Opinion

The highly anticipated, first of its kind Representative Actions for The Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumers Act 2023 was signed into law by the President on 11 July 20231. The Act marks a significant development in Irish consumer protection law and is particularly notable due to the

In the competitive legal landscape, marketing is a necessity. However, unlike other industries, legal marketing is a delicate dance, with ethical and regulatory considerations playing a pivotal role. So, how can law firms market themselves effectively while staying within the bounds of professional

The Family Courts Bill represents long-awaited progress to reform Ireland’s family courts system in the public interest. Since this was first promoted by the Law Reform Commission in the 1970s, families have faced long delays, courthouses not fit for purpose, and unequal access to ancillary se

William Fry consultant Deirdre O'Donovan and partner Paul Convery look at the enhanced CEA and its involvement in tackling white-collar crime over the last year. With effect from 7 July 2022, the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) was formally established as an independent statutory body under th

Despite plans for an EU withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty, a failure to deal with its sunset clause will continue to threaten action on the climate emergency, argues Eoin Jackson. On 7th July 2023, the European Commission announced its intention to facilitate a co-ordinated withdrawal of the

Professor Donncha O’Connell and Dr Alan Greene explain their decision to dissent from the majority on the independent review of the laws underpinning the operation of the Special Criminal Court. Political supporters of the Special Criminal Court stoutly heralded the recent acquittal of Gerard

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