The Law Society of Ireland has announced the winners of the Justice Media Awards 2024 at an awards ceremony which took place at the Law Society today, Thursday 20 June 2024.

The top award was presented to Killian Woods of the Business Post for his nine-part series on “Planning and the Courts - The fallout from the state's bid to tackle judicial reviews of development projects.” His entry was selected from the Print/Online Journalism (Sunday) category and chosen as the overall winner from 400 entries.

The Ashling Murphy murder trial, public interest investigative journalism, court delays and law reform issues were among the key topics covered across the 15 award categories.

President of the Law Society, Barry MacCarthy, said, “For over 30 years the Law Society has celebrated the best in legal journalism. We have immense pride in the Justice Media Awards and what they stand for. We are honoured to support journalism that promotes a greater public understanding of the law and our rights, legal literacy, and the legal system. 

“With the country facing a housing crisis, Mr Woods delved into the details of the planning system and developments and showed commitment to following the story over a period of months. It is a complex topic, but this reporting was timely, educational, and was about keeping our state bodies accountable. It is exceptional legal reporting.” 

“Year on year, the Justice Media Awards have been growing with a record 400 entries received this year. I would like to congratulate each of today’s winners, from seasoned national and local reporters, podcasters, broadcasters, newcomers and students. The winning entries were recognised for accurate legal content, relevance to the law, accessibility, and storytelling.”

“The strength of the Justice Media Awards is only as good as its entrants. The Law Society is encouraged to see the standard and talent in Irish legal journalism continuing to expand.”

Category winners

In total, one overall winner, 15 awards and 38 merits were presented across 15 categories.

To view the full list of winners, see: Justice Media Awards citations