Gender Equality

A lecturer who was subject to sexual harassment by students in her class has been awarded €10,000 in the Labour Court. Finding that Waterford Institute of Technology “did not take such steps as were reasonably practicable to prevent sexual harassment and harassment based on gender”

A woman who applied for trainee solicitor posts in Dublin has lost her complaints against firms which she said had discriminated against her on grounds of gender, age and civil status. The woman brought claims against multiple Irish law firms, complaining, inter alia, that males are preferred over f

Arthur Cox partner Rachel Hussey has been recognised in a list of 100 women who are leading by example and driving change to increase gender diversity in the workplace. Ms Hussey, head of business development at Arthur Cox and founder of its Women in the Firm initiative, is the only Irish lawyer rec

A woman who was made redundant two weeks after she informed her employer of her pregnancy, has been awarded €55,000 in the Workplace Relations Commission. Finding that the company had failed to establish that there was no link between the woman’s pregnancy and her redundancy, Adjudication

The Law Society of Ireland's mentorship programme for women wishing to advance their careers to a senior level has now opened for applications from mentees. The redesigned Women in Leadership Mentoring Programme 2019 aims to promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion within the solicitors' pro

Employment law solicitor Richard Grogan of Richard Grogan & Associates writes on a case concerning maternity leave. The case EDA1919, being G4S Secure Solutions (Ireland) Limited and Kelly, is a decision of the Labour Court of 12th June 2019.

A schoolteacher who launched a sex discrimination case against her employer with the support of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has settled the case for £5,000. Catherine McCormick, who continues to teach at the school, alleged that she was overlooked for the post of temporary hea

More than half of young judges are now women, according to official figures. The number of female court judges increased last year by three per cent to almost a third of the total. But the proportion of female tribunal judges remained unchanged at 46 per cent, The Times reports.

Roger McMillan and Neasa Quigley have today taken over the responsibilities of managing partner at Carson McDowell, succeeding Michael Johnston after eight years in the role. Mr McMillan has formally become the new managing partner, with a primary focus on the internal running of the firm and core o

Legislation requiring employers to publish details of the gender pay gap in their workforce has been published. The Gender Pay Gap Information Bill has been presented to the Dáil, where it now awaits second stage.

A woman who was unfairly dismissed and discriminated against on the grounds of her sex has settled with her former employer for an undisclosed sum. Suzanne Keenan, associate director and head of employment at MKB Law, acted for client Winnie Van Der Merwe in her claim against UHY Hacker Young Fitch

Arthur Cox has announced the appointment of Orla O'Connor as its next chairperson, marking the first time that a woman has held the law firm's top post.

At least half of the UK's judges should be women, the President of the UK Supreme Court, Lady Hale, has said. The UK's most senior judge made the remarks while reflecting on the centenary of women's entry to the legal profession at an event hosted by the Association of Women Judges (AWJ), The Telegr

A man who brought proceedings to challenge the constitutionality of a provision of the Electoral Act 1997 after he was told by Fianna Fáil that the candidate in his constituency “must be a woman” has successfully appealed the finding that he did not have locus standi to bring the

Toni Fitzgerald-Gunn, associate partner at Worthingtons Solicitors in Belfast, writes on the recent equal pay case involving supermarket Asda. Long before the Equal Pay (NI) Act 1970 and since, equal pay has been of broad and current interest. Once more, a light is being shone on the alleged dispari