Author: Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty (Page 1 of 18)

Data Protection: US/EU Data Sharing Agreements

July 8, 2025 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the European Union (EU) requires that EU organisations may only transfer personal data outside of the EU to jurisdictions with a minimum standard for the protection of personal data.
Previously, there was an agreement between the EU and the United State (US) known as the Privacy Shield Agreement. However, the Schrems II case identified that the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Agreement was invalid because it didn’t meet the standard of data protection as guaranteed by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It was ruled that the provisions of U.S. laws do not satisfy requirements that are essentially equivalent to those required under EU law. This meant that organisations involved in the transfer of personal data to the US needed to utilise Standard Contractual Clauses to hold the data recipient to the standard of GDPR by way of contract. This is cumbersome and high risk.

The First Employee

July 3, 2025 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

Hiring a first employee is a milestone for every business. It shows growth and demonstrates a business that does more than provide a livelihood for just its founders. This milestone also brings responsibilities. As an employer it is paramount that you establish certain “safety nets” before hiring your first employee, to avoid falling into rough waters. This involves working with your legal advisor to create a suitable employment contract, employment policies, and an employment handbook.

Terms and Conditions Apply

June 24, 2025 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

When engaging in business relationships, it’s important not to overlook the significance of establishing a proper set of terms and conditions of trading. No matter if you are a new business or an established business it is never too late to establish a set of robust terms and conditions to define the responsibilities between you and you customers or clients.

Terms and conditions of trading are legally enforceable agreements between a business and its costumer, which define the rules and expectation for selling a product or service. The terms offer a non-negotiable and consistent practice in selling their products or services. Terms should be easy and simple to understand as well as being transparent, so they may provide a clear set of key terms which governs the parties. Similarly, they also ensure trust and certainty to costumers that a business will trade in congruence to those key terms and conditions. T
Terms and conditions of trading outline payment periods and methods, refund and return policies, delivery services, and more. They are essential to the productivity and efficiency of a business. Terms relating to payment allow a business to plan its cash flow and respond appropriately if there is a risk of non-payment.

If a business where to forego using any terms and conditions, they would be more susceptible to misunderstanding and uncertainty. In some cases, this increases the risk of legal disputes. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance, for a business to establish strong, reliable terms and conditions.

Data Protection and GDPR for Small Businesses

June 9, 2025 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

A small business’s data collection and processing practices are held accountable by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR came into effect on the 25th of May 2018 as a universal framework for data protection law for the European Union. It represents the harmonisation of data protection requirements across the EU. In the digital age of data protection, the GDPR is an important framework for understanding data protection for all organisations, and the rules are the same for both large and small businesses. The GDPR framework establishes the protection of personal data, builds customer trust, and enhances business operations. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and large corporations alike must be in compliance with the GDPR to safeguard their reputation and build trust with their customers.

Influencer Advertising

June 5, 2025 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

AI generated image

With the growth of social media there has been an influx of content creators or influencers, and they are growing in popularity among users of social media. Brands have taken advantage of this business prospect through the use of influencer advertisement. Influencer advertising is a form of marketing, which involves a business collaborating with an individual to create promotional content. The general rules for influencer advertising are that a person must disclose when they are endorsing a product or service and that the content must be truthful to their experience.

Welcome Taylor

June 3, 2025 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

The Fitzsimons Redmond LLP team are delighted to welcome Taylor McGrew who joins us as a summer intern. Taylor is a third year student at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, USA, where she pursuing a degree in Philosophy and Politics & International Affairs. She is particularly interested in the philosophy of law and hopes to pursue a career in law working within the area of commercial law. In her free time, she enjoy cooking new recipes, reading, and traveling to new places. She is very excited to be a part of the team at Fitzsimons Redmond LLP this summer.

Workplace Excellence Awards Finalists

May 27, 2025 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

We are delighted to be named as finalists in the Workplace Excellence Awards 2025 in the Excellence in Workplace Diversity, Culture and Inclusion Category.

Welcome Mary Kate

May 19, 2025 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

The Fitzsimons Redmond LLP team are delighted to welcome Mary Kate Tweedale who joins us as a summer intern. Mary Kate is from the United States and currently is in her last year of undergrad at the University at Buffalo, in New York. She is majoring in International Studies and Pre-Law, and is working in with us in Ireland as part of her studies. After she graduates, she hoped to go to law school, and would love to concentrate on either environmental law or immigration law. In her free time, Mary Kate loves hanging out with her friends, reading, and listening to music.

Newstalk Changemaker Awards 2025

May 12, 2025 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

John Redmond attended the launch of the Newstalk Changemaker Business Awards last week to accept our being shortlisted in the Workplace Wellbeing category. We are absolutely delighted to be finalists in this category, and look forward to the ceremony in the Mansion House.

Irish Law Awards 2025

May 8, 2025 / Lisa Quinn O'Flaherty

We are delighted to be shortlisted in the Irish Law Awards for Law Firm of the Year, Employment Law Firm of the Year, Diversity and Inclusion Law Firm of the Year and Probate Law Firm of the Year.