News

Media mogul Jimmy Lai's conviction for sedition and conspiracy is "a stain on a once enviable Hong Kong legal system", his lawyers have said. Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC leads the international legal team presenting Mr Lai, convicted today under the controversial National Security Law (NSL) imposed on

The use of restrictive practices in Irish mental health centres has fallen to a record low following the introduction of new human rights-based rules. A report published by the Mental Health Commission (MHC) shows that there were 2,836 episodes of restrictive practices in 2024, down by 18 per cent o

Retired barrister Edmund Carrol has been appointed as chairperson of the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC). Mr Carrol has taken over the role from Séamus Neely and will serve until 31 October 2028.

Mid-west firm MHP Sellors Solicitors has strengthened its partnership and litigation teams with the appointment of Kate McInerney as partner and the addition of Claire Benson as solicitor. Ms McInerney, a native of Cratloe and long-time Quin resident, has progressed through a series of key litigatio

Matheson's collaboration with the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) on a neurodivergent-friendly music camp has been recognised with an award. The firm won the Disability Advocacy Programme of the Year, Ireland award at the Legal Benchmarking Group Social Impact Awards 2025.

Northern Ireland's justice minister, Naomi Long, has responded harshly to criminal barristers' strike plans, branding demands for legal aid fee increases "unrealistic and unaffordable". The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) last week confirmed plans to withdraw from all Crown Court cases early next mon

A lawyer who woke up handcuffed with $75,000 in debt is suing a Las Vegas casino for allowing him to gamble while incapacitated. Tax attorney Michael Duke Thomson, 64, claims he cannot remember racking up the astronomical bill in the Aria Resort & Casino, The Independent reports.

A delegation of senior Ukrainian judges recently met with government and judicial figures north and south of the border as part of a high-level judicial exchange. Organised by Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI) in partnership with the EU Advisory Mission Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine) and the Irish Depa

Irish business leaders are entering 2026 with cautious optimism, but pressing concerns over housing, AI adoption, and global uncertainty are shaping strategic priorities, a survey by Mason Hayes & Curran has found. The business law firm today published the findings of its third annual business a

Gardaí will be enabled to use biometric recognition technologies, including facial images, to investigate serious criminal offences under newly published draft legislation. The Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025 provides for the retrospective use of bi

The former CEO of RSA Insurance Ireland has been disqualified for 13 years by the Central Bank of Ireland for his admitted participation in a breach of financial services law. Philip Smith, who served as CEO and executive director of RSA Insurance Ireland DAC (RSAII) from 2009 to 2013, was this mont

Criminal barristers in Northern Ireland are to fully withdraw from all Crown Court cases early next year in a significant escalation of an ongoing dispute over legal aid fees.

Global law firm Dentons has recruited Craig Kenny as a partner in its real estate practice in Dublin. Mr Kenny has advised on a number of the largest and most significant real estate transactions in the Irish market over the last 10 years.

Social media platform Reddit has launched legal proceedings aimed at overturning Australia's landmark ban on social media for under-16s. Australia's Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 took effect on Monday, requiring designated platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent u

An updated practice direction on third-party disclosure in Northern Ireland sexual offence and serious assault cases will take effect next week. The revised version of Practice Direction No. 2 of 2019 was published by the Lady Chief Justice's Office yesterday and takes effect from 15 December 2025.