Chief State Solicitor’s Office holds Annual Client Conference

The event commenced with a welcome and an opening address by Maria Browne, Chief State Solicitor, who set the tone for the day by emphasising the significance of the legal framework within which Government operates and its impact on commercial, property, and litigation matters.

The conference addressed three major aspects of State legal practice, and senior CSSO solicitors presented on each in the context of the overall theme of the day.

The first plenary session was hosted by the CSSO Commercial & Employment Law Division, with presentations focusing on green and social procurement and its practical implications for State clients. The CSSO State Property Division followed with presentations on recent legislative reform, intra-State transactions and the implementation of Government policy by contract. The final session of the conference considered the practical implementation of the State Litigation Principles and was hosted by the CSSO Litigation Divisions (Administrative Law, Constitutional & State Litigation and Justice). Each session was followed by a panel discussion with a Q&A.

The conference concluded with a closing address by Rossa Fanning SC, Attorney General of Ireland, on the rationale behind the State Litigation Principles and underscoring the considerable benefits of adherence to these Principles when the State is engaged in litigation.

“The conference was a great opportunity for us to meet with our clients in an informal setting and share different perspectives on the practical implementation of the various principles at play in our collective delivery of service,” said Maria Browne, Chief State Solicitor.

Breakout sessions during and after the conference provided space for attendees to network with peers and further explore the theme of the conference in the context of the delivery of Government’s strategic objectives.