Ms Ní Ghrálaigh, who has been appointed as an adjunct full professor, is a leading international and human rights expert, called to the bars of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and England and Wales, and on the International Criminal Court’s list of practice.

She has an extensive practice, acting for and advising individuals, states, NGOs and other bodies, before domestic and international courts and tribunals.

Among her many notable cases, she has acted for South Africa in its genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice and acts for Palestine in the proceedings before the court concerning Israel’s obligations to ensure food and basic services to Gaza.

Professor Buchanan, who has been appointed visiting full professor, is an economist and legal scholar holding a BA from Vassar College, a PhD in economics from Harvard, a JD from the University of Michigan, and a PhD in laws from Monash University.

He has taught economics at Harvard, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Michigan; and he has taught law at The George Washington University, New York University, and Rutgers University.

His core areas of research are tax policy, intergenerational justice, retirement security, critical perspectives on economics as applied to law, and the future of democracy in the US and the world.

Dr Pitsos, who has been appointed adjunct research fellow, is an experienced researcher, lecturer and lawyer. His research interests include competition and EU law, energy law, commercial and technology law.

He holds a law degree from National Kapodistrian University of Athens, a PhD in EU competition law and an LLM in EU business law from the Free University of Berlin, and an LLM from the UC Berkeley School of Law.

During 2024/2025, he was awarded the prestigious Ronan P Harty Newman Fellowship in Competition Law and his research has been focused on the role of competition law in realising societal objectives of sustainability, markets regulation under the recent EU Artificial Intelligence Act and the interaction between IP rights and competition.

The Honorable Patricia M Lucas is retired from the California Superior Court for Santa Clara County, where she served as presiding (chief) judge, and has been appointed adjunct full professor.

During her 20 years on the bench, Judge Lucas supervised the court’s civil and family divisions, and served in a pro tem assignment on the California Sixth District Court of Appeal.

For many years, Judge Lucas has taught California judges, and she served as the Dean of the California Judicial College. Before she took the bench in 2003, Judge Lucas practised complex civil litigation for over 20 years, most recently with the Silicon Valley firm of Fenwick & West where she chaired the litigation group.

In a statement, UCD Sutherland School of Law said: “Adjunct professors are appointed by UCD Sutherland School of Law to enhance our teaching, contribute to our research profile and to add to the intellectual life of the school.

“These prestigious appointments reflect our desire to offer students the opportunity to engage with inspirational professionals throughout their time in UCD.”