Orla graduated from the University of Ulster, Jordanstown in 2001 with an LLB Hons in Law & Government before completing her studies at the College of Law in Birmingham where she obtained her Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Professional Skills Course, qualifying as a Solicitor.
She is qualified to practice in the jurisdictions of Northern Ireland and England and Wales, has completed her Stage 1 and Stage 2 Management Course and is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association, the Association of Regulatory & Disciplinary Lawyers and the Employment Lawyers Group NI.
Orla joined the Employment Law Department in 2018 following a legal career that involved her working in private practice, for the Employment Tribunal Service, a Trade Union and the public sector, working on both the Historical Institutional Abuse and Renewable Heat Incentive Inquiries.
She has been responsible for overseeing the work of a legal department and her experience encompasses a number of practice areas to include employment law, clinical negligence, professional discipline and regulatory law, Coroners' Inquests, Judicial review, public enquiries and debt recovery. In the area of employment law, she has extensive experience in advising Trade Union member clients on a wide range of matters including unfair dismissal claims, unlawful deduction of wages, redundancy, TUPE, Equal Pay and all areas of discrimination. She has brought high profile, high value, and complex cases before the Central Arbitration Committee, Employment Tribunals, Employment Appeal Tribunal, High Court and Court of Appeal.
She has had control of a number of multi-claimant proceedings, project managing claims before the Tribunals and negotiating large sums of settlement compensation on behalf of her clients. She is experienced in Trade Union law matters, which includes advice on requirements for industrial action, the balloting process, acquiring Independent Trade Union Status and Collective Bargaining Rights.
Currently, Orla advises and represents private and Trade Union clients before the Tribunals and is responsible for training Trade Union officials, enabling them to effectively represent their members at grievance and disciplinary hearings.