How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Overview
Paul Gilroy KC’s reputation is principally based on his practice in employment and sport. He has for some years been recognised by Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500, and Legal Experts as a leader in this field.
- Shortlisted by Legal 500 as Employment Silk of the Year in 2022 and Sport Silk of the Year in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Paul Gilroy has decades of experience of employment-related litigation at all levels. He has particular expertise in substantive High Court actions and proceedings for injunctive relief (restrictive covenant, business protection, and strike action), high value/multi-party employment tribunal work and cases before the Central Arbitration Committee.
He also conducts investigations into employment law-related matters and in sport.
He has a particular interest in sports-related litigation and regulatory matters, both domestically and internationally before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. His work in sport has a particular emphasis on football: FA Rule K, English Football League Regulation 9 Arbitration, and proceedings before the Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC).
He has advised and acted for a stellar list of football clients, including Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, Roy Hodgson, Martin O’Neill, Gianfranco Zola, Harry Redknapp, and David Moyes, amongst others.
Most appearances as Counsel before the FA Premier League Managers Arbitration Tribunal (7).
He has been instructed in high profile public inquiries (Ashworth Hospital and Harold Shipman) and has wide-ranging experience in the field of professional discipline, both acting in and conducting disciplinary hearings for universities and sports bodies and in the NHS.
He is an accredited mediator and has mediated in a substantial number of disputes, both litigation-related and workplace-based.
He contributes to professional publications, has annotated employment legislation for Current Law Statutes, has been engaged by Sweet & Maxwell to assist in editing the Encyclopaedia on Employment Law, and is a frequent speaker on employment law topics to professional and other audiences.
Notable recent work
- Acting for senior RAF officer in high 6 figure claim against the RAF for victimisation arising from enforced application of recruitment quotas.
- Lopez-Bondi v Lascaux. High 6 figure victimisation and harassment claim for hedge fund recruiter.
- Acting for substantial public authority defending multiple (c. 130) claims of unlawful inducement contrary to s.145B of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
- Acting for high profile national retailer defending 7 figure claim of whistleblowing, disability discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
- Advising Martin O’Neill on appointment as Manager of Celtic FC.
- Advising Danny Röhl on appointment as Head Coach of Rangers FC.
- Advising Steve Clarke on renewal of appointment as Head Coach of Scotland national football team.
- Acting for leading national 8 ball pool organisation on claim airing from participation of transgender players in the sport of pool.
- Called as an expert witness on English law In appeal proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in connection with the abortive transfer of Emiliano Sala (Cardiff City FC v FC Nantes).
- Acting for senior employee of Manchester United in claim for age discrimination.
- Carl Frampton v Barry McGuigan. High Court litigation and Arbitration before the British Boxing Board of Control.
- Ms Z. Independent investigation on behalf of British Parasnowsport and UK Sport into complaints of bullying and harassment made by a para athlete.
- Obtaining worldwide freezing order against director for substantial unauthorised removal and transfer of funds.
- Advising Premier League player on internal club disciplinary proceedings.
- UK Motorsport v Orange Racing. Appearing for British GT Championship team before Motorsport UK National Courtin appeal against race disqualification for breach of parc fermé regulations.
- Advising CEO of Premier League club re: employment issues and negotiating exit terms.
- Advising Technical Director of F1 team on terms of appointment.
- Acting for director of major bank in high 6 figure whistleblowing dismissal claim.
- Retained by UK-wide employer to advise on strategy concerning large scale industrial action.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Expertise
High Court Employment & Commercial
Paul Gilroy has extensive High Court experience, with a particular emphasis in the following areas:
- Disputes relating to unlawful competition involving executive departures, team moves, restrictive covenants, garden leave, confidential information, applications for injunctive relief (including springboard relief and search order applications), pre-action disclosure and speedy trials.
- Disputes concerning deferred remuneration, bonuses (including ‘discretionary’ bonuses), share options, deferred remuneration and other employment benefits.
- High value wrongful dismissal claims including breach of fiduciary duty.
- Disputes in relation to liquidated damages and penalty clauses.
- Pursuing and defending actions for declaratory relief (eg trade unions v corporations).
- High Court proceedings concerning trade unions including applications for injunctive relief to restrain strike action.
- Class actions including claims concerning the incorporation of the terms of collective agreements into individual contracts of employment.
