Opinion

Morgiane Noel explores the ethical issues arising from the use of artificial intelligence in the criminal justice system. Artificial intelligence (AI) has become such a part of our daily lives that it’s hard to avoid — even if we might not recognise it. While ChatGPT and the use of algor

Benjamin Bestgen and Alexander Jeuk discuss the practicalities of rebalancing the scales of justice making the legal system accessible to everyone. The complaint that the law tends to favour the wealthy and powerful while being much less available to the impecunious is not new. And there is much evi

James Milliken, solicitor at Belfast-based Carson McDowell, considers the impact of generative artificial intelligence on UK copyright law. At the most basic level, copyright law attempts to balance the needs of authors with the interests of society as a whole. It is intended to provide a middle gro

Ireland must withdraw from the discredited Energy Charter Treaty, argues Eoin Jackson. In February 2023, a leaked communication from the European Commission signalled that a collective EU withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) appeared "unavoidable". This follows on from announcements from

Developing a personal brand allows solicitors to differentiate themselves from their competitors and stand out in a crowded legal marketplace. A solid reputation can attract new clients and facilitate career advancement. Unfortunately, many of the brightest legal minds remain unknown because they ha

Dr Ian Marder and Dr Joe Garrihy look at the new prisons and detention bill and assess its potential impact on prison oversight. March saw the publication of the Oireachtas joint committee on justice’s report on the draft Inspection of Places of Detention Bill. This bill has significant implic

Stuart Nevin, principal associate in the Belfast office of Shoosmiths, analyses the trends in Northern Ireland's real estate market.

In advance of a public webinar today, Tim O'Connor BL examines the issues around the liability of clubs, societies and other unincorporated associations. The current consultation from the Law Reform Commission, on The Liability of Clubs, Societies and other Unincorporated Associations, has gone larg

Colin Murray, professor of law and democracy at Newcastle University, considers the Windsor Framework. It takes a long time for the fury and animosity to subside over an event like Brexit. We’ve spent seven years going back and forward over the reasons why imposing a customs and regulatory bor

David Leonard BL explores internal relocation in the context of EU asylum law. Internal relocation is governed by EU law. Article 8 of the Qualification Directive states that Member States may rely on it. Is it discretionary? Transposing Article 8 to allow reliance on internal protection is discreti

As Rishi Sunak arrives in Belfast for talks with political leaders on the Northern Ireland Protocol, Anurag Deb here examines the UK Supreme Court's latest Brexit ruling and what it means for the constitutional statutes doctrine. Anyone who is from Ireland, or who has witnessed a real (as opposed to

Professor Donncha O'Connell offers a critical perspective on the Attorney General's report into the State's historic handling of litigation concerning private nursing home charges. What was the Government thinking when it asked Attorney General Rossa Fanning, its own legal adviser, to produce a repo

Mark D Finan BL and Rose Caroline McGrath BL explore a new development in litigation seeking damages arising from data breaches in Ireland. Data Protection Day 2023 brought a new development in litigation seeking damages arising from data breaches in Ireland pursuant to Article 82 GDPR and s.117 Dat

Mary Lawlor, the UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders, reviews another difficult year for human rights. I look back on 2022 with a mixture of admiration for those brave human rights defenders who have refused to be silenced, and dismay at the weasel words of politicians and corporate lead

Cancer misdiagnosis victims may be able to file a medical negligence, or medical malpractice, lawsuit against the doctor or other party responsible for the cancer misdiagnosis, writes Janet Keane. When filing a lawsuit against another party, the patient or patient’s family is referred to