Appointments

Senior civil servant Oonagh McPhillips has taken on the role of secretary general of the Department of Justice and Equality. Ms McPhillips will succeed outgoing secretary general Aidan O'Driscoll, who is retiring after a 43-year career, for a seven-year term.

A Belfast law graduate has joined P.A. Duffy & Co Solicitors as a legal executive after returning home from working and studying in New York. Danielle Garrity spent the last year studying for the New York Bar Exam before moving back to Belfast, where she intends to take the entrance exam for the

Ó’Muirigh Solicitors has announced that Martin McKiernan will join its human rights and litigation team. Mr McKiernan told Irish Legal News: "I’m very excited to be joining the team at Ó’Muirigh at this time.

Bernard Brady QC has become the new chair of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland and Peter Coll QC has become vice-chair. Mr Brady was called to the Bar in 1994 and took silk this year. Much of his work as a barrister involved representing clients in the commercial and chancery courts.

Dentons has opened an office in Dublin led by managing partner Eavan Saunders and banking partner and chair Peter O'Brien. Gareth Steen has joined the firm as partner and Maireadh Dale is set to join in January 2021.

Maples and Calder LLP, the Maples Group's law firm in Ireland, has announced the appointment of Stephen McLoughlin as head of its finance practice. Mr McLoughlin, who has been with the firm for nearly nine years, succeeds Nicholas Butcher, managing partner, who has been acting as head of the practic

Dr David Keane has joined the School of Law and Government at Dublin City University (DCU) as an assistant professor. He previously held positions in two London universities – lecturer in law at Brunei University and associate professor in law at Middlesex University.

Callan Tansey LLP has announced the promotion of Johan Verbruggen to associate solicitor in the medical negligence department. Mr Verbruggen, a local and graduate of NUI Galway, joined the firm when it opened its westernmost office in Galway in May 2018.

Dr Bríd Ní Ghráinne has joined Maynooth University as assistant professor in international justice. An expert in public international law, particularly in the areas of forced migration and human rights, she will teach international human rights law and international humanitarian

Six new part-time commissioners have been appointed to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC). The six commissioners, who took up their posts for a three-year term yesterday, are Helen Henderson, Jonathan Kearney, David Lavery, Maura Muldoon, Edmond Rooney and Stephen White.

Solicitor Barry Crushell has announced the launch of a new specialist workplace law firm, Crushell & Co Solicitors. Mr Crushell, who trained with Arthur Cox and previously founded the Dublin and London offices of a US law firm, told Irish Legal News that the COVID-19 pandemic had been a "driving

Elaine Hughes has been promoted to director of company secretarial and corporate governance services at LK Shields Solicitors LLP. Ms Hughes has led the company secretarial and compliance team at LK Shields for the past two years. She advises some of the firms largest domestic and international clie

Dr Mary Dobbs has joined Maynooth University as a lecturer in equity, trusts and environmental matters. She previously worked as a senior lecturer at Queen's University Belfast, where she specialised in environmental law and governance, agriculture and genetically modified crops, particularly in the

MKB Law has announced the appointment of solicitor Jose Lazaro to the firm's corporate and commercial team. Mr Lazaro, who is also qualified in Spain and England and Wales, has worked on multiple corporate deals for different firms across Northern Ireland and Spain.

Trinity Law School has announced the appointment of Professor Félix Mezzanotte as a new member of the teaching faculty. Professor Mezzanotte will teach courses at TCD in insolvency law and financial services law. His research has addressed legal problems in the areas of investor protection, E