Non-Standing Committee Reports

The Council appoints non-standing committees where it believes that these can better assist the Society in carrying out its work.

Catherine Bourke and PAdraic Courtney, Probate Committee

These committees do not perform statutory functions. Click on the committee name below to view the relevant report.


Eamonn-Conlon.jpgThe committee supports members in relation to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and promotes mediation, arbitration, and other ADR methods.

The committee continues to represent the Law Society and the profession in engaging with stakeholders regarding the establishment of the Mediation Council under the Mediation Act 2017. Special thanks to vice-chair Liam Guidera for his stellar work in this regard. 

The committee continues to work with Arbitration Ireland, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators – Irish Branch, and others to support the development of arbitration and adjudication practice in Ireland for domestic and international dispute resolution. The Law Society’s appointees to the International Chamber of Commerce National Committee, Commission on ADR
and Arbitration, and Court of Arbitration continue to represent the profession at an international level.

The committee is responsible for the Law Society’s panel of arbitrators, which can be found on the ADR Committee page of the Law Society website. Members who have experience as arbitrators and wish to be considered are invited to apply for membership of the panel. We are keen to enhance the panel’s diversity. Likewise, members who practise as mediators are invited to include their details on the ‘Find a Mediator’ page of the Law Society’s website. The committee has worked with the web design team to create a new design for this search engine, and we await its launch in late 2024.

The committee promotes and contributes to ADR seminars, workshops, and other events. This year, committee members have participated in a wide range of events to inform and educate the profession, trainees, and the wider public. Some highlights include:

  • hosting experience-sharing workshops for members of the Law Society’s mediation and arbitration panels. These wellreceived events provide panel members with an opportunity to meet to explore general issues of mutual interest arising from domestic practice,

  • co-sponsoring the Arbitration Ireland Young Practitioners’ Seminar (November 2023), in conjunction with Dublin International Arbitration Day, and

  • presenting on mediation at the Future of Legal Practice Summit for PPC trainees (January 2024) and providing input to the new Mediation Lawyering Advanced Elective (May 2024).

The committee is currently working on a number of initiatives, including an updated version of the Law Society's ADR Guide, a practice note on compliance with section 14 of the Mediation Act, a number of CPD events, and a review of the Mediation Act and Arbitration Act 2010.

Finally, I wish to sincerely thank all committee members for their hard work this year.

Éamonn Conlon SC | Chair


Eleanor Daly.jpgThe Business Law Committee continues to be responsible for representing, informing, and assisting the profession on a broad range of business-law topics. It also reviews practical issues arising for solicitors in advising on corporate and commercial matters.

During the past year, the committee was very active with a number of submissions, including (most recently) a submission to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the CLRG in relation to the regime that permits directors and company secretaries to seek an exemption from having their residential address published by the Companies Registration Office.

Furthermore, a submission was made on the general scheme of the Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill in relation to the dematerialisation of listed securities. In collaboration with members of the Taxation Committee, we made a submission on the taxation of share-based remuneration.

During the year under review, the committee updated its guidance note on electronic signatures while, in parallel, has been working on a submission to the relevant department on the Electronic Commerce Act 2000 (and related legislation), highlighting several areas for improvement in the current legislative framework for the execution of documents by electronic means.

Other key work related to anti money-laundering issues that arise for the profession as well as our clients, including issues relating to the EU (Anti-Money Laundering Beneficial Ownership of Trusts) Regulations and section 19 of the Criminal Justice Act 2011.

We continued our engagement with and met the Registrar of Companies on issues arising in practice, and also in relation to the closure of the public office. We secured agreement to clarify the availability of an appointment system for face-to-face public appointments in situations where the online system cannot adequately deal with the public query.

We held the Annual Business Law Conference in November 2023, providing professional insights into recent developments on competition law, investment screening, and anti-money-laundering legislation. We included an interactive casestudy panel session on key aspects of buying and selling a private company. The presentations provided an excellent opportunity for committee members to share their expertise across a broad range of topics, and feedback from attendees was very positive.

In response to issues raised by solicitors, the committee is in the process of finalising a practice note to provide guidance on responding to requests to certify beneficial ownership of corporate clients, which will be published shortly, following engagement with the In-House and Public Sector Committee and the Law Society’s AML section.

We are continuing work on the following matters, with the intention of concluding practice note(s) in the coming months:

  • The Solicitors Accounts Regulations and the holding of investor/nonclient funds, and

  • The registration of nominee companies holding shares under employee share-option schemes under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.

I am indebted to the committee’s vice-chair, Philip Andrews, and committee secretary Freda Grealy for their work, support, and commitment to the committee. I thank all members of the committee for their generosity in sharing their expertise and experience with the profession and for the time they dedicate to the work of the committee. This goes way beyond simply attending committee meetings. Committee members have devoted many hours to researching issues, preparing submissions and presentations for the annual conference, dealing with matters in subcommittees, and liaising with colleagues and other Law Society committees.

Eleanor Daly | Chair


Eleanor McKiernan.jpgThe Conveyancing Committee has had another busy and productive year, with excellent progress made on many of the committee’s agenda items.

Throughout 2024, committee meetings have been hosted monthly in a hybrid manