Colin Cardwell

If, as Shakespeare nearly said, some are born lawyers… and some have the law thrust upon them, Flor McCarthy certainly appears to fit the latter. The Clonakilty-based solicitor is managing partner at McCarthy + Co LLP, which was founded by his mother Ann in 1987. Ann had, unusually, re-qualif

Talking with Joan Crawford, the chief executive of the Legal Aid Board, is a refreshing engagement with positivity. It’s an approach she clearly brings to the office as well as to her many sporting and social interests. The media frequently highlights the challenges facing the legal aid sector

At the beginning of this month, 285 people seeking international protection were moved from a makeshift campsite outside the International Protection Office (IPO) in Dublin’s Mount Street. Weeks later, 55 asylum seekers set up camp along the Grand Canal just hours after another tent clearance.

The adoption this week of the UK’s controversial Safety of Rwanda Bill generated ripples (or rather waves) of concern that reached far beyond Britain’s shores. One of those most concerned was Michael O’Flaherty, the Irish human rights lawyer who has just been appointed Council of E

George Kennedy readily admits that he has never been attracted by the courtroom cut and thrust of criminal law. Recruited by Squire Patton Boggs as a partner in the firm’s global corporate practice when it opened its Dublin office last year, what he really appreciates about corporate law is, h

As mergers, acquisitions and strategic representation arrangements have altered the Irish legal scene, the Big Four accountants haven’t been slow to see the opportunity to transform themselves from audit firms to multidisciplinary professional services operations. Having made their first foray

The cost-of-living crisis, a protracted war in Ukraine and a vicious conflict in the Middle East are among the emergencies that have meant a stressful year for many of us. Some upcoming respite over the Christmas and New Year break will be welcome. Sadly, though, that won’t be the case for eve

Time is something of a scarce commodity for solicitor Susan Martin. Like the principal of any independent law firm, she has been dealing with the inescapable practicalities of life that kick in at this time of year — a list of demands that were somewhat reduced when she recently completed her

Fiona McNulty clearly thrives on being “involved”. And she positively embraces the opportunity to participate in a range of activities that both extend beyond and complement her work as a senior associate at Mason Hayes & Curran LLP by Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock. “I enjoy

Not all that’s useful in a legal career is learned at university. In Kevin Winters’ case, his concern about injustice began as a 10-year-old boy working during school holidays on building sites in areas such as Twinbrook in republican west Belfast and Dee Street in loyalist Ballymacarret

Is artificial intelligence (AI) an unprecedented opportunity or an existential threat to humanity? Should we revel in its seemingly limitless possibilities, or should there be a global pause called on its development? And, importantly, how will it impact businesses in every sector? These are among t

When former League of Ireland footballer Michael Sheehan was awarded €505,000 in damages at the High Court last month, it was an unusual case on many levels. Mr Sheehan claimed that he suffered injuries after he was pepper-sprayed and assaulted by members of An Garda Síochána. He

Darren Lalor is one of life’s enthusiasts — and that approach certainly extends to his work as a criminal barrister. “It’s a job that enables me to make a real difference to peoples’ lives, people who often have very little and who need committed lawyers to stand u

The Synthesis Report published three weeks ago by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) came as no surprise to many — including Dublin lawyer Rose Wall — when it stressed that climate-related impacts are hitting the world much more quickly than previou

It’s not the conventional opening to an Irish Legal News interview. Aonghus Kelly is speaking via Zoom from Kyiv and has recently emerged from the air raid shelter beneath his building. “I’m sitting in my kitchen and just got out of the shelter a little while ago as we’ve had