News

The Institute of Legal Research and Standards (ILRS) announced today that it has completed a major rebranding to better reflect its focus on delivering the only Irish risk, quality and practice management standard to law firms throughout the country. It will be known in future as the Legal Quality S

Three senior counsel will compete this week for election as chairperson of the Bar Council for a two-year term. The candidates in the running to succeed Maura McNally SC, who is held in great esteem by the bar and is regarded as having been an effective spokesperson for the profession, are Sara

Limerick solicitor Jerry Twomey has set out on an ambitious challenge to complete a 10km run in all 32 counties of Ireland to raise funds for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA). Mr Twomey's father, John, lost his fight to motor neurone disease (MND) in January 2010. The run will hon

Certain new laws risk undermining the rights, safeguards and equality protections in the Northern Ireland protocol, the human rights and equality watchdogs in Northern Ireland have warned. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland have publ

The merger of global law firm Clyde & Co and UK-headquartered BLM has been finalised, with BLM's offices in Dublin, Belfast and Derry now operating under the Clyde & Co brand. The combined firm has global revenues of over £700 million per year, a headcount of over 5,000 and offices in

An associate solicitor at Cleaver Fulton Rankin has been recognised as a rising star at the annual LawNet Awards 2022. Nathan Campbell, who works in the firm's employment and immigration team, was the only award winner from Northern Ireland at this year's ceremony, receiving the award in the "Rising

Allen & Overy (A&O) has raised over £30,000 for pregnancy and baby loss charity Sands in Northern Ireland and across the UK following a three-year pro bono and community investment partnership. Sands works to save babies’ lives and to make sure that the right care and support is

Lady Hale, the former president of the UK Supreme Court, has warned of the "risks and dangers" posed by the proposed British Bill of Rights in a speech delivered in Belfast. The retired judge was invited to give the keynote address at the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's (NIHRC) annual hum

Human rights organisation JUSTICE has been granted permission to intervene in a UK Supreme Court case concerning the introduction of safe access zones around abortion clinics in Northern Ireland. The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill, which was approved by MLAs in March, has been referred t

A pair of prominent hoteliers have been rebuked by a judge over their "completely mad" battle over a worthless purple suitcase. Judith Andersson and Diane Ward have incurred costs of over £60,000 in the court battle over the suitcase, which contains family photographs with "no monetary value".

New planning regulations will allow for the fast-tracking of temporary accommodation for Ukrainian refugees in Ireland. Certain classes of temporary development, including residential accommodation, undertaken by or on behalf of a State authority, to provide protection to displaced persons from Ukra

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has found that a bank's refusal to engage with a customer through an Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpreter constituted unlawful discrimination. The complaint was brought by Sofiya Kalinova against Permanent TSB after the bank refused to deal with a query she

Belfast solicitor Shannon Gawley has been elected to the executive committee of the European Young Bar Association (EYBA). Ms Gawley is a solicitor in the commercial team at Carson McDowell who is currently on secondment to Invest NI. She is a graduate of Queen's University Belfast and obtained her

Over 70 newly admitted solicitors have been welcomed to the profession in the Law Society of Northern Ireland's first in-person admissions ceremony since the start of the pandemic. The new lawyers were joined by masters, family and friends at the event, taking place in the Assembly Buildings in Belf

The Law Society of Northern Ireland has criticised the UK government over "attacks on lawyers" representing victims and survivors of the Troubles. In a short statement, the Law Society said it had formally lodged concerns about the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation Bill) and its "