Academics, members of the judiciary, the Director of Public Prosecutions and other former students and colleagues took part in the event, titled Justice, Equality & Rights: Transforming the University for the Public Good.

Former chief justice Frank Clarke praised Professor Fennell’s innovation in spearheading clinical legal education at UCC School of Law.

“I see this engagement between practice — in its widest sense — and academia as being a hugely valuable, interactive, two-way street in our process, and one to which the creation of the clinical programme at UCC has made a significant contribution,” he said.