Top lawyers earned over €650,000 from legal aid scheme last year

Top lawyers earned over €650,000 from legal aid scheme last year

Two Irish lawyers earned more than €650,000 through the criminal legal aid scheme in 2018, according to new Department of Justice figures.

Barrister Michael Bowman SC, who also topped the legal aid table in 2017 with €566,156, earned €656,198 in 2018.

Meanwhile, prolific criminal defence solicitor Michael J. Staines earned €654,513 over the same period.

The highest earning junior counsel in 2018 was Brian McInerney with €335,188.

Overall, the State paid €59.6 million to lawyers through the criminal legal aid scheme in 2018, with an average €108,893 payout for senior counsel, €27,319 for junior counsel, and €41,690 for solicitors.

Top ten earning senior counsel in 2018

Name 2018 payout
Michael Bowman €656,197.96
Brendan Grehan €607,678.29
Bernard Condon €553,135.75
Mark Nicholas €405,880.42
Michael O’Higgins €342,695.45
Colman Cody €342,500.70
Padraig Dwyer €320,070.60
Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha €314,517.45
Séamus Clark €308,461.25
Lorcan Staines €302,720.22

Top ten earning junior counsel in 2018

Name 2018 payout
Brian McInerney €335,188.23
Keith Spencer €319,404.36
Tessa White €250,123.50
Kieran Kelly €217,856.88
Luigi Rea €208,114.77
Pieter Le Vert €200,263.59
Dean M. Kelly €185,950.17
Patrick Martin Whyms €180,588.96
Tony McGillicuddy €171,440.41
Sarah-Jane O’Callaghan €170,982.03

Top ten earning solicitors in 2018

Name 2018 payout
Michael J. Staines €654,512.51
Tony Collier €522,197.94
Michael Hennessy €497,330.34
John M. Quinn €493,297.49
Cahir O’Higgins €480,118.57
Kenneth Cunningham €434,533.99
Ciarán Mulholland €428,134.87
Frank A. Buttimer €419,799.07
John O’Doherty €414,028.69
Tracy Horan €390,217.80
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