Sonya trained with an international law firm, qualifying in September 2002 and joined Birketts in August 2005.

She is a Partner based in our Ipswich office specialising in employment law. Sonya is Head of our Independent Schools group.

Sonya provides specialist employment advice to employers and senior executives in all aspects of employment law. She regularly advises on both contentious and non-contentious issues arising out of the employment relationship including difficult staff grievances and the employment tribunal claims that can ensue, senior executive settlement agreements, large and small scale redundancy situations, TUPE transfers, changes to terms and conditions and a full range of ad hoc employment-related advice for a variety of clients. Sonya is particularly skilled in handling complex discrimination claims often including multiple claims. Sonya also has experience in running volume/bulk settlement agreement projects.

Sonya provides both in-house and public training on many employment-related topics through Birketts’ Shaping Excellence programme. She has delivered sessions including equal opportunities and moving to a high performance culture as well as annual updates at large-scale conferences. Sonya has an excellent reputation as a public speaker and can make difficult concepts sound easy.

Sonya also has particular experience within the education sector; partnering with Independent Schools to provide them with tailored and strategic employment advice. Sonya has acted for teachers in professional conduct proceedings before the Teaching Regulation Agency and is experienced in supporting education clients in dealing with safeguarding concerns with employees.

As part of the firm-wide charities and social enterprise group, Sonya advises charities on the full range of employment issues which recently has included providing guidance on the status of volunteers and interns which can cause particular concern for clients in the charitable sector.

Sonya O’Reilly is our lead partner and she works hard to ensure that we receive a high level of customer care and support as well as in her specific field of law.

Legal 500 [UK 2024]

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