The young ones
The Younger Members Committee is an effective advocate on behalf of young solicitors, ensuring that the issues that matter most to them are heard at Council level. Mary Hallissey reports
The Law Society’s Younger Members Committee (YMC) seeks to represent a new generation of solicitors who are looking for a more fluid and integrated professional identity.
Committee members Genevieve Lynch, Sarah McNulty, and Frank McNamara shared their insights on the changing nature of legal training, the importance of collegiality, diverse practice experience, as well as the committee’s mission to represent the multifaceted interests of Ireland’s junior lawyers in a practical, yet enjoyable manner.
Genevieve Lynch’s training route was intentionally varied, mixing private and public-sector work.
Her traineeship in a Legal Aid Board role spanned international child protection, family law, child abduction, medical negligence, and personal injury. “It’s a different perspective from a lot of trainees,” she notes.
“Going on the committee has been a fantastic way to get an insight into the wider profession.”
The YMC offers a bigger-picture support network, Genevieve adds, for those getting on the career ladder. There is a concerted effort by the committee to hold events in the regions to appeal to the widest cohort.
The committee is open to any solicitor with less than seven years’ post-qualification experience (PQE) and seeks to be representative of not just those who qualified straight from college, but those who have taken the more scenic route to becoming a solicitor.
“It’s an energising part of the week for me, attending YMC meetings and events. I always leave uplifted,” Genevieve says.
Something bigger
This sentiment is echoed by Frank McNamara, who trained at Beauchamps, a mid-sized firm of approximately 100 lawyers. He now works at Reddy Charlton.
“Work as a lawyer can get repetitive and grind you down. Being involved in the committee gives me a sense of fulfilment and makes me feel that I’m contributing to something bigger than myself,” he says.
Their gatherings always have a welcoming atmosphere, the three agree. Frank adds: “I get a lot out of it. We always end up being friends on the committee and that’s a big part of it. We’re doing it because we want to – not to get a promotion.”
Sarah McNulty practises with Cantillons in Cork, where she also trained, and now works in general litigation. Her mandate when joining the committee three years ago was to promote regional representation and advocacy outside of Dublin.
To that end, 2025 saw the first-ever younger members’ event take place outside the capital – in Cork city. On the strength of that success, the YMC is planning to host its annual conference there in the autumn.
Sarah finds the YMC a useful resource. In addition to organising and attending YMC educational events in Ireland, she has also attended European Young Bar Association (EYBA) events along with Genevieve, as Irish representatives.
“Hearing about issues in other countries gives a good perspective on how important it is to have a functioning legal system,” she says.
Genevieve adds: “At the EYBA conferences, people can come from other countries where the rule of law is not nearly as strong or respected as it is here. While there are challenges and issues here, overall, law is a respected profession in Ireland and an integral part of Irish society.”
Mentorship mandate
A recurring theme with the YMC is the pivotal role of mentorship. The YMC recognises that, in an era of remote and hybrid work, the ‘organic’ mentorship that once happened over a coffee or in a courtroom corridor is now at risk.
One of the committee’s primary goals is to bridge this gap, ensuring that younger members, regardless of their firm’s size or sector, have access to a network of peers and mentors.
This is particularly vital for those in ‘legal deserts’ – regional areas where the concentration of legal resources is lower, and the risk of professional isolation is higher.
The committee is no longer a Dublin-centric body. There is a concerted effort to reach solicitors in every corner of the country, says Sarah, including younger members working in the in-house sector.
“Our committee is now the most representative it has ever been,” says Frank.
Rural challenges
The challenges facing a junior solicitor in a rural general practice are vastly different from those facing a first-year associate in a ‘big five’ firm.
The YMC is tasked with being a broad church, representing corporate specialists, public-sector advocates, and regional generalists. By bringing these disparate perspectives together, the committee aims to foster a sense of collective identity.
Whether it’s discussing work/life balance or the psychological pressures of certain cases, the YMC provides a platform where the commonalities of the younger-member experience outweigh the differences in practice areas.
Perhaps the most significant recent shift in the dialogue of the younger profession is the open discussion of psychological wellbeing and mental health.
For previous generations, these were often taboo subjects, or at least secondary to the pursuit of billable hours or career progression.
Many younger solicitors carry an emotional weight with their work, and the YMC is pushing for the best support systems, recognising that the long-term sustainability of the profession depends on the mental wellbeing of its newest entrants.
Young blood
The YMC meets eight times a year, early in the morning and in sync with the Law Society’s Council, through hybrid gatherings, though there’s an emphasis on in-person meetings, too.
There are 19 members, including one representative from the current PPC intake. This year, there were eight newcomers – a healthy figure, which maintains the balance between incoming and returning members.
The committee’s focus on networking and social events isn’t just about career advancement; it’s about building a support network that can act as a buffer against the high-pressure environment of legal practice.
The committee is positioned as a vital link between the Law Society and the future of the Irish legal profession. “Because we’re not tied to any particular practice area, it actually gives us a greater freedom to collaborate with other Law Society committees,” Genevieve says.
“What I really like about the committee is that everyone brings something different. You have different personalities, different skills, and it encourages you,” she adds.
“You learn how committees work. And it gives you such an insight in relation to the legal profession and how the Law Society operates. It deepens your understanding.”
There’s a soft spot within the Law Society for the younger members, Sarah says. “The YMC represents the future of the profession. And we want to get out there more! We are working on increasing visibility and awareness of the YMC to all younger members.
“It’s important to say, you do not have to be on the committee to avail of the resources or benefits of the committee’s work,” she explains.
“To any solicitors with between zero and seven years’ PQE reading this, who feel under-represented or out of the loop, come along to one of our events and introduce yourself.
“Alternatively, reach out by email to our wonderful committee secretary Siobhán Masterson (at s.masterson@lawsociety.ie) if you have queries or suggestions about how the YMC can support or represent you effectively.”
Effective advocate
Frank continues: “We act as an effective advocate on behalf of young solicitors. Whenever the Law Society is wondering what younger members think, we are the ones who act as their voice.”
He points out that young solicitors now have a mind of their own as to how their careers will unfold: “It used to be the case that the firms could just say, ‘Look, you have to do it, end of story, you’re lucky to be here’.
“That is changing quite a lot. Younger solicitors are saying, ‘That’s not what I want in my life. If you can’t accommodate me, I’m going to go’.”
The YMC detects that younger members, to their credit, are very focused on avoiding burnout. They want a high quality of life, as well as interesting and well-paid work.
“I know a lot of people who, even if they’re earning big money in large firms, would rather earn less money and have a better quality of life. That’s the clear trend,” Frank concludes.
More information on the committee is available on the Law Society website.