Bryan "takes proactive management of issues" and "is a strong communicator who is always available".
Chambers Europe
Expertise
Bryan Dunne is a partner and head of the Employment Practice at Matheson. He advises on a variety of aspects of employment law, both contentious and non-contentious.
This work includes preparation of senior executive service agreements and severance arrangements for international employers, defence work in contentious employment litigation matters and advising on all employment aspects of commercial transactions. He also regularly advises employers on internal grievance and disciplinary processes, with particular focus on senior executive level employees.
Bryan is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association of Ireland, and the European Employment Lawyers Association. He is also a member of American Bar Association’s International Labour and Employment Law section and a co-author of the Irish Chapter for the ABA's annual publication on International Labour and Employment Law. He has also presented at numerous ABA and other events in the US and Europe and has been the European Chair of the ABA CLE teleconference training programme since 2006.
Bryan has also written articles for Irish and European trade and legal publications on employment issues, and is a tutor and examiner on employment law on the Law Society's solicitor training course. He has published a chapter on International Employment and Secondment in a leading Irish employment law text, and is a regular speaker on cross border employment issues to US audiences.
He is also a fluent Spanish speaker and a member of the Irish Spanish Economic Association, and advises many leading Spanish companies on employment law issues in their Irish operations.
- Bryan's clients include a broad base of leading international companies and financial institutions, requiring diverse advice on compliance, operational and management issues in setting up and running their Irish business.
- Due to his involvement in some of the largest Irish and cross border corporate transactions in recent years, Bryan has also built up considerable experience in the varied employment and labour aspects that arise in commercial projects and reorganisations when acting for foreign purchasers, such as the Transfer of Undertakings Regulations, employee relocation and post acquisition restructuring. He has also led the employment due diligence on a number of high value private equity investments and acquisitions. This experience spans numerous industry and regulated sectors and includes both the public and private sector.
- He advised Marks and Spencer Plc in the successful defence of a challenge by its European Works Council to a European wide rationalisation programme, and more recently, successfully defended a leading US manufacturer in a challenge under the exceptional collective redundancy legislation before the Labour Court, the second only such case to date.
- He advised on the purchase of a large part of Pfizer’s Irish operations by Portuguese pharmaceutical manufacturer Hovione and led the employment team on the $1.75 billion NYSE merger of Aercap and Genesis Lease Finance, as well as leading the employment aspects of a number of high profile inward investment projects into the Irish market. More recently, he has been involved in a number of senior executive restructuring projects and is currently advising a leading financial services institution on the implementation of a cross border merger.
- Bryan has in addition acted for various bidders in the purchase of former State assets, including acting for Babcock and Brown on the acquisition of eircom, the former national telephone utility. He also acted for a major Spanish energy provider in the purchase of a number of existing power stations from the Irish State and the subsequent sale. Bryan has acted in a number of large public/private partnership projects between the State and various international private enterprises, acting for finance houses and service providers. He acted for the Irish Minister for Transport on the break up of the Irish airports regulatory authority and in drafting the implementing legislation.
- Bryan also has particular expertise in relation to equality law and advising employers on how this can impact their organisation. Bryan’s recent work has also included advising employers in relation to preparing for the proposed Irish gender pay gap reporting legislation, the conducting of gender pay gap audits and the implication and opportunities for employers in addressing a gender pay gap.
"Bryan is a strong lawyer with solid commercial awareness."
Employment: Chambers Europe 2024
"Bryan Dunne is fantastic, very knowledgeable and very responsive."
Employment: Chambers Europe 2024
“Bryan Dunne is exceptional. He understands the business very well and always provides sound practical guidance and advice."
Employment: The European Legal 500 2023
“Bryan Dunne offers a superb service."
Employment: Chambers Europe 2023
"He is amazingly responsive and knowledgeable."
Employment: Chambers Europe 2023
“Bryan Dunne and his team have the rare combination of providing excellent, efficient and responsive service, with a super collaborative and business-minded approach. Matheson is really adept at considering the business needs with the legal risk, and outlining a reasonable, practical approach.”
Employment: The European Legal 500 2022
“Bryan Dunne is an outstanding partner to work with. He is truly an expert in his field and highly knowledgeable about the Pharmaceutical Sector. His employment law knowledge and the practical nature he applies to it is second to none.”
Employment: The European Legal 500 2022
“Bryan and his team have been very quick to get to grips with the complexities of the multi-national, multi-cultural, multi-lingual issues involved in complex
European industrial relations issues. They have filled in their knowledge gaps at pace. They have quickly become the go-to Irish law firm in relation to such matters, significantly ahead of other firms.”
Employment: The European Legal 500 2022
Bryan Dunne "a super intelligent and business-minded lawyer."
Employment: Chambers Europe 2022
"We received unwavering five-star service from both partners and the senior associate. Their responsiveness, adaptability, tailored client-focused service, commerciality and consistent availability makes them stand out from competitors. Bryan has built long-standing deep relationships with our senior stakeholders and key members of the HR/Legal teams. He is able to interpret and relate advice and guidance to previous cases we had, knowing the background of the client is critical and adapting to our style/commercial needs is key. Their service is 100% personal, we feel like their number one priority on every matter."
Employment: The European Legal 500 2021
Bryan Dunne is "Ireland's leading employment lawyer for dealing with the technology sector."
Employment: Chambers Europe 2021
Clients say "we feel like his number one priority on every matter, regardless of the complexity or volume."
Employment: Chambers Europe 2020
"He is our go-to; a feisty litigator," reports a client.
Employment: Chambers Europe 2020
Bryan Dunne is recommended.
Employment: The European Legal 500 2020
Bryan Dunne is named a leading individual.
Employment: The European Legal 500 2020
Bryan Dunne is "outstanding".
Employment: The European Legal 500 2020
Bryan Dunne provides an "excellent level of service".
Employment: The European Legal 500 2019
Bryan Dunne is named a leading individual.
Employment: The European Legal 500 2019
Bryan Dunne “is one of the best negotiators I’ve come across in my career”.
Employment: Chambers Europe 2019
Bryan Dunne understands the "needs of clients in the tech sector better than any other employment lawyer".
Employment: Chambers Europe 2019
Bryan Dunne is a "brilliant lawyer, providing sound, practical advice and excellent written legal documents".
Employment: Chambers Europe 2019
Recognised for Labour and Employment Law
Best Lawyers Ireland 2019
University College Dublin (Diploma in Employment Law)
Law Society of Ireland (Diploma in Commercial Law)
Law Society of Ireland (Diploma in Advanced European Law)
University of Limerick (Bachelor of Arts in Law and European Studies)