News

The new Bar Council, chaired by Sara Phelan SC, has come into effect. Ms Phelan was elected in July to succeed Maura McNally SC in the prominent role, which she will hold from today until 11 September 2023.

Information and tracing services under new landmark legislation will become available in three weeks' time, the government has announced. The Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 provides a right of access to birth certificates, birth and early life information for all persons who were adopted, bo

Russian nationals applying for short-stay visas from EU countries must be subject to a "strict assessment of security risks", the European Commission has said. The Commission has published new guidelines for member states following a decision to suspend the EU's visa facilitation agreement with Russ

A bench painted in rainbow colours as a tribute to healthcare workers during the pandemic must be returned to its original dark brown colour, a court has ruled. The repainting of the bench in a Warwickshire churchyard last summer was made without permission from the parish priest or the parochial ch

Peter Bolger has joined EY Law Ireland as a partner and head of the firm's technology and commercial practice. Mr Bolger has more than 20 years' experience advising on all aspects of technology law, IP and commercial agreements.

The Law Society of Northern Ireland has donated a collection of books to Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI). Derval McFetridge, the Society's information and research manager, presented the books to Aonghus Kelly, executive director of IRLI, on a visit to the law library last week.

The Hibernian Law Journal has named Joshua Kieran-Glennon as editor-in-chief for its forthcoming 22nd volume. Mr Kieran-Glennon, a deputy editor of the outgoing board, is a trainee solicitor at McCann FitzGerald LLP, and succeeds Julia Launders in the role of editor-in-chief.

EY's partners will vote on the firm's break-up after leaders approved the split at a meeting this week. Speculation of the big four firm's restructuring has been going on for some time as conflicts between the auditing business and advisory arm are thought to prevent greater growth.

The Bar of Northern Ireland has welcomed the shelving of UK government plans to reform human rights legislation. The proposed Bill of Rights was due to be debated in Parliament next week, but government officials have said it is now "unlikely to progress in its current form" under new prime minister

Thousands of donkey penises set for Hong Kong have been seized by customs officials in Nigeria. The 16 sacks of penises were falsely labelled as "cow male genitals", but were correctly identified "after due examination", ABC News reports.

Human rights lawyer Michael Farrell, who played a key role in the introduction of Ireland's gender recognition laws, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by University College Dublin (UCD). As senior solicitor with legal rights group FLAC from 2005 to 2015, Mr Farrell worked on the landmark case i

A rise in prisoner numbers suggests the penal system is returning to "business as usual" after the pandemic, experts have warned. The Irish Prison Service (IPS) yesterday published its annual report for 2021 as justice minister Helen McEntee visited Limerick Prison to review its major expansion proj

A round-up of human rights stories from around the world. Verdict delayed as ailing Chinese rights lawyer refuses to 'confess', plead guilty | Radio Free Asia

The Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, Dame Siobhan Keegan, has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who died yesterday at the age of 96. In a statement, Northern Ireland's top judge said: "I am very saddened this evening by the news of the death of Her Majesty the Queen.

Business law firm Mason Hayes & Curran has appointed David McGovern as head of its aviation and asset finance practice group. Mr McGovern brings 20 years' experience in both private practice and in-house roles to the team across the Irish and international aviation industry.