Karen Killalea

Karen is head of Maples and Calder’s Employment team in the Maples Group’s Dublin office. She has over 20 years’ experience advising clients on all aspects of employment law including contractual matters, sensitive investigations, employee privacy issues, GDPR, gender pay gap preparation, TUPE, HR aspects of corporate re-structuring and asset disposals, industrial relations, working time, equality issues, executive compensation, removal of directors and senior executives and the protection of confidential information. Karen’s recent cases include securing court orders to prevent the theft of confidential information, restraining a team move and defending a High Court challenge to the suspension and investigation of a senior employee. She regularly represents clients before the WRC and the courts and has extensive experience of successful mediation and dispute resolution. Karen also has extensive experience in advising on the employment aspects relating to Artificial Intelligence.

Karen joined the Maples Group as a Partner and Head of the Employment team in 2019. Previously, she was a partner with a large Irish corporate law firm. Before that, Karen worked for Linklaters in their Rome office. She has been ranked and recommended by independent legal directories:

“She gives regular advice which is up to date and fully resourced. She is a true subject matter expert with great interpersonal skills.”  Chambers Europe 2024

“Karen has a tremendous capacity to interpret the issue at hand and advise accordingly.”  Chambers Europe 2024

“Karen Killalea is a brilliant lawyer and always provides quality, sound advice.”  Chambers Europe 2024

“Karen Killalea is practical, commercially focused and always available as a sounding board. She keeps to the point and does not mess around with unnecessary costly time.”  (Chambers Europe 2023)

“She’s excellent, calm and detailed. She explains things clearly, making the items easy for us to understand.”  (Chambers Europe 2023)

“Karen Killalea is an outstanding employment lawyer – very knowledgeable, commercial and level-headed.”  (Legal 500 EMEA 2023)

“Karen Killalea, her quality of being focused and professionalism. She runs her team with obvious ease of practice and experienced mentoring.”  (Legal 500 EMEA 2023)

“Karen Killalea is emblematic of everything Maples aspires to be. She is singularly and distinctively impressive.”  (Legal 500 EMEA 2023)

“Karen Killalea is excellent at her work. She is highly responsive and meets the deadlines she sets forth. Her turnaround times are surprisingly quick, and come prepared with sample scripts, forms and other advice that advances the matter much further.”  (Legal 500 EMEA 2023)