The Law Society of Ireland is pleased to announce Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu as keynote speaker at a live panel discussion on ‘Shaping a Greener Future’ during the final week of its highest attended Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to date. The speech and panel discussion will take place online, free of charge, on Tuesday 15 June at 6pm.

Since the inaugural Law Society MOOC in 2014, over 14,000 people have registered from over 70 countries. Each year, the five-week long online course focuses on a different topic as it relates to the law and is open to all. The course features online recorded and streamed presentations, together with interactive discussion forums that allow participants to engage directly with expert speakers.

Chairperson of the Law Society’s Education Committee, Richard Hammond S.C. said, “We are delighted to welcome Lord Mayor Hazel Chu to open our live panel discussion on ‘Shaping a Greener Future’. This is especially fitting as the Lord Mayor has long championed the need for inclusiveness across society to advance environmental and sustainability issues.”

“4,000 people have participated in our 2021 MOOC, making this our highest attended MOOC to date. Delivered as part of the Law Society’s Public Legal Education initiative, we continue to progress our commitment to improving inclusion and diversity in the solicitors’ profession,” he said.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu said, “As I look forward to delivering the opening address during the final week of the Law Society’s free online course on Environmental Law and Climate Change, I am encouraged by the growing appetite for active citizen participation in the climate change debate. In my capacity as Lord Mayor, I am a passionate advocate for the urgency of progressing climate action now so we can have a greener future.”

“I would like to commend the Law Society for their efforts to engage the public to understand how the law impacts every part of society and the role each of us can play towards building a better, cleaner and more sustainable future,” the Lord Mayor concluded.

The live panel discussion includes Rory Corcoran, Assistant Director, Organised & Emerging Crime, INTERPOL and Dr Rónán Kennedy, School of Law, NUI Galway.

The final week of the Law Society’s free online MOOC will start on 15 June featuring the following line-up of expert speakers:

1. The Circular Economy: Claire Downey, Director, Green Foundation Ireland, CRNI Executive, Community Resources Network Ireland
2. Informing environmental policy and response through behavioural science:
   Deirdre Robertson, Psychologist, Senior Research Officer, Behavioural Research Unit, ESRI
3. The Centre for Environmental Justice: Rose Wall, CEO, Community Law & Mediation
4. The Chancery Lane Project – Irish Chapter: Carolann Minnock, Probono Associate, Arthur Cox

The MOOC is available to access online until 30 July 2021. For more information and to register, please visit: https://mooc2021.lawsociety.ie.

Return to previous press releases