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Stephen Barry

Partner

Stephen is a Partner in our Dispute Resolution & Litigation Department with experience in regulatory investigations.

Stephen is a commercial litigator, experienced in leading complex and high value disputes across a range of disciplines and sectors, with significant experience in defending regulatory investigations on behalf of corporate clients, working with boards and executive teams. He advises on the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious environmental, planning and health & safety work, including environmental and regulatory risk.

He represents data centers, PLCs, multinationals, residential developers, utility companies and renewable energy clients throughout the planning process through to judicial reviews, enforcement and securing and defending interlocutory applications including major commercial and environmental disputes. Stephen is described as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ in legal directories and described as ‘a key name for contentious planning and environmental matters’

Stephen leads our Health and Safety group and has acted on behalf of a number of clients in navigating regulatory investigations by the HSA and EPA. As a result of his experience, he is a key member of the Investigations and Risk Management team at Eversheds Sutherland.

Stephen's experience includes:

  • Advising Kingspan in an investigatory review of compliance and governance in the UK Insulation Boards business arising from its participation as a core participant in the UK’s Grenfell Tower Inquiry and identifying recommendations for implementation.
  • Acting for a group of corporate shareholders in a multimillion euro Commercial Court Energy contractual dispute relating to transaction documents for a wind farm
  • Acting for EY in defending Commercial Court proceedings brought by IBRC against EY relating to its role as the former auditors of Anglo Irish Bank relating to the ‘bed and breakfasting’ of directors loans by the former Chairman of the bank.
  • Working with Swissport in a Health and Safety Authority investigation of a fatal workplace injury.
  • Acting for the founders of RIP.ie in defending Commercial Court proceedings of a dispute over a shareholding claim from an alleged shareholder seeking specific performance.
  • Advising Berenberg bank on planning and environmental matters of its cross-border financing of 1.36GWp of solar projects across Ireland and the UK in development by Elgin Energy.
  • Designing a risk matrix to new entrants to the nascent offshore wind farm sector on the Marine Area Planning Act 2021 onshore and offshore consenting regime.
  • Providing strategic legal advice to operators and developers in the data centre sector on the relevant planning and environmental permitting regime applicable to the industry.
  • Acting for Hammond Lane Metal Company in its successful defence of an Environmental Protection Agency investigation and prosecution in respect of alleged breaches of conditions attaching to the Industrial Emissions Licence.
  • Advising the Board of a transport and logistics company in defence of a criminal prosecution in indictment arising from a workplace incident
  • Acting for Cara Environmental in its defence of a criminal and civil regulatory case, involving a €100m cross border claim for contamination of animal feed in Holland, Belgium and Ireland.
  • Advising Guarantee Protection Insurance Limited in a number of insurance coverage claims relating to structural defects insurance policies and separately in subrogation proceedings relating to construction developments of a Dublin housing estate.
  • Providing planning advice to a Renewable Energy client in its acquisition of a 36MW wind farm Including providing planning due diligence, section 160 planning injunction, enforcement notices, Section 5 declarations and the assessment of
    authorized/unauthorized development.
  • Advising Shoreline Partnership in its defence of judicial review proceedings seeking to quash a grant of planning permission of An Bord Pleanala in respect of the construction of 1221 residential units at Baldoyle, County Dublin.
  • Speaker on ESG litigation risk in the Financial Services Sector (2023)
  • Speaker at the EU Eversheds International Client Conference on ESG, Brand and Reputation risk (2023)
  • Keynote speaker on behalf of CMG events on “Managing and defending EPA prosecutions” (2023)
  • Keynote speaker on behalf of CMG events on “ The EPA’s licencing and permitting regime” (2023)
  • Speaker at the La Touche Regulatory Annual Conference ‘Privilege in investigations’ (2021)
  • Lecturer at the Law Society Diploma in Commercial Litigation (2019, 2020 and 2021)
  • Co-presenter IOD 'Director Factsheet' on ‘COVID-19 and Remote Working’ (2021)
  • Radio interview with Matt Cooper Today FM ‘Covid-19 – H&S in the workplace’ (2020)
  • Health and Safety Lawyer Committee Member (HSLAI) and speaker (2017-2022)
  • Speaker Health and Safety Review Annual ConferenceDefending civil and criminal H&S claims’ (2020)
  • Speaker at Irish Institute of Professional Education ‘Defending EPA Prosecutions’ (2022)
  • Speaker at The Irish Wind Energy Association ‘The Maritime Planning Act’ (2021)
  • Speaker LLP multi sector event ‘Crisis Management and the role of media’ (2020)
  • Speaker at British Irish Chamber of Commerce ‘Judicial Review of Planning decisions’ (2020)
  • Eversheds Sutherland Podcast joint co-ordinator and contributor (2019 – 2022)
  • Author “Enshrining the Climate Action Plan in Law” (2020)
  • Author “Ireland’s Offshore Renewable Consenting Regime Moves a Step Closer to Implementation” (2022)
  • Author “Environmental insights Integrated mitigation of planning and judicial review risk” (2021)
  • Author “Coronavirus - Pausing planning elements – Ireland” (2020)
  • Author “Coronavirus - Health and Safety update - COVID-19 and how to manage the risks of working alone – Ireland” (2020)
  • Irish Independent newspaper article ‘Apple sized bite - Planning law in Ireland’ (2018)

Stephen Barry is "excellent" - Legal 500

'Stephen Barry is solid, pragmatic, and very commercial.’ - Legal 500

‘Stephen Barry is always responsive and provides high-quality, commercially savvy advice.’ - Legal 500

‘I mainly deal with Stephen Barry whom I find readily available and whom (is) quick to provide advice following instruction with a clear path to resolution as applicable.’ - Legal 500

‘Stephen Barry is pragmatic, approachable and practical. He has a clear and deep understanding of the planning and environmental regime. Stephen stands out for his knowledge of the Irish planning and environmental regime whilst adapting a commercial outlook.’ - Legal 500

Legal 500 EMEA-Next Generation Partner 2021

Outside of advising clients, Stephen has been interviewed on radio; presented at numerous professional training lectures on regulatory investigations; spoken at the Irish Institute of Professional Education and lectured at the Law Society Diploma in Commercial Litigation. He has also been quoted in various newspaper media and provided podcast commentary on environmental litigation.

Chairperson Health and Safety Lawyer Association (2023); 

Irish Environmental Lawyers Association (IELA) Member;  

CEDR accredited mediator

  • CEDR Accredited Mediator
  • Law Society of Ireland (2002 – 2005)
  • University College Dublin LLM Commercial Law (2000 – 2001)
  • University College Dublin BCL (1997 – 2000)
Stephen Barry

Partner

Stephen Barry

Partner

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