Tara O’Halloran

Tara acts for both claimants and respondents in the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal. She is regularly sought out for complex multi-day trials in unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing, breach of contract and TUPE-related claims.

Tara regularly acts for NHS trusts and has acted for doctors under the MHPS. She has been instructed the British Medical Association and as part of a team in their representation of Dr Eva Carneiro v Jose Mourinho & Chelsea Football Club.

Tara is often instructed in the Employment Appeal Tribunal, with several successful appearances in 3(10) and substantive hearings. She is a member of ELAAS. She has also appeared in the Court of Appeal in a claim brought against the Mayor of London for breach of s19 Equality Act 2010.

Tara also acts in public sector discrimination claims and conducts investigations on behalf of employers, understanding the need for these to be conducted sensitively and cost-effectively.

Examples of work include: –

• Employment status/ sham contract claims, notably Dynasystems for Trade and General Consulting Ltd v Moseley, EAT [2018] 1 WLUK 416;
• Indirect discrimination challenge to the Mayor of London, notably IWGB v Mayor of London, [2020] EWCA Civ 1046;
• Sexual orientation discrimination on behalf of a junior doctor accused of indecent exposure by a private hire vehicle company;
• Acting for a CEO in a TUPE-related dispute;
• Acting for an employee unfairly dismissed for using and sharing class A drugs at a Christmas party;
• Acting for respondents (public and private sector) in a wide range of unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing and breach of contract claims;
• Acting for high net-worth individuals accused of mistreating their employed nanny;
• Acting for a banking executive in her claim for unfair dismissal and sex discrimination;
• Acting for a doctor accused of dishonesty under MHPS.

Tara acts for professionals at all stages of fitness to practise proceedings including interim order and substantive hearings. She is often before the General Dental Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Heath and Care Professions Council, and Social Work England.

Recent work includes: –

• Representing a dentist accused of sexual assault;
• Representing a dentist accused of misconduct and deficient professional performance;
• Representing an occupational therapist for alleged misconduct and/or lack of competence; and
• Representing social workers for alleged misconduct and/or lack of competence.

Tara also has a keen interest in sport and recently acted for an individual facing disciplinary action by the British Horseracing Authority. She has also advised the PGA European Tour.

She is a member of the Sports Resolution Pro-Bono Panel.

Tara regularly appears in high value claims involving accidents at work, occupiers’ liability, and road traffic accidents. She has considerable experience of working with medical experts and advising on complex medical evidence.

She also has a busy inquest practice.

Examples of work include: –

• Advising a nurse attacked by a psychotic patient in a large London hospital;
• Advising a police officer bullied at work by senior members of staff;
• Advising a claimant injured in the Shoreham Airshow crash;
• Acting for a family in a jury inquest into the death of a lift worker crushed to death on a Ferry. The remaining interested parties were represented by Queen’s Counsel and senior juniors. Read more about the case here;
• Acting for families who lost a loved one in a hospital-care setting;
• Submissions for the London Ambulance Service for the inquests into the Westminster and London Bridge Terrorist Attacks;
• Representing in a case relating to the death of Ms Tahnie Martin: see here.

Tara acts for both claimants and defendants across a wide range of clinical negligence claims. She has been seconded to a defendant clinical law team and is well-versed in NHS protocols and approaches to clinical negligence claims.

Tara has extensive evidence of working with medical experts, adopts a collaborative approach with experts and solicitors to obtain the best outcome for the client.

Examples of work include: –

• Advising on a claim for delay in diagnosis of a knee infection;
• Advising on mismanagement of bladder care during labour and delivery;
• Advising on alleged negligent plastic surgery;
• Acting for a tetraplegic claimant in alleged negligent hospital care;
• Acting for a GP who failed to recognise the signs of sepsis;
• Acting for GPs accused of failing to diagnose and/or manage presentations suspicious of cancer; and
• Acting for GPs accused of failing to urgently refer patients to hospital.

Academics

English Literature & Psychology, Trinity College, Dublin (First Class)

Graduate Diploma in Law, City University, London (Commendation)

BPTC, Kaplan Law School, London (Very Competent)
Scholarships

Lord Diplock Scholarship, Middle Temple

Trinity College, Dublin Entrance Exhibition Award
Awards

2014, Semi-Finalist, European Court of Human Rights Moot, Strasbourg (Captain)

2010, Winner, UCD IV N. Debating Competition, University College, Dublin

2010, Finalist, Philosophical Society M. Debating Competition, Trinity College, Dublin

2006, Irish Representative, Harvard Model United Nations Conference

2006, Winner, Model United Nations National Final

• Hollie Douse v Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2019] EWHC 2294 (QB) – AvMA Newsletter June 2020
• Old Square Chambers Act In Judicial Review of Mayor of London’s Congestion Charge Decision
• Ben Collins QC and Tara O’Halloran feature in the AvMA Newsletter – April 2019
• High Court Grants Permission for Judicial Review of Mayor of London’s Congestion Charge Decision
• Old Square Barristers Acting In Challenge To Mayor Of London’s Congestion Charge Decision