Clíona Kimber SC

For the past 25 years Clíona has practiced as a Barrister at the Bar of Ireland, and for the last 9 of those years as a leading Senior Counsel. She is a specialist in workplace law, equality law, and in climate and environmental law, acting and advising in workplace injunctions, judicial review, administrative proceedings, tort and damages cases, as well as complex equality and discrimination claims. She practices before the Court of Justice of the European Union, Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, High Court, Labour Court and Workplace Relations Commission. 

She is an award-winning legal author, the book ‘Employment Equality Law: Bolger, Bruton and Kimber (Thomson Reuters:2022) winning the DSBA award in 2023. 

Prior to coming to the Bar, Clíona was a Lecturer in International Environmental Law at the University of Aberdeen, and Director of the Centre for Environmental Law and Policy. 

Clíona is fluent in Irish and German and has a working knowledge of French.  

Cleachteann Clíona trí Ghaeilge, agus ta taithí aici cásanna a dheanmah trí ghaeilge. 

Clíona is also currently chair of Comhshaol, the Climate Bar Association and formerly Chair of the Employment Bar Association. She is also a CEDR Accredited Mediator. 

Appointments

Clíona was appointed Chair of the Trinity College Dublin Disciplinary Council (Academic) in 2014 and remains Chair. 

In 2023, she was appointed by the Bar of Ireland to sit on the Council of the Bars of Europe (CCBE) Environmental Subcommittee. 

Clíona was appointed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government as Chair of the Statutory Technical Assessment Board (Architects qualifications) from 2009 to 2013.  

She is regularly appointed to provide high level confidential reports into senior workplace misconduct. 

Experience

Clíona was appointed Chair of the Trinity College Dublin Disciplinary Council (Academic) in 2014 and remains Chair. 

In 2023, she was appointed by the Bar of Ireland to sit on the Council of the Bars of Europe (CCBE) Environmental Subcommittee. 

Clíona was appointed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government as Chair of the Statutory Technical Assessment Board (Architects qualifications) from 2009 to 2013.  

She is regularly appointed to provide high level confidential reports into senior workplace misconduct. 

Mediation

Clíona is a relatable and effective mediator, accredited by CEDR in 2016 and currently acting in complex equality mediations for charity sectors and workplace mediations. 

Workplace Investigations

Clíona is extremely able in getting workplace investigations done in tricky situations, with difficult and sensitive complaints, with a process a client can rely on. She has completed sensitive sexual harassment investigations both nationally and internationally. 

Lecturing

Clíona is a Lecturer on the Diploma in Employment Law at King’s Inns, Dublin. 

Clíona lectured for a number of years in Labour law at Trinity College Dublin.  

Before coming to the Bar, Clíona was a tenured Lecturer at the University of Aberdeen teaching on the Masters Programme in International Environmental Law and Policy and to undergraduates in Public Law and Constitutional Law. 

As an inspiring and insightful speaker, she is in constant demand to speak at specialist legal conferences and international events. 

Skills

Clíona’s overriding strength is her ability to grapple with complicated and complex legal cases and reach a successful resolution for clients, through clear and persuasive oral advocacy. 

She brings a calmness and rationality to her client’s experience in stressful litigation. 

She is a creative thinker and can identify new pathways and novel approaches to problems. 

She is very practical and pragmatic, with a keen eye for her client’s best interests. 

Clíona is highly personable, relates well to clients and solicitors and inspires trust and confidence in them. 

Clíona is currently acting in: 

• Superior Court litigation in a multitude of cases including employment injunctions, wrongful dismissals, suspensions from employment.  

• High Court multi- party litigation in equality cases, in particular age and disability discrimination cases.  

• Multi-party Labour Court and WRC litigation. 

• Several age discrimination equality cases and Disability Reasonable Accommodation cases in relation to both the public and private sector employers and employees.  

• High Court Judicial Review of government action, including statutory compliance and enforcement of public sector obligations. 

• Environmental damage cases in negligence, tort, breach of statutory obligations and breach of EU law. 

• Workplace Investigations. 

• Mediation of Employment Disputes. 

Clíona is currently advising in: 

• Environmental and Climate law including achieving protection of habitats, obtaining and enforcement of air quality standards, legal obligations in flooding and damage, and litigating to obtain preservation of endangered native species. 

• Complex areas of employment and equality law members of the public, private companies and public, state and semi-state bodies. 

Previous cases and legal work include: 

• Conor Durnin v Horse’s Mouth LTD Trading as Sportcaller (Employment Injunction)[2024] IEHC 532.

• An Bord Banistíochta, Gaelscoil Moshíológ v The Department of Education and Others (Appeal on a Point of Law, Unfair Dismissal of a School Principal, Remedies of Reinstatement and Reengagement, Jurisdiction of High Court on an Appeal on a Point of Law, Varying Remedy of Labour Court, Costs) [2024] IESC 38.

• Dr Solomon Asgedom v Health Service Executive, The Minister for Health, The Minister of Finance, The Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform (Multiparty Equal Pay Claim by Hospital Consultants Against the State for Age Discrimination) (WRC) (2023) (ADJ-00022715, ADJ-00022926, ADJ-00022298, ADJ-00022642, ADJ-00022201).

• Robert Cunningham v Irish Prison Service (Appeal on a Point of Law, Test for Reasonable Accommodation in the Workplace of Persons with Disabilities, EU law and Applicability to Irish Prison Service, Remittal to Labour Court) [2021] IECA 19,[2020] IEHC 282.

• Pat Keating v Shannon Foynes Port Company (Payment of CEO Bonus, Directors Duties, Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Breach of Contract) [2022] IEHC 505.

• Enda O’Rourke v Department of Education and Skills (Judicial Review of Department of Education Application of Public Service Pension Scheme to Teachers) [2019] IEHC 938.

• Marie Daly v Nano Nagle School (Disability Discrimination, Appeal on a Point of Law, Test for Reasonable Accommodation of Disabled Special Needs Teacher, Interpretation of Irish Law in Light of EU Directives and International Law on Persons with Disabilities) [2019] IESC 63.

• Tomás Horgan and Claire Keegan v Minister for Education and & Skills and Others (Multiparty Litigation of Equal Pay Case by Teachers Against State, Age Discrimination in Introducing Pay Scale During Economic Crisis) (Case C‑154/18, EDA 2121) 

• Advisory Opinions for Centre for Environmental Justice on Air Quality.

• Advisory Opinion for Native Irish Honey Bee Society on Judicial Review.