Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh

The award will be presented to Ms Ní Ghrálaigh at the association’s annual gala, taking place at the Law Society of Ireland on 13 December.

Ms Ní Ghrálaigh is a senior barrister with Matrix Chambers in London. She is called to the bars of England and Wales and both jurisdictions on the island of Ireland.

A specialist in international law and human rights, she rose to global prominence when she appeared before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on behalf of South Africa in its high-profile proceedings alleging acts of genocide by Israel in Gaza.

She recently appeared before the court again on behalf of the State of Palestine in proceedings relating to Israel’s obligations to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Much of her practice before domestic courts focuses on justice and accountability for victims of state violence, including victims of the Troubles, and on the protection of the rights to free speech and protest.

Ms Ní Ghrálaigh’s recent notable work in the UK includes the Kneecap terrorism trial, the challenge to the UK’s proscription of Palestine Action, the Bloody Sunday inquiry, and litigation by the Hooded Men.

She was featured in Irish Legal News as Lawyer of the Month in February 2022 after successfully defending one of the ‘Colston Four’ acquitted of criminal damage for toppling a statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol.

She also intervened on behalf of Conradh na Gaeilge in the Keane family’s successful challenge to the refusal to permit an untranslated Irish language inscription on their mother’s headstone in Coventry.

Ms Ní Ghrálaigh is a former vice-chair of the Bar Human Rights Committee (BHRC) in England and Wales.

She is an adjunct professor at University College Cork, University College Dublin and the University of Galway, and is a former visiting fellow at Harvard Law School.

In a statement, the IWLA said: “This honour recognises an outstanding legal professional whose dedication, leadership, and commitment to rule of law and defence of human rights exemplify the highest standards of our profession.

“We congratulate Ms Ní Ghrálaigh on this well-deserved achievement and thank her for her exceptional contributions to the legal community.”