A UK Supreme Court ruling on the Legacy Act and the Windsor Framework has drawn sharply contrasting reactions from politicians and campaigners in Northern Ireland. The court ruled unanimously that elements of the 2023 Legacy Act did not diminish victims’ rights under the Windsor Framework, ove
Appointments
See all articlesHolmes has announced the appointment of David Curran as partner in the firm’s commercial litigation and insurance unit. Mr Curran is a dual-qualified and highly experienced commercial and Insurance litigation lawyer and in particular, has extensive experience in professional negligence litigat
DLA Piper has announced that Barry Noonan and Conor McEneaney have been promoted to the firm’s global partnership. Barry Noonan joined DLA Piper Ireland in 2021 and is an experienced real estate lawyer specialising in commercial property transactions. He played a key role in the firm’s r
Holmes has announced the appointments of Dearbhla Considine as of counsel and James O’Mahony as senior associate in its real estate unit. Dearbhla Considine joins Holmes with more than 20 years’ experience as a real estate transaction lawyer and real estate professional support lawyer in
Cleaver Fulton Rankin has strengthened its planning & environment team with the addition of two solicitors. The department has welcomed associate director Orla Kelly, a specialist planning and environmental law solicitor with over 10 years’ experience advising a wide range of clients on co
Gibney Hogan LLP has announced that Sarah Bruen has joined the firm as a partner, leading the firm’s litigation and dispute resolution practice. Over the course of her career she has represented both domestic and international clients, state bodies, insurance companies, insurance b
McCann FitzGerald has announced three new partner promotions, effective from today. The new partners are Ruth Hughes and Donncha Sexton in the corporate group, and David McCauley in the litigation group.
Northern Ireland
See all articlesHuman rights protections came under severe strain in Northern Ireland during 2025, according to Amnesty International’s annual report, The State of the World’s Human Rights, published today. Legacy issues, unlawful PSNI surveillance, attacks on press freedom and record levels of ra
Cleaver Fulton Rankin director Sinead Stewart has been presented with the Professional Services Excellence award at the Women in Business NI Awards 2026. The award recognises women who consistently exceed expectations in a professional services environment.
JMK Solicitors has been ranked as Northern Ireland's most active personal injury law firm for a 12th consecutive year. The latest figures from the compensation recovery unit (CRU) within the Department for Communities show that JMK managed 2,414 cases in 2025, more than any other firm.
District judges in Northern Ireland are set to be given power to impose fines of up to £50,000 for water pollution offences. Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has published responses to two separate policy consultations which will inform the dr
Tughans lawyer Aoife Murray has been appointed as chair of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Northern Ireland Young Planners Committee. The committee supports early career planners across Northern Ireland through professional development, networking and knowledge‑sharing initiatives.
Universities
See all articlesRaising the age of criminal responsibility is overdue, but the proposed tiered model risks incoherence unless the scope of serious offence exceptions – particularly for sexual harm – is more clearly defined and justified, writes Professor Kevin J. Brown of Queen’s University Belfas
Mr Justice Séamus Woulfe of the Supreme Court of Ireland has launched the sixth edition of the Plassey Law Review at the University of Limerick. Mr Justice Woulfe, who contributed a foreword to the publication, addressed a varied audience drawn from the legal, academic, and student communitie
Dr Lydia Bracken of the School of Law, University of Limerick, has been awarded over €200,000 in research funding under the Research Ireland Collaborative Alliances for Societal Challenges (COALESCE) programme for her project on LGBTQI+ parent families’ experiences of accessing reproducti
Four legal academics are among seven people who have been appointed to serve as members of Ireland's Council of State. The new appointees include Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Professor Colin Harvey, Professor Donncha O'Connell and Professor Conor O'Mahony.
Phoenix Law partner Darragh Mackin has been recognised with an award from Trinity College Dublin's student branch of FLAC.
Interviews
See all articlesFor Anne-Marie Linehan, the past couple of years at J.W. O'Donovan LLP have resembled the proverbial situation when three buses arrive at the same time. First, in 2024 and after 93 years the firm relocated to new premises in Cork's South Mall, reflecting its ongoing commitment to supporting clients
Since its inauguration in 1911, International Women's Day has evolved into much more than a symbolic diary date. It’s now an annual event that not only celebrates the achievements of women, but also sharpens the focus on inequality, calls for the acceleration of progress and challenges organis
Colin Cardwell
February is proving a busy time for Seán Brassil. Last month he was appointed general counsel at the Irish Rugby Football Union, 10 years after first writing to the IRFU offering his services during the court vacation period with a view to gaining experience in an industry about which he&rsqu
Colin Cardwell
Visitors to Galway will be familiar with attractions such as the city’s Spanish Arch, Cathedral and Latin Quarter. Perhaps less so, however, with its reputation as a major European hub for the medical technology sector. With its established cluster of global medtech companies, strong links wit
Colin Cardwell
Adam Synnott has the felicitous capacity to combine brisk efficiency with engaging affability. It’s a useful admixture that undoubtedly facilitates his career at EY Law Ireland, a stand-alone, regulated law firm which forms part of the global EY network. Mr Synnott, partner and head of corpora
Colin Cardwell





