Sectors Public Sector
Share This

Public Sector

The public sector in Ireland covers a vast range of disciplines and diverse service sectors. In total, there in excess of 350,000 people employed in the public sector with approximately 60% of them engaged in the provision of health and education services across the country.

Public sector group

We have a long and proud history of representing those directly accountable to the people of Ireland. We understand the unique challenges and constraints under which those in the public sector operate. As one of Ireland’s largest law firms, we devote substantial resources to providing a one-stop shop for legal services and have a distinctively integrated cross-firm approach to our clients’ needs and projects. We have extensive experience working on behalf of State and semi-State bodies, agencies, local authorities, multiple Government departments and the health authorities. Michelle Ni Longain heads our public sector group. She brings considerable experience to bear on behalf of her public sector clients and is regarded as one of the country's leading employment, equality, administrative and freedom of information practitioners. Our public sector group also administers an extensive in-house training programme to ensure our clients are kept informed of important legislative developments affecting them. We also lecture externally to the public sector including Public Affairs Ireland and the Public Appointments Service.

Public sector services

Our public sector services group covers all the legal needs of the public sector including:

  • Employment, HR and industrial relations
  • Administrative law
  • Healthcare services
  • Property services
  • Projects/PPPs
  • Public procurement
  • Childcare and care of the elderly
  • Regulation and governance
  • Fitness to Practice 
  • Freedom of information/data protection
  • Medico legal
  • Litigation
  • Corporate and commercial
  • Competition and EU law
  • Finance
  • Construction
  • Pensions and employee benefits

Recommendations

Byrne Wallace Shields LLP is ranked as a Tier 1 firm in the Public Sector chapter of Legal 500:

Byrne Wallace Shields LLP has ‘an excellent understanding of the issues and culture within the public sector’ and ‘ranks as one of the top performers in this area.’ The firm advises a broad spread of clients across employment, infrastructure and administrative issues, but it is on the health side where the firm really shines, acting for the HSE, the Department of Health and Children and various hospitals and educational faculties.

Byrne Wallace Shields LLP is also ranked in the Pensions & Employee Benefits chapter of Legal 500:

Byrne Wallace Shields LLP has an ‘in-depth understanding of public sector issues’ and provides ‘invaluable insight that cannot be easily replaced’

THE TEAM      
RELATED TESTIMONIALS
The team take a real interest in the issues and carry out a lot of research before suggesting practical solutions... Legal 500 2024 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The team has expertise and a real interest in working with the public sector and we would call out Sean O’Donne... Legal 500 2024 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The people are simply excellent with brilliant collaboration.... Legal 500 2024 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Detailed advice provided in simple terms. Also, their responsiveness and level of expertise is second-to-none.... Legal 500 2024 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The team is highly specialised and expert. I have been impressed by their responses to complex legal issues, and ... Legal 500 2024 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The team stands out for its approach to client engagement, and the consistency of the quality of advice and submi... Legal 500 2024 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Byrne Wallace Shields LLP is one of the largest law firms in Ireland and provides legal advice across a large spe... Legal 500 2024 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
A great strength of Byrne Wallace Shields LLP is the number of experts it has, which gives great confidence in th... Legal 500 2023 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Partners are very accessible and can be contacted at short notice. They all consistently meet deadlines and provi... Legal 500 2023 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The team at Byrne Wallace Shields LLP are very helpful and are skilled communicators. They can practically apply ... Legal 500 2023 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Sean O'Donnell and Eimear Redmond are particularly helpful. Sean is very responsive to queries and requests, and ... Legal 500 2023 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
This practice has a thorough knowledge of local authority legal practice. This firm has provided excellent advice... Legal 500 2022 – Public Sector view all related testimonials
Byrne Wallace Shields LLP has exceptional knowledge and experience in advising the public sector. It seems like e... Legal 500 2022 – Public Sector view all related testimonials
Overall Byrne Wallace Shields LLP provide an excellent service across many diverse areas. Together with responsiv... Legal 500 2022 – Public Sector view all related testimonials
The team were very accessible and had an excellent work ethic.... Legal 500 2022 – Public Sector view all related testimonials
The team are very experienced in various areas of public sector law, and knowledgeable and detailed in their advi... Legal 500 2022 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The staff at Byrne Wallace Shields LLP are competent, capable and extremely well informed. I have not only used t... Legal 500 2021 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Their accessibility is second to none. They always deliver on our expectations and the work is always carried out... Legal 500 2021 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Readily available for consultation, provide sound advice using their experts in the particular field so the stren... Legal 500 2021 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The team has exceptional abilities in relation to public procurement. They also are extremely affable which makes... Legal 500 20201 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
It is an excellent practice in devising innovative solutions for clients.... Legal 500 2021 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The Byrne Wallace Shields LLP team stand out for their overall knowledge pool and expertise. They are very strong... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The Byrne Wallace Shields LLP team are attentive and responsive, and not caught up in jargon.... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The Byrne Wallace Shields LLP team are interested in understanding what is important to us as an organisation and... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The Byrne Wallace Shields LLP team act immediately when we raise any issues and ensure that any solution they put... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The Byrne Wallace Shields LLP team are experts in their field, understand our sector and can provide us with insi... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The team in Byrne Wallace Shields LLP are responsive and approachable. They demonstrate expertise in a wide varie... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Response times are excellent. It is a pleasure working with Byrne Wallace Shields LLP.... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Strong communication, client-centred, strong teamwork.... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The Byrne Wallace Shields LLP team are good at listening, with key analytical skills that are helpful in solving ... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Seamless service, whether dealing with partners or junior associates.... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Completely knowledgeable and demonstrate a complete understanding of the highly complex legal environment in whic... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
"They are attentive and responsive, and not caught up in jargon."... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
"The team stand out for their overall knowledge pool and expertise. The team are very strong on following the bri... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
"The team are interested in understanding what is important to us as an organisation and the values and decision-... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
"The team act immediately when we raise any issues and ensure that any solution they put in place works for us as... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
"The team are experts in their field, understand our sector and can provide us with insight and knowledge based o... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
"The team in Byrne Wallace Shields LLP are responsive and approachable. They demonstrate expertise in a wide vari... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Response times are excellent. It is a pleasure working with Byrne Wallace Shields LLP.... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
"Strong communication, client-centred, strong teamwork."... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
"They are good at listening, with key analytical skills that are helpful in solving problems."... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
"Seamless service, whether dealing with partners or junior associates."... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
"Completely knowledgeable and demonstrate a complete understanding of the highly complex legal environment in whi... Legal 500 2020 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Byrne Wallace Shields LLP stands out for the 'flexibility of the team and the depth and range of its knowledge':... Legal 500 2019 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Healthcare and social care are areas of strength at Byrne Wallace Shields LLP, where Sinéad Kearney has been rep... Legal 500 2017 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Byrne Wallace Shields LLP is well regarded for its work representing public sector entities in litigation and in ... Legal 500 2016 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
The ‘excellent’ Michelle Ní Longáin heads Byrne Wallace Shields LLP’s practice, which includes ‘health ... Legal 500 2015 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Byrne Wallace Shields LLP is ‘a treasure trove of expertise’, with a practice spanning health services and he... Legal 500 2014 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Byrne Wallace Shields LLP divides its extensive public sector workload into two key divisions: health services, l... Legal 500 2013 - Public Sector view all related testimonials
Byrne Wallace Shields LLP has ‘an excellent understanding of the issues and culture within the public sector’... Legal 500 2010 - Public Sector view all related testimonials