Ciaran O’Shiel is a partner in A&L Goodbody and leads the firm’s media and technology litigation team in Belfast. He is ranked by Chambers & Partners as a Band 1 partner for defamation and has successfully defended cases for many of the largest media and technology companies in the world.
His practice is focused on the defence of major defamation, misuse of private information, breach of data protection and intermediary liability claims. Ciaran specialises in the defence of group action claims and has represented clients before the High Court and Court of Appeal.
Ciaran acts for publishers, broadcasters and platforms across a range of issues including applications for injunctive relief, reporting restrictions, production orders, applications for Norwich Pharmacal relief and challenges to jurisdiction, including acting in the leading case in NI for service of proceedings out of the jurisdiction.
As head of the firm’s intellectual property disputes team in Belfast, Ciaran has acted in patent, trade mark, passing off, copyright and breach of confidence proceedings. He also regularly advises private and public organisations on business-critical issues relating to cyber security incidents, data breach response and ICO investigations.
Areas of Expertise
Litigation & Dispute Resolution/Commercial & Technology/Intellectual Property/ Media/Corporate Reputation & Defamation/Disputes/Investigations
Experience Advising:
- Successfully defending multiple proceedings on behalf of a multinational media company which included claims for defamation, misuse of private information, breach of data protection and harassment.
- A public limited company and its subsidiaries in relation to group action proceedings involving thousands of data protection and privacy claims following a highly sophisticated cyber-security attack.
- An international news organisation in the successful defence of a privacy and data protection based injunction before the High Court and Court of Appeal.
- A multinational technology company in relation to High Court proceedings for online defamation and breach of data protection legislation involving safe harbour defences under the E-Commerce Directive.
- A luxury goods brand owner in relation to trademark infringement and passing off proceedings in the Commercial Court arising from the importation of counterfeit goods.
- Other recent experience includes advising on cyber incident response, regulatory investigations and complex information access requests under GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Market Recommendations
"Their client list reads like a who’s who of the industry. The team are brilliantly led by Ciaran O’Shiel. It is very rare to get such strength in depth in one team." (Chambers UK 2025)
“This is a very strong team in a niche area in Northern Ireland, which has limited expertise in IP. The firm is one of the few who can deal with complete patent and trademark disputes” (Legal 500 UK 2025)
“Ciaran is held in high regard by corporate media clients and provides a level of service in Belfast that few could deliver in London or Dublin. His attention to detail and analysis adds real value to the work of the litigation team” (Chambers UK 2024)
“The ALG team have proven to be impervious to pressure, resilient, and pragmatic in high-profile defamation cases.” (Chambers UK 2024)
Professional activities
Ciaran is a member of the Media Law Resource Center and IAPP, and a contributor to the London Media Law Blog, Inforrm.
Education
- Solicitor, Law Society of Northern Ireland
- Solicitor, Law Society of Ireland
- LLM, Law & International Commerce, Queens University Belfast
- LLB, Law, Queens University Belfast
Ciaran O’Shiel
Partner,
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland LLP