Gerard McDermott QC

Called to bar 1978
Date of Silk 1999

Clerk Graham Woods Tel: 020 7353 6381
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Held in the highest regard by clients in the UK and lawyers further afield, Gerard is recommended in Chambers UK and the Legal 500, with the latter describing him as being of ”star quality in employment work” . He undertakes the full range of employment cases (both before Tribunals and in the Civil Courts) including discrimination, unfair dismissal and redundancy claims.

Gerard has a particular expertise in employment cases which involve an ‘European element’, such as transfer of undertakings, and has appeared at all levels up to and including the House of Lords and the European Court of Justice. He is the current Leader of the European Circuit of the Bar. His personal injury practice complements his employment work; Gerard has extensive experience in complex and high-value personal injury cases involving injury at work (including stress, bullying and harassment). He also acts for professionals and other employees in disciplinary / criminal proceedings, and was leading Counsel for the Health Authority in the Shipman Inquiry.

A proactive interest in international law and practice has grown throughout his career at the Bar. Qualified as an attorney-at-law (New York) by examination, Gerard is a past Chairman of the Bar Council’s International Relations Committee and, more recently, was President of the American Counsel Association. Gerard undertakes cases that involve cross-border issues (e.g. workers or tourists injured abroad). Through his contacts in Europe and America, he is able to assist instructing solicitors in identifying and working with appropriate Counsel aboard.

Practice areas
Employment & Discrimination, Clinical & Professional Negligence, Personal Injury, Health & Safety, Public Inquiries

Additional qualifications
Attorney-at-law (New York)

Memberships and offices
Deputy High Court Judge
Recorder
Leader, European Circuit of the Bar
Director and Past President, American Counsel Association
American Bar Association
International Association of Defense Counsel
Bar European Group
Personal Injuries Bar Association

Notable cases

The Shipman Inquiry
R (Ultraframe (UK) Ltd v Central Arbitration Committee, TLR 12/04/05 – judicial review, collective bargaining
R v Pennine Acute NHS Trust [2003] EWCA Crim 3436 – health and safety, transfer of criminal liability
Unison v RCO Services [2002] EWCA Civ 464 – transfer of undertakings