Appointments

Solicitor Billie Sparks has been named the new general secretary of the Labour Party. Ms Sparks has worked for the party since 2013 in roles such as women and equality officer and deputy general secretary, latterly working as the party's national organiser since 2016.

Denise Brett SC has been elected as chairperson of the Immigration, Asylum and Citizenship Bar Association (IACBA) at its first-ever AGM. The association, established last year with support from The Bar of Ireland, brings together barristers practising in this specialised area of law, which also inc

Lay members have been appointed to a number of Judicial Council committees and nominated for the panel of inquiry. Kieran Coughlan, Claire Archbold, Professor Maeve Conrick, Patrick Doyle and Professor Bernard McCartan have been appointed as lay members to the judicial conduct committee, which has p

Human rights expert Professor Siobhán Mullally has been appointed as the UN special rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children. A leading academic on human rights law, Professor Mullally is currently the director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights (ICHR) at NUI Galw

Lawyers Éamonn Conlon and Conor Dignam SC have joined the board of directors of Community Law & Mediation (CLM). Mr Conlon is a solicitor, arbitrator and mediator, as well as a former partner and head of corporate responsibility at A&L Goodbody.

Derry solicitor Karen O'Leary has been appointed to the editorial board of Legal Women, a new quarterly magazine for women in the law. Ms O'Leary heads up the family law practice at Caldwell & Robinson Solicitors, the Derry-based firm which expanded into Dublin last year.

LK Shields Solicitors LLP has announced the appointment of David Williams as managing partner as part of a leadership shake-up at the firm.

Maura McNally SC has been elected as chair of the Council of The Bar of Ireland, succeeding Mícheál P. O’Higgins SC after two years in the post. She becomes the second-ever woman elected to the position, following Ms Justice Mella Carroll who held the role more than four decades

Business law firm Mason Hayes & Curran LLP has announced the promotion of Shane Reynolds to partner in the firm's health and prosecutions team. A specialist in the areas of criminal law, administrative law and investigations, Mr Reynolds helps organisations with regulatory prosecutions, and as a

Corporate and commercial law firm LK Shields has announced the promotion of projects and construction specialist Jamie Ritchie to partner. Mr Ritchie plays a central role in advising some of the firm's largest domestic and international clients on their legal requirements in infrastructure, construc

Legal rights group FLAC has announced the appointment of solicitor Christopher McCann to provide advocacy and legal representation to the Traveller community. The rights group is launching a dedicated Traveller legal service, supported by the Community Foundation and in co-operation with a steering

William Fry partner Sonya Manzor has been appointed to lead the firm's multidisciplinary, full-service tax team. Ms Manzor, who joined the firm in 2005, advises both domestic and multinational corporations across a range of sectors on Irish tax matters.

Commercial law firm Tughans has announced the appointment of three new partners and a private client director. New partner Chris Milligan has joined the commercial real estate team as a partner, while Andrew Kirke has been promoted to partner seven years after joining the firm. Mr Milligan, an energ

Maynooth University has appointed Dr Avril Brandon and Dr Cian Ó Concubhair as assistant professors in the Department of Law. Dr Brandon, who joined the university in September, has been promoted to assistant professor of criminology, while Dr Ó Concubhair has joined the department as

Tralee firm Pierse McCarthy Lucey Solicitors LLP has announced the promotion of Alex Hoffman to partner in the firm. Mr Hoffman joined the firm as an associate solicitor in September 2018, having previously trained and worked with a Cork law firm for 17 years.