News

A new chief state pathologist has been permanently appointed nearly three years after the position became vacant. Dr Linda Mulligan, who has served as interim chief state pathologist since June 2019, will now take on the important role on a permanent basis.

Northern Ireland needs a dedicated inpatient facility for young people with drug and alcohol issues, the Children's Law Centre (CLC) has said. In a written submission to the Department of Health's consultation on a substance abuse strategy, the law centre said there may be a "critical mass" of child

Barrister Gillian McGaughey BL will serve as a non-executive member of the Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency (NIGALA) for a further 12 months. Health Minister Robin Swann today announced the 12-month extension to the terms of two members from 1 February 2021 to a date not later than 31 Janua

Solicitor Anne Kingsley has been appointed to the board of Northern Ireland's Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA). Ms Kingsley is qualified in England and Wales and works as a professional support lawyer for LexisNexis, specialising in local government law, including edu

Six films have been shortlisted by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) for the 2021 Human Rights on Film Award as part of the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival. The rights group has assembled a five-person film jury chaired by advocate and educator Sinéad Burke, joined

A Pakistani court has indefinitely delayed the appeal hearing of a Christian couple who have been on death row since 2014. Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat Emmanuel were imprisoned in 2013 and later sentenced to death for allegedly insulting the prophet Muhammad.

Armed police on rollerblades will patrol the streets of one of the world's largest cities under a strange new initiative. The new armed rollerblading unit in Karachi, Pakistan has been established to help crack down on street thefts and harassment.

The High Court has granted summary judgment against a defendant for €11 million despite the summons and grounding affidavit containing inadequate particulars of the debt. The court held that the defendants had exhibited a detailed statement of account which was already in their possession at th

Family lawyers are experiencing a substantial increase in enquiries involving allegations of domestic violence and coercive control, comparable to the increase during the first Covid-19 lockdown, Irish Legal News has learned. Domestic violence charity Safe Ireland, which represents 39 front-line org

Nine people, including two solicitors and a law professor, have been appointed to the inaugural board of the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA). The new regulator, which will meet for the first time tomorrow, will oversee the effective governance, financial management and performan

The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Inquiry has recovered recordings of testimony from around 550 survivors which it said had been destroyed. A major legal row developed earlier this month after the commission, which was established in 2015 and published its final report last month, said it had

Ireland's human rights watchdog has been granted permission to act as amicus curiae in a case concerning the National Driving Licence Service’s (NDLS) refusal to permit asylum seekers to exchange their foreign driving licences for Irish ones. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has

Our regular round-up of deals involving Irish law firms. Submit your deals to newsdesk@irishlegal.com. Arthur Cox has advised Total Produce plc on its agreement to combine with Dole Food Company Inc., creating the world's largest fresh fruit and vegetable supply business.

Kennedys partner Noel Devins and senior associate Gearóid Corrigan examine a court ruling on the renewing of summons with important implications for Irish solicitors. Murphy v HSE, a recent Court of Appeal decision, confirmed the correct legal test for the renewal of a Summons under Order 8 R

Rosemary Connolly, principal solicitor at Rosemary Connolly Solicitors, Employment and Equality Lawyers, welcomes the UK Supreme Court ruling in Uber v Aslam and Others (Respondents). The Supreme Court ruled last Friday that taxi drivers providing services to Uber were workers providing personal ser