Thursday, 08 October 2026
12:00 - 16:00
(
4 hours )
In Person
WRC hearings are at record levels, yet many employers and HR professionals have never experienced one first-hand.
This interactive half-day Mock WRC Adjudication Hearing gives you the opportunity to observe a realistic hearing from start to finish, led by experienced employment law barristers, employment law experts from Phillip Lee LLP and a former WRC Adjudication Officer.
Follow a realistic WRC case from initial complaint through to the final decision, seeing first-hand how evidence, submissions and witness testimony can influence the outcome.
You'll see how workplace decisions, policies and procedures are scrutinised during proceedings, helping you understand what works, what doesn't, and how to better prepare your organisation should a claim arise.
By attending, you'll:
Most employers only experience a WRC hearing when they are already involved in a dispute.
This event allows you to learn in a realistic but risk-free environment, helping you understand how everyday workplace decisions can be challenged and defended during a hearing.
You'll leave with practical insights, greater confidence and a clearer understanding of how to protect your organisation when employment issues escalate.
Experience a realistic WRC hearing without the cost, preparation and stress of the real thing.
Join leading employment law experts from Phillip Lee LLP, experienced barristers and a former WRC Adjudication Officer for this highly practical and popular event.
Book your place today. Places are limited.
Join us from 12 noon to register, get some lunch and network with your peers.
Laura McKee, Knowledge Partner, Legal Island, will introduce the day ahead.
Catriona Walsh, Senior Associate, Philip Lee LLP will look at the entire life cycle of a typical claim in the WRC, from completing a WRC complaint form through to the substantive hearing, and the possibility of appeals. They will also share her experiences of what to expect on the day of the hearing itself, from the point of arrival at the WRC to giving evidence, to understanding the decision, highlighting procedural changes following the Supreme Court Zalewski decision.
She will consider the practical aspects of preparing the case, looking at the specific case study, highlighting any documents that will bear particular importance at the hearing in the afternoon. She will take you through some practical tips on how to always be prepared for a hearing, which will inevitably assist with an employer’s defence when before the WRC.
Our chair for the hearing, former WRC Adjudication Officer, Dr Gerry McMahon, will outline the practical and procedural elements of an adjudication hearing from an Adjudicator’s perspective, highlighting the do's and don'ts, and offering practical tips in line with WRC guidance and noting any changes for remote hearings.
Grab a coffee, stretch your legs and network with your peers.
Cathy McGrady BL and Paul D. Maier BL will act as representatives for the employer and employee, while running a WRC hearing based on the case study. Dr Gerry McMahon will be overseeing the hearing as the Adjudication Officer. You will see both barristers questioning witnesses, including the complainant, just as you would at an unfair dismissal hearing, in order for you to gain a practical understanding of the adjudication process.
Before Dr Gerry McMahon delivers his decision in the hearing, Catriona Walsh, Senior Associate, Philip Lee LLP will lead a discussion on the hearing to determine what the most likely outcome will be and to highlight where any of the parties may or may not have gone wrong.
Dr Gerry McMahon, as acting Adjudication Officer on the day, will deliver his decision on the hearing.
Catriona Walsh will close out the day by briefly explaining the appeal process before the Labour Court and answering any additional questions.
Here's what previous attendees have to say about our Mock WRC Adjudication Hearing event.
Gerry McMahon is an acknowledged national expert in People Management. He has over 35 years’ experience - as a workplace investigator (on bullying/harassment/ disciplinary/dismissal/grievance issues), trainer, negotiator, facilitator, mediator, arbitrator and team builder - across a wide range of employment sectors. He is the M.D. of the H.R. training and advisory company Productive Personnel Ltd.
Gerry has also had an extensive range of books and articles published and been a columnist with the Industrial Relations News, Irish Times, Sunday Business Post, and Irish Independent and expert commentator on H.R./Employee Relations for R.T.E. and TV3/Virgin. He has also served on numerous Legal Island and C.I.P.D. judging panels and is a Council member of the Irish Association for Industrial Relations.
Contact: Tel. 087-2471415; E-Mail: ppl1gerry@gmail.com
Cathy McGrady has been a barrister since 2007 practising on Employment and Equality matters, Tort & Personal Injury claims, as well as General Practise. Prior to being called to the Bar, her previous role was as an HR Manager. She is a seasoned professional that frequently appears in front of the Workplace Relations Commission, the Labour Court, Circuit Court, and High Court for employment law disputes. She has also acted as an independent investigator in workplace investigations.
Barrister practising in general Civil Law with a specialisation in Employment and Labour Law.
Vast experience representing employers and employees in complex cases before every employment tribunal and court of first instance. Experience in employment injunctions including representing one of the largest Trade Unions in the State.
Substantial experience advising on non-litigious matters and providing support to employers on an ongoing basis.
Catriona is a Senior Associate on the Employment and Immigration team at Philip Lee LLP, with extensive expertise in advising both public sector and private clients on complex and wide-ranging employment related issues, including contentious and non-contentious matters. Catriona advises clients on employment related claims before the Workplace Relations Commission, the Labour Court and the High Court, while her experience on non-contentious matters includes advising in relation to employment contracts and policies, protected disclosures, the transfer of undertakings regulations, redundancy processes and disciplinary investigations.
Booking is quick and straightforward. Choose to pay securely by card or request an invoice at checkout.
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