Anne O'Connell Verified Lawyer
Biography
About the Lawyer
Anne O’Connell Solicitors, (AOC Solicitors), is a leading and award-winning specialist Employment Law firm. Employment law is a complicated arena of relationships and contracts, so it is important for anyone entering that arena to have the backing of trusted and intelligent legal minds. At AOC Solicitors, our clients get just that.
The Firm offers a full suite of Employment Law services including advice and representation in respect of all contentious and non-contentious employment-related issues. AOC Solicitors is renowned for providing its clients with a strategic approach on Employment Law issues, advising clients on the best solution to achieve their objectives while meeting their commercial needs and business requirements.
AOC Solicitors was elevated in ranking by Legal500 to a Tier 2 Employment Law Firm in Ireland in 2022, and we have retained this ranking in 2023.
The Firm advises a range of employers including large multi-national companies, semi-state companies, and start-up businesses. It also advises individual high-level employees facing Employment Law disputes, particularly executives and directors. Our client base continues to expand and diversify to include significant new clients across various sectors such as technology, healthcare, transport, finance, fashion, logistics, energy, construction, consultancy, security, hospitality, media, and charitable organizations.
We believe in being an accessible and dependable resource for our clients. AOC Solicitors places a high value on being available 24/7 to avoid claims and therefore offers employer clients an Employment Law Hotline to assist them as and when issues arise. AOC Solicitors prides itself on keeping its clients abreast of all Employment Law updates, producing a monthly e-Newsletter with practical articles on important WRC/Labour Court and superior court decisions and any relevant legislative developments. Articles from our newsletter are often reproduced in HR publications.
Experience
Over the past two decades, our Principal, Anne O’Connell, has built up a well-earned reputation as a stand-out leader in the field of employment law in Ireland. Anne has been named as a Leading Individual in Employment Law by Legal500 and is a ranked Employment Law Lawyer by Chambers Europe. Anne is an active member of the Law Society Employment Law Committee and the Employment Law Section of the International Bar Association. Anne lectures and tutors for the Law Society and also speaks extensively at HR and Legal Conferences on employment law issues.
Anne O’Connell qualified as an Irish Solicitor in 2001 and as a New York Attorney in 2002. She practiced with the Chief State Solicitor's Office and several top-tier Irish law firms. In 2017, Anne set up her own boutique employment law firm in Dublin, and the firm has achieved great success and continues to grow and expand.
Anne has acted in the largest international case taken by Ireland to date and also acted in a European case that led to the amendment to Ireland’s Constitution. She has advised large multinational companies, semi-state companies, small businesses, and employees in all areas of employment law, particularly issues that were likely to become contentious.
Specialty
AOC Solicitors specializes in Employment Law, providing a full suite of services including advice and representation in respect of all contentious and non-contentious employment-related issues. The firm is renowned for its strategic approach to Employment Law issues, advising clients on the best solution to achieve their objectives while meeting their commercial needs and business requirements.
Key areas of legal expertise include:
- Redundancy and Unfair Dismissal
- Employment Contracts
- Disciplinary Procedures
- Protected Disclosures
- International Employment Law
- HR and Employment Litigation
- Awards:
- International Client Choice Award 2018 and 2019
- Lawyer Monthly Women in Law Award – Employment Law, Ireland 2019
- Employment Law Firm of the Year at the Irish Law Awards in 2019 and 2021
- Excellence and Innovation in Client Services – Dublin at the 2023 Irish Law Awards
- Labour & Employment Law Firm of the Year in Ireland by Global Law Experts (GLE) in 2024 and 2025
- Sole Principal of the Year award at the 2024 Irish Law Awards
- Industry Rankings:
- Leading Firm for Client Satisfaction by Legal 500
- Leading Individual in Employment Law by Legal 500 in 2024
- Ranked Employment Lawyer by Chambers Europe
- Leadership Roles:
- Active member of the Law Society Employment Law Committee
- Member of the Employment Law Section of the International Bar Association
- Contributions to Award-Winning Projects:
- Regular contributor on Employment Law issues in the media in Ireland, including interviews with the Sunday Times, the Irish Times, and RTÉ radio
- Notable Contributions:
- Lectures and tutors for the Law Society
- Speaks extensively at HR and Legal Conferences on employment law issues
Practice Areas
Location