Mark Garrett

The honour, traditionally reserved for barristers, has been bestowed on solicitors since 2020. Of the 29 solicitors who have so far received this recognition, just five are women.

The Law Society has encouraged more solicitors to apply to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) for the use of the senior counsel title.

Mark Garrett, director general of the Law Society, said: “Solicitors contribute to all areas of Irish society, a society which has grown in diversity and now requires similar diversity reflected among its most experienced legal advisors.

As the largest branch of the legal profession, solicitors provide a valuable perspective on the administration of justice. Their unique experience as trusted advisors working directly with clients to enable businesses, organisations and communities to thrive will contribute to the diversity and inclusion we would like to see among senior counsel.”

He added: “Solicitors hold a position of immense responsibility and trust in our society and are committed to developing in-depth specialist knowledge. Integrity and honesty are shared values and fundamental characteristics of both the solicitors’ profession and senior counsel.

“As such, society will benefit from increased representation of solicitors as senior counsel. It is practically important that we see more women and more legal professionals from diverse backgrounds joining the ranks of senior counsel in the years ahead.”

Áine Hynes SC

Áine Hynes SC, chairperson of the Law Society’s mental health and capacity law task force, said: “Women are in the majority of the solicitors’ profession in Ireland and it is vital that the knowledge, experience and contribution to society by women is enhanced. We need to progress diversity among senior counsel to reflect Irish society, and this starts with empowering more women to apply.

“It was the honour of a lifetime to be among the first women solicitors to use the title senior counsel. I look forward to seeing many more solicitors, and many more women solicitors, apply for and receive the Patent of Precedence in the years ahead.”

Richard Hammond SC, chair of the Law Society’s education committee, said: “There is tremendous talent within the solicitors’ profession, and attaining the status of senior counsel is a great way of promoting both the appointed solicitor and the profession in general. The collegiate nature of the profession is also important.

“When solicitors were first invited to apply for senior counsel in 2020, I was encouraged by many colleagues to put myself forward, and without such encouragement I may not have done. We need more solicitors to apply to become senior counsel and a little encouragement from a trusted colleague can go a long way.”