- Non-contentious work including drafting restrictive covenants and other service agreement restrictions.
Sectors covered include banking and financial services, sport, media, national and local government, retail and technology.
Statutory Employment
Paul Gilroy is a specialist Employment Tribunal practitioner who is instructed in cases of the greatest value, complexity and sensitivity. His Tribunal practice spans the full range of workplaces, from local and central government, the NHS, commerce and industry to the professions and academia.
Appointments
- Part-time Judge of Employment Tribunals (appointed 2000).
Notable recent work
- Lopez-Bondi v Lascaux. High 6 figure victimisation and harassment claim for hedge fund recruiter.
- Acting for senior employee of Manchester United in claim for age discrimination.
- Acting for substantial public authority defending multiple (c. 130) claims of unlawful inducement contrary to s.145B of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
- Acting for senior RAF officer in high 6 figure claim against the RAF for victimisation arising from enforced application of recruitment quotas.
- Acting for high profile national retailer defending 7 figure claim of whistleblowing, disability discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
Whistleblowing
Paul Gilroy has extensive experience of whistleblowing detriment and dismissal cases, having dealt with many whistleblowing cases from the very inception of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, his involvement ranging from pre-emptive advice to providing strategic advice and acting at first instance and on appeal for employers and employees and investigating and dealing with whistleblowing complaints for a wide range of employers from large corporations to universities and NHS Trusts.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Trade Unions
Paul Gilroy has considerable experience in the trade union field, with particular expertise in the following areas:
- Industrial action, including cradle to grave strategic advice, and applying for and resisting applications for interim and final injunctive relief.
- Advising on and conducting protective award applications (TULRA and TUPE).
- Proceedings before the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC), including strategic advice on the process, drafting, and appearing before Panels on matters such as the appropriateness of the bargaining unit and substantive applications for recognition.
- Advising proactively and reactively in relation to Kostal claims of unlawful inducement to frustrate collective bargaining.
- Advising on constitutional matters relating to trade unions, including the creation and setting up of a trade union.
- Trade union detriment claims.
- Acting for and against trade unions in collective employment disputes and claims with precedent value for individuals and workforces.
Sport
Paul Gilroy is renowned for his sports law practice, covering advisory work, litigation and all regulatory aspects of sport.
Shortlisted by Legal 500 as Sport Silk of the Year in 2024 and 2025.
His experience covers football, rugby union, rugby league, cricket, tennis, cycling, boxing, motorsport, athletics, weightlifting, gymnastics, and table tennis. He has extensive experience of issues relating to selection/non-selection, anti-doping and safeguarding in sport.
He has advised and acted for a stellar list of clients from the world of domestic and international football.
He has a particular interest in sports-related litigation and regulatory matters, both domestically and internationally before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. His work in sport has a particular emphasis on football: FA Rule K, English Football League Regulation 9 Arbitration, and proceedings before the Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC).
He has the most appearances as Counsel before the FA Premier League Managers Arbitration Tribunal (7).
Appointments
In Addition To Sitting As a Part Time Judge Of Employment Tribunals (appointed 2000), Paul Gilroy KC Holds The Following Sports Law Appointments
- Legal arbitrator for Sport Resolutions UK
- Member of Athlete selection & eligibility, Commercial, Employment and discrimination, Football, Integrity & discipline, and Paralympic and disability thematic arbitration panels of Sport Resolutions UK
Notable recent work
- Advising Martin O’Neill on appointment as Head Coach of Celtic FC.
- Advising Danny Röhl on appointment as Head Coach of Rangers FC.
- Advising Steve Clarke on renewal of appointment as Head Coach of Scotland national football team.
- Acting for leading national 8 ball pool organisation on claim airing from participation of transgender players in the sport of pool.
- Called as an expert witness on English law In appeal proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in connection with the abortive transfer of Emiliano Sala (Cardiff City FC v FC Nantes) (2023).
- Acting for senior employee of Manchester United in claim for age discrimination.
- Ms Z. Independent investigation on behalf of British Parasnowsport and UK Sport into complaints of bullying and harassment made by a para athlete.
- Advising Premier League player on internal club disciplinary proceedings.
- UK Motorsport v Orange Racing. Appearing for British GT Championship team before Motorsport UK National Courtin appeal against race disqualification for breach of parc fermé regulations
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills