Qualified as a Solicitor in 2001 and as a New York Attorney, Anne O’Connell, the Founder and Principal of the Firm, specializes in Employment Law. She holds an LLB Degree together with Diplomas in Employment Law and International Litigation and has practiced with the Chief State Solicitors Office and two top tier Irish Law Firms. 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. Anne advises large multinational companies, semi-state companies, small businesses and employees in all areas of employment law, particularly issues that were likely to become contentious.
With over two decades of specialist employment law experience, Anne formed her own specialist boutique Employment Law Firm in 2017 and thus Anne O’Connell Solicitors was born.
Anne is very passionate about what she does and becomes vested in finding solution to her client’s issues.
Anne O’Connell Profile
Member of the Law Society of Ireland’s Employment Law Committee and the Employment Law Association of Ireland Committee.
Lectures and tutors extensively on employment topics including assessing and advising clients on risk at the Law Society of Ireland Professional Course, the Diploma on Employment and the Certificate on Employment Law Advocacy.
Recipient of the International Client Choice Award 2018 and again in 2019, Lawyer Monthly Women in Law Award – Employment Law, Ireland 2019 and the ‘ACQ Employment & Benefits Lawyer of the Year in Ireland’ for 2018, 2019 and 2020 and the numerous awards listed in the awards section of the Firm’s website.
External examiner for the Law Society’s Diploma on Employment Law and Employment Law Advocacy Certificate.
Lectured at the National College of Ireland, the Kildare County Enterprise Board course and at industry seminars nationwide.
Co-author of the Law Society’s Professional Practice Employment Law Manual. Also published in the IBA Employment Industrial Relations Law Newsletter, Irish Employment Law Journal, Industrial Relations News, Sunday Business Post, Business Plus Magazine and the Construction Industry Magazine.
Interviewed on RTE News, Ireland AM and Matt Cooper radio show on various employment law issues. Provides bespoke training to business clients.
Featured media articles in The Irish Independent.
Featured panel member of The Clare Byrne Show, RTE.
Ethna Dillon
Solicitor
Ethna graduated with a B.A. and LL.B from University College Cork and holds an LL.M (Hons) in European and Comparative Law from University of Limerick. She worked for a number of years with a general practice firm in Kerry. Prior to joining the firm, she spent three years as a Judicial Assistant with the Court’s Service.
Tara Kelly
Solicitor
Tara is a newly qualified solicitor within the firm since 1st April 2025. During her legal training Tara worked on a wide variety of cases for both employer and employee clients across a range of industries including finance, technology, transport, real estate, education and healthcare. These cases included complaints under unfair dismissal, employment equality, payment of wages and organisation of working time legislation. Prior to joining the firm, Tara worked in the HR field for 6 years and completed a M.Sc. in Human Resource Management at Dublin City University.
Jenny Wakely
Senior Associate
Jenny qualified as a solicitor in 2012 and holds a first class LL.B and LL.M. She specialises in Employment Law and joined our Team as a Senior Associate in September 2021.
Jenny has worked with a broad range of employers in Ireland and abroad as well as with major insurers and private individuals. Her work encompasses all aspects of non-contentious and contentious employment law and related litigation. She advises clients in respect of all matters relating to the employment relationship, from recruitment to termination, and everything in between. Jenny also regularly drafts and reviews contracts of employment and employee handbooks and policies. She also advises employers on data protection matters and assists employers in responding to complex and wide-ranging data subject access requests.
Jenny also has significant experience acting for clients in relation to contentious employment law and equality disputes including unfair dismissal claims, equal status claims, redundancy payment claims, payment of wages claims, penalisation claims, and claims under the Industrial Relations legislation and she regularly acts as advocate in defending these claims. She also acts for clients in relation to Circuit and High Court personal injury claims arising from the employment relationship.
In addition to her legal expertise, Jenny has significant industry experience, having worked in-house as an Employment Law Consultant in a leading Human Resources company in 2013/2014.
Jenny is a member of the Employment Law Association of Ireland. She frequently writes on employment law related matters.
Laura Killelea
Senior Associate
Laura qualified as a solicitor in 2014 and has over a decade of specialist employment law experience.
Laura has worked with a broad range of Irish and international corporate clients, public bodies and private individuals.
Laura advises on all aspects of employment law both contentious and non-contentious. Her work includes advising employers in relation to day to day employment law queries, employment contracts/policies, internal processes including grievance and disciplinary processes, employment permits, restructuring/redundancies, severance agreements, employment mediations, the defence of all kinds of employment law claims and the employment law aspects of corporate transactions.
Laura has advised a large number of employer clients in both the private and the public sector.
Laura also advises employees and has acted for a number of senior executives in relation to the negotiation of favourable exit packages.
Laura trained in Callan Tansey Solicitors and practiced there for over two years following qualification. Laura moved to the employment law department of Beauchamps in 2016 where she practiced for over three years before joining AOC solicitors in June 2019.
Laura holds a Bachelor of Corporate Law, an LLB Degree and a Diploma in Employment law.
Chaitra Girish Mallya
Legal Executive
Chaitra graduated with a B.A. (Hons) and LL.B. from Bangalore University, India and was enrolled as a Lawyer with the Bar Association of Karnataka, India in 2008. She worked as a Corporate Associate at a law firm in Bangalore, India for several years before moving to Ireland. Chaitra holds an LL.M. from University College Dublin and joined the Firm in August 2019.
Hannah Smullen
Legal Executive
Hannah joined AOC Solicitors as a Legal Executive in September 2021 and is currently doing a Law Degree at Trinity College.
Harvey
Wellness Manager
Harvey joined AOC Solicitors in November 2019 as the firm’s Wellness Manager! He was recruited from the DSPCA after illustrating his extensive qualifications! His experience in stress management and well-being during the hiring process. He is a great addition to the team in assisting us to maintain a happy workplace and our sanity!
Jenny Wakely
Senior Associate
Jenny qualified as a solicitor in 2012 and holds a first class LL.B and LL.M. She specialises in Employment Law and joined our Team as a Senior Associate in September 2021.
Jenny has worked with a broad range of employers in Ireland and abroad as well as with major insurers and private individuals. Her work encompasses all aspects of non-contentious and contentious employment law and related litigation. She advises clients in respect of all matters relating to the employment relationship, from recruitment to termination, and everything in between. Jenny also regularly drafts and reviews contracts of employment and employee handbooks and policies. She also advises employers on data protection matters and assists employers in responding to complex and wide-ranging data subject access requests.
Jenny also has significant experience acting for clients in relation to contentious employment law and equality disputes including unfair dismissal claims, equal status claims, redundancy payment claims, payment of wages claims, penalisation claims, and claims under the Industrial Relations legislation and she regularly acts as advocate in defending these claims. She also acts for clients in relation to Circuit and High Court personal injury claims arising from the employment relationship.
In addition to her legal expertise, Jenny has significant industry experience, having worked in-house as an Employment Law Consultant in a leading Human Resources company in 2013/2014.
Jenny is a member of the Employment Law Association of Ireland. She frequently writes on employment law related matters.
Nicola MacCarthy
Associate
Nicola qualified as a solicitor and barrister in New Zealand in 2006 and was added to the Roll of Solicitors in Ireland in 2008, following which she joined a busy small general practice in Dublin. Here she became a Senior Civil Litigation Solicitor practising in Personal Injury Law, Defamation, Employment and contentious Succession Law. In 2013 Nicola left to start her own practise and was the Principal there (Somers & Co Solicitors) until late 2015 at which time she moved to UK for family reasons. Nicola spent 5 years in the UK where she is also admitted as a solicitor and there she practised private client and employment law. She also had her own Notarial Law firm in England.
In 2019 Nicola returned to Ireland where she practises as a Notary Public and Employment Law. In August 2021, Nicola joined AOC Solicitors.
Nicola holds an LLB with Honours from University of London, a Diploma in Notarial Law (in both Ireland and the UK), and also holds a Diploma in Personal Insolvency and in Commercial Litigation from the Law Society of Ireland.
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