He is joined on the new committee by Ruaidhrí Austin, John O’Kelly, Lauren Jones, Rachael Gamble, William Nugent, Emma O’Donnell, Owen Williamson, Shannon Gawley, Tiernan McKeown and Stephanie Johnston.

Belfast Recorder Judge David McFarland and Eileen Ewing, senior vice president of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, also attended yesterday’s AGM.

Commenting on his election, Mr Kinney told Irish Legal News: “I am delighted and humbled to have been elected chair of the Northern Ireland Young Solicitors Association for the coming year.

“I would first like to formally thank outgoing committee member David Cairns of Eamonn McEvoy & Co for all of his efforts and assistance throughout the year to promote the members of the association.

“I would also like to thank immediate past chair Rachael Gamble of Cleaver Fulton Rankin for her tireless work in representing the best interests of our members. I hope to build on her great success in 2019.

“Finally, I would like to sincerely thank the Law Society of Northern Ireland for their long-standing support of the NIYSA. I am eager to get our 2019 programme underway and look forward to working under their helpful guidance, for which we are eternally grateful.”

Mr Kinney added: “In what will be a defining year in Europe, we will endeavour to continue to build long-lasting networks with our counterparts across the four jurisdictions of the UK and Ireland, and also our colleagues across Europe and further afield.”