Irish legal bodies host discussion on fair civil trials ahead of European Lawyers’ Day

The Bar of Ireland and the Law Society of Ireland jointly hosted the “Does The Law Ensure Fair Civil Trials? An International Panel Perspective on Upholding the Rule of Law” event.

The theme of this year’s European Lawyers’ Day is “Why lawyers matter: Defending the defenders of the Rule of Law”.

In line with this theme, legal professionals from across the world came together in Dublin to share international perspectives on fair civil trials.

Robert F. Hedrick, an attorney with Aviation Law Group PS in Seattle, and Niamh Hodnett, a solicitor with the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), moderated a discussion addressing questions including judges versus juries, the role of government investigations in civil trials, recoverable damages, and time to trial and cost.

Micheál P O’Higgins SC, chair of the Council of The Bar of Ireland, said: “It is an honour to welcome legal professionals from the UK, Canada, France and the US to exchange ideas and best practise on fair civil trials. While civil trials vary greatly across jurisdictions, it is crucial to ensure there is fairness across the board for those involved in the legal system, whether defendants, plaintiffs, or others.

“As legal professionals this is an issue of great importance to us as we consider ourselves to be defenders of the rule of law by acting against unlawful situations and defending citizens’ rights. We are delighted to team with our international peers to mark this occasion.”