Ricky Kelly
Partner, Cork Office
Ricky leads RDJ’s Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data Protection Practice. He adopts a commercial, practical and strategic approach to assisting clients effectively manage, respond to and recovery from cyber and data security incidents while also mitigating against potential future risks.
His experience includes the end-to-end management of Business Email Compromise, Ransomware, Corporate Network Compromise, Denial of Service, and Insider attacks together with Operations Incidents, Data Leaks and Payment Redirection Fraud.
He also regularly provides bespoke compliance training to organisations in relation to their implementation of and compliance with their Privacy, Data Protection and Information security obligations. This includes:
- the development and implementation of appropriate policies, procedures and guidance documents
- advising in relation to the processing of all categories of personal data
- the review and introduction of new data processing activities and technologies together with the undertaking of risk, data protection impact and legitimate interest assessments
- the preparation and review of agreements relating to the collection, processing, sharing, transfer (including international transfers), and disclosure of information and personal data
- the sharing of personal data with and between public bodies
- the exercise of Data Subject rights, complaints including complaints to regulatory authorities
- advising in relation to audits and statutory investigations
Ricky is an active member of RDJ’s Dispute Resolution team has broad experience advising a range of foreign, national, multi-national and institutional clients in complex disputes. Ricky regularly represents clients before the various Civil Courts of Ireland including the Commercial High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
Education
University College Cork (BCL) (LLM) (Master’s Degree in law)
Waterford Institute of Technology (Higher Diploma in Legal and Business)
Law Society of Ireland (Diploma in Corporate Law and Governance)
PDP - Practitioner Certificate in Data Protection
BSI Group – Computer Forensics
Professional
Admitted as a solicitor in Ireland.
Admitted in England & Wales (non-practising)
Certified Data Protection Practitioner
Accolades
Ricky has been recognised by The Legal 500 for his work in Information Technology and Data Privacy and Protection Law.
‘Ricky Kelly has been a reliable point of contact for years with respect to our data protection crisis management. He generally responds within the same day and provides an initial steer followed by more detailed conversations and advice. He is approachable, helpful and really quick thinking and solution focused.’– The Legal 500 (2025)
'Ricky Kelly has been absolutely brilliant in his legal advice. I consider him to have a genius mind. The way he operates is totally professional, efficient, and up to date. He has his facts in his head and is very up to the minute in case law and legal knowledge. He is very approachable and always available.'– The Legal 500 (2025)
‘We have been extremely well advised by Ricky Kelly and his team. We came to them with major problems and I mean major and very complicated and intricate ones. Ones that we thought were hopeless. We are very happy to say that all of these issues have been successfully resolved by Ricky Kelly and his team in RDJ. We are extremely grateful and can never thank them enough.’– The Legal 500 (2025)
Ricky provides numerous value adds to our business and customers– The Legal 500 (2024)
showed total dedication and knowledge of the court system, judges and the best legal approach.– The Legal 500
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