‘It’s the end of an era’: Firm headed by late employment lawyer Richard Grogan to close

The award-winning law firm headed by the recently deceased employment lawyer Richard Grogan is to close.

Caoimhe McConnell, formerly head of personal injuries litigation at Richard Grogan & Associates, confirmed on Thursday that the firm’s practice is in the process of being wound down.

“I’m in the middle of clearing out the office today, it’s the end of an era,” she said.

A statement provided by Ms McConnell to The Irish Times said: “David O’Riordan, partner in Sherwin O’Riordan Solicitors and Head of Employment Law, is the current practice manager for the purposes of winding down the practice and is looking after many of the former clients of Richard Grogan & Associates.

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“Caoimhe McConnell, formerly head of personal injuries litigation in Richard Grogan & Associates, has joined Sherwin O’Riordan Solicitors as partner and has brought her client following with her.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was among those who paid tributes to Mr Grogan following his death in November after a short illness.

The 65-year-old became an unlikely TikTok star, with more than 250,000 followers, by posting videos setting out advice, in simple and accessible language, on employment law issues and the rights of employees. His catchphrase was: “That’s the law and that’s a fact.” He made the videos after doing a course on the use of social media in the legal profession.

In a Twitter post last November following the solicitor’s death, Mr Varadkar said: “His videos on employment law were straightforward and informative. We all used to watch them in the Department. We have lost a servant of the people – that’s a fact.”

The Law Society of Ireland said it was “deeply saddened” to learn of the death of Mr Grogan, who was a member of the society’s council. Solicitor Keith Walsh, also a council member, said Mr Grogan in recent years became “the best-known solicitor in Ireland for his ability to communicate the law in a completely new and accessible way”.

Mr Grogan was educated at Blackrock College and UCD. He qualified as a solicitor in 1979 and set up his firm in Dublin in 2009. He was a member of the Employment Law Association of Ireland, the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association and the Employment and Equality Committee of the Law Society. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award and was named Lawyer of the Year at the Law Society’s 2022 Irish Law Awards.