News

Certain large systemic investment firms will be required to re-authorise as credit institutions following the transposition of the Investment Firms Directive (IFD) into Irish law. Three statutory instruments have been signed by finance minister Paschal Donohoe to complete the transposition of the IF

Lady Hale, the first woman justice of the UK Supreme Court and its first woman president, has been awarded an honorary degree by Queen's University Belfast (QUB). Her recognition by QUB comes days after the university also bestowed an honorary degree on the former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Irel

A farmer has been ordered to demolish a castle he spent two years and £1 million to build. The castle was built after applying for planning permission in 1998. According to Surrey farmer Robert Fidler, the council never responded to the planning permission request.

International law firm Bird & Bird has announced the official opening of its Dublin office, with plans to grow its team to at least 30 lawyers within three years. The new office will focus on the firm's core specialisms in privacy and data protection, technology, life sciences, intellectual prop

Foreign lawyers have been invited to join the Ukraine Bar Association (UBA) to show support for the war-torn country's legal profession. Lawyers anywhere in the world can become 'international participants' for €200 per year to "join our cause and help us continue our activities".

The Institute of Legal Research and Standards (ILRS) announced today that it has completed a major rebranding to better reflect its focus on delivering the only Irish risk, quality and practice management standard to law firms throughout the country. It will be known in future as the Legal Quality S

Three senior counsel will compete this week for election as chairperson of the Bar Council for a two-year term. The candidates in the running to succeed Maura McNally SC, who is held in great esteem by the bar and is regarded as having been an effective spokesperson for the profession, are Sara

Limerick solicitor Jerry Twomey has set out on an ambitious challenge to complete a 10km run in all 32 counties of Ireland to raise funds for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA). Mr Twomey's father, John, lost his fight to motor neurone disease (MND) in January 2010. The run will hon

Certain new laws risk undermining the rights, safeguards and equality protections in the Northern Ireland protocol, the human rights and equality watchdogs in Northern Ireland have warned. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland have publ

The merger of global law firm Clyde & Co and UK-headquartered BLM has been finalised, with BLM's offices in Dublin, Belfast and Derry now operating under the Clyde & Co brand. The combined firm has global revenues of over £700 million per year, a headcount of over 5,000 and offices in

An associate solicitor at Cleaver Fulton Rankin has been recognised as a rising star at the annual LawNet Awards 2022. Nathan Campbell, who works in the firm's employment and immigration team, was the only award winner from Northern Ireland at this year's ceremony, receiving the award in the "Rising

Allen & Overy (A&O) has raised over £30,000 for pregnancy and baby loss charity Sands in Northern Ireland and across the UK following a three-year pro bono and community investment partnership. Sands works to save babies’ lives and to make sure that the right care and support is

Lady Hale, the former president of the UK Supreme Court, has warned of the "risks and dangers" posed by the proposed British Bill of Rights in a speech delivered in Belfast. The retired judge was invited to give the keynote address at the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's (NIHRC) annual hum

Human rights organisation JUSTICE has been granted permission to intervene in a UK Supreme Court case concerning the introduction of safe access zones around abortion clinics in Northern Ireland. The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill, which was approved by MLAs in March, has been referred t

A pair of prominent hoteliers have been rebuked by a judge over their "completely mad" battle over a worthless purple suitcase. Judith Andersson and Diane Ward have incurred costs of over £60,000 in the court battle over the suitcase, which contains family photographs with "no monetary value".