Paul Gilroy KC

King's Counsel

Call: 1985 | Silk: 2006

Custom PDF

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 and 2025.

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

  • 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).
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 Court in 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.
  • Re: Ms Z (2018) Independent investigation on behalf of British Parasnowsport and UK Sport into complaints of bullying and harassment made by a para athlete.

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).
  • Civil claims arising from Operation Elveden (2015/16) Acting for 15 senior journalists in multiple high value claims against leading national newspaper arising out of arrest and prosecution in the “payments to public officials” inquiry which followed the criminal phone hacking investigation concerning the News of the World.
  • A v B (2016) Substantial claim against major celebrity by former employee. Successful defence of multiple applications for privacy, anonymity and restricted reporting orders.
  • AB v CD (2015) Represented Chief Superintendent in proceedings involving substantial claim for compensation against his force for sexual orientation discrimination.
  • Aulton v Various (2014-2016) Successful defence of NHS Trust in ET and EAT TUPE class action by substance abuse workers.
  • Kansal v Tullett Prebon (2015) Successful representation of broker of Indian origin in race discrimination claim against international interdealer broker in the City.
  • A19 Proceedings (2013-2016) Representing 25 police officers of Superintendent and Chief Superintendent rank in age discrimination class action arising from their compulsory retirement under Regulation A19 of the Police Pension Regulations. Presently on appeal to the Court of Appeal.
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.

His experience covers football, rugby union, rugby league, cricket, tennis, cycling, boxing, 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.

Paul Gilroy’s football practice covers the High Court and arbitration proceedings, principally FA Rule K8 matters and proceedings before the FA Premier League Managers Arbitration Tribunal.

He has the most appearances as Counsel before the FA Premier League Managers Arbitration Tribunal (7).

Notable Cases

  • Curbishley v West Ham United [2009] (FA Premier League) (Wrongful Constructive Dismissal).
  • Magilton v Ipswich Town [2011] (QBD) (Wrongful Dismissal).
  • O’Neill v Aston Villa [2011] (FA Premier League) (Wrongful Constructive Dismissal).
  • O’Leary v Al Ahli FC (Dubai) [2011-2014] Successful representation of Head Coach in wrongful dismissal claim before FIFA and on appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.
  • Norwich City v Lambert and Aston Villa [2012-2013] (FA Premier League) (Breach of Contract).
  • Adkins v Southampton [2012-2013] (FA Premier League) (Breach of Contract).
  • Henning Berg v Blackburn Rovers [2013] Successful damages claim for breach of contract.
  • Mackay v Cardiff City [2014] (FA Premier League) (Breach of Contract).
  • Sheridan v Notts County [2017] (FA Rule K arbitration) (Contractual claim).
  • Monk v Middlesbrough [2017/18] (FA Rule K arbitration) (Contractual claim).
  • Silva v Watford [2018] (FA Premier League) (Contractual claim).
  • Conte v Chelsea [2018] (FA Premier League) (Contractual claim).

Appointments

In addition to sitting as a Part-time Judge of Employment Tribunals (appointed 2000), Paul Gilroy holds the following sports law appointments:

Legal Arbitrator for Sport Resolutions UK.
Member of:

  • Athlete Selection & Eligibility
  • Commercial
  • Employment & Discrimination
  • Football
  • Integrity & Discipline, and
  • Paralympic and Disability
  • Thematic Arbitration Panels of Sport Resolutions UK.
  • FA Judicial Panel Specialist Member.
  • FA Judicial Appeal Board Specialist Member.
Regulatory

Paul Gilroy has wide-ranging regulatory experience, advising in relation to, acting in and conducting hearings in particular for Universities and sports bodies and in the NHS.

He has particular expertise in the conduct of Interim Orders and Fitness to Practise Panels before the GMC.

Notable cases

  • Instructed on behalf of senior officer of County Council to appear at appeal against his dismissal for gross misconduct.
  • Prosecuted senior police officers for corruption under the Police (Conduct) Regulations in internal proceedings conducted by their force.
  • Appointed by NHS Trust to chair Gross Misconduct proceedings against Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist.
  • Successfully defended Postgraduate Dean before a Panel of the Academic Senate of a University on 50 charges of bullying and harassment.
  • Appointed by University Vice Chancellor to chair five separate panels to determine grievances and grievance appeals brought by senior academics.
  • Instructed to obtain injunctive relief to restrain the taking of disciplinary action against a Senior Consultant.
  • Represented GP charged in GMC proceedings with serious professional misconduct following acquittal of serious sexual offences.
  • Numerous cases (in various contexts) involving the application of Maintaining High Professional Standards in the Modern NHS (“MHPS”) and similar.
  • Conducted independent investigation on behalf of a sports governing body into alleged wrongdoing which had led to withdrawal of public funding.

Paul Gilroy has also been instructed in high profile public inquiries (Ashworth Hospital and Harold Shipman).

What the directories say

  • Paul is very approachable, pragmatic and knowledgeable and he is a delight to work with.” Chambers & Partners 2026
  • “Paul is able to make clients feel at ease while being unbelievably technically capable. He’s also incredibly available.” Chambers & Partners 2026
  • “A phenomenal legal brain and a force to be reckoned with in cross-examination.” Legal 500 2026
  • “He is extremely effective and he does the utmost for his clients.” (Chambers & Partners 2025)
  • “His advocacy is supreme. He has a very gentle and engaging manner which belies his intellect.” (Legal 500 2025)
  • “Paul is a great trial advocate who knows how to pitch cases and which avenues to pursue. His cross-examination is brutally efficient.” (Chambers and Partners 2024)
  • “Paul is exceptionally efficient, extremely responsive and has a relentless energy to ensure the absolute best outcome for those he represents. He inspires the utmost confidence in clients.” (Legal 500 2024)
  • “Paul is a skilled and powerful advocate, who can tailor his style to the occasion.” (Legal 500 2024)

Footer