Ms Kelly-Desmond previously served as managing solicitor at Mercy Law Resource Centre, an independent law centre which provides free legal advice and representation to individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.

Before that, she worked as a solicitor in A&L Goodbody and Matheson, where she advised commercial entities, in particular financial institutions, and public bodies on investigations, regulatory matters and complex litigation and disputes.

She is chairperson of Plan International Ireland, an international development charity that works to advance the rights of children and promote equality for girls.

She is also a member of the CORU Social Workers Registration Board, representing the interests of the general public.

A graduate of University College Cork, she has completed postgraduate programmes in law and business disciplines with Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), the Leicester Castle Business School, DeMontfort University of Leicester, and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.

Commenting on her appointment, Ms Kelly-Desmond said: “I am excited to take on the role of CEO at Community Law & Mediation, an organisation that has been at the forefront of advancing access to justice for 50 years.

“At a time when human rights and the systems that protect them are increasingly under threat, CLM’s work is more important than ever. Now, more than ever, we must boldly champion human rights and equality.

“I look forward to working with our dedicated team to further our mission, strengthen our services, and ensure that marginalised individuals and communities have access to the support they need to safeguard and promote their rights.”

Éamonn Conlon, chair of Community Law & Mediation, added: “On behalf of the board and the entire team at Community Law & Mediation, I am delighted to welcome Aoife Kelly-Desmond as our new CEO.

“As we celebrate our 50th anniversary and focus on our strategic vision for the future, we look forward to working alongside Aoife to advance our mission and strengthen our impact in the years ahead.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank our outgoing CEO, Rose Wall, for her outstanding leadership of CLM over the last 12 years and to wish her our very best as she moves on to pursue new adventures and opportunities.”

Community Law & Mediation, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, was established in 1975 as Ireland’s first independent community law centre.

Over the past five decades, the organisation has evolved from a neighbourhood law centre to a national service with physical locations in Coolock and Limerick and offering new services in mediation, environmental justice and children’s law. It has played a significant role in the movement for civil legal aid in Ireland.

Each year, it assists with more than 4,700 legal and mediation matters and provides ‘know your rights’ talks and legal training to more than 1,450 people.