
Sean DempseyPartner
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- sean.dempsey@lewissilkin.com
I advise multi-national and UK employers on all aspects of UK and Irish employment law and co-head the firm’s technology sector group.
My clients are predominantly from the technology sector. I also advise a wide range of clients in the financial and professional services, retail, manufacturing, transport and media sectors.
I have been recognised for a number of years as a leader in the field of employment law by the leading legal directories and am a commentator on employment law issues for BBC TV and radio. I regularly speak at HR and legal conferences, write for a number of professional publications and have been accredited mediator for many years.
My practice is often international in its scope and I regularly advise on the employment law aspects of global acquisitions and multi-jurisdictional restructures, particularly across the EMEA region. I am also responsible for a number of international retainers which enable clients to access expert employment law advice in all of the countries in which they operate.
Employment
I am dual qualified in England & Wales and Ireland and advise on all aspects of employment law from the beginning to the end of the employment relationship. In addition to advising on the employment law aspects of acquisitions and restructures, I am also regularly involved in all types of employment litigation and collective employment law issues. Examples of my recent work include:
- Successfully resolving High Court Injunction proceedings in London and Dublin brought against a leading software company and an international IT consultancy
- Advising a global networking company on the EMEA wide employment aspects of a number of important global acquisitions
- Advising a professional services company on a range of global employment law issues following a high profile merger
- Successfully resolving a sensitive Employment Tribunal claim for an financial services organisation
- Advising a provider of technology products on the termination of a senior employee of a recently acquired company
- Advising a digital platform on the employment law aspects of restructuring its EMEA operations
Technology
I co-Head Lewis Silkin’s technology sector group, having spent many years advising some of the leading names in the sector. My clients range from well established California headquartered companies to relatively recent entrants into the sector who are based in the UK and Ireland. All of these companies have a global outlook and I support many of them on a variety of international employment law projects with the help of dedicated client teams made up of experienced employment lawyers from Lewis Silkin and Ius Laboris colleagues across the globe.
Awards and Recognition
- Chambers 2021 (Employment: Employer) - "He is pragmatic, to-the-point, commercial and quick; he's great"
- Legal 500 2021 (Employers) - ‘Sean Dempsey brings a welcome dose of common sense – he gets to the nub of the issue quickly'
- Legal 500 2021 (Employers) - ‘Sean Dempsey is exceptional… He is able to see the wood for the trees & come up with clear advice even in the most complex scenarios’
- Chambers 2020 - "very down to earth and commercial," and praise his ability to "give really pragmatic advice that gets to the issues."
- Legal 500 2020 - The team, which ‘always offers a high standard of work’, is jointly let by Sean Dempsey
- Who’s Who Legal Thought Leader 2020
- Who's Who Legal Thought Leader 2019: a leading name when it comes to the technology sector due to his "pragmatism, commerciality and responsiveness".
- Who's Who Legal 2018: Sean Dempsey is 'excellent'.
- Acritas Star 2017 & 2018 - 'Straight-forward, pragmatism, ability to take something complex and make it simple, great responsiveness. A real client-first attitude to things' and ‘very personable, which is important; you want to be able to get on with people you work with’