Declan O'Dempsey
UK Bar Guide 2025
Band 3 : Employment
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
020 7827 4000Share profile
Band 3
About
Provided by Declan O'Dempsey
Practice Areas
Declan O’Dempsey specialises in the most difficult and sensitive employment/discrimination/whistleblowing cases as well as equal pay, human rights, confidentiality, GDPR, public law, directors and injunctions. He accepts Public Access Scheme cases. Noted for incisive cross-examination, clear skeleton arguments, and very clear submissions, it is said of him that he 'knows employment law like the back of his hand.' He has appeared in significant/controversial cases such as the first on age discrimination in the CJEU/UKSC (Age UK, Homer, Seldon); on associative discrimination (Coleman); on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (J v KL, Leeks, Sobhi); as well as Police and Health Service whistleblowing/discrimination cases. He appears in TUPE cases (Manchester College v Hazel), and administrative/employment law cases (Betts v MOJ); religion and belief discrimination (Azmi - niqaab). He co-authored a Report on Age Discrimination (European Commission). He advises states on discrimination law reform and cases. He is on the Equality and Human Rights Commission's A Panel, co-drafting their statutory code on Goods and Services and Public Functions under the Equality Act 2010, and Supplement, and Guidance on the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Career
Called 1987. EHRC's A Panel (2015 - ), PT FP Employment Judge (North-East Region) (2013 - ) and PT FP Employment Judge (Scotland) (2018 -). Member of Scottish EJs Training panel. Bar Council's Equality Diversity and Social Mobility Committee (c2005 - )
Professional Memberships
Industrial Law Society (EC); Discrimination Law Association (EC); ELBA ELAAS, ALBA.
Publications
Discrimination Law handbook (LAG, 2013). Age Discrimination Law Handbook (Legal Action 2006).
Chambers Review
UK Bar
Declan O'Dempsey has vast experience across the whole expanse of employment law. He is particularly recognised for his discrimination work and for his handling of equal pay and whistle-blowing claims, as well as cases considering the effects of mental health problems on employees.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Declan has great attention to detail and is really insightful in terms of tactics and strategy."
"Declan knows discrimination law inside out."
"He picks up cases really quickly and is very reasonable."
"Declan has great attention to detail and is really insightful in terms of tactics and strategy."
"Declan knows discrimination law inside out."
"He picks up cases really quickly and is very reasonable."
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