employment Law
• Litigation

Representative Matters:

• Advising a wide range of educational institutions in relation to contentious and non-contentious issues, including drafting and reviewing school and college based procedures, employment contracts etc.
• Advising clients in the education sector on all employment matters, and in particular in relation to the investigation of complaints and the conduct of disciplinary investigations, grievance procedures and hearings
• Advising  professional organizations representing management in the education sector
• Advising and representing clients in relation to claims before the Labour Relations Commission, Employment Appeals Tribunal, the Labour Court, Circuit Court and High Court. Most recently successfully represented clients at primary and second level in two judicial review applications to the High Court against the Department of Education and Science with regard to a statutory appeal procedure (Board of Management Colaiste Chiarain Community School Leixlip –v- Department of Education & Science and Others  and Board of Management Glenageary/Killiney National School –v- Department of Education & Science and Others both judgements in July 2009)
• Advising clients regarding claims under employment equality legislation, conducting hearings before the Equality Tribunal and the Labour Court, including drafting  necessary submissions
• Advising with regard to child protection issues
• Liam has been involved in a number of groundbreaking and precedent-setting cases in the area of education law before the Employment Appeals Tribunal, the Equality Tribunal and the Labour Court in the areas of unfair dismissal, sexual harassment and claims of discrimination. Liam has also conducted many cases under the Equal Status Act on behalf of clients in the education sector most recently successfully defending a primary school in relation to  claim of discrimination on the disability ground arising from the operation of the school’s code of conduct.
• Liam has  advised client institutions at both second and third level in relation to student issues including peer bullying, failing to comply with course requirements, plagiarism at third level, impersonation in state exams and problems associated with convictions for drug offences in addition to a wide range of individual problems affecting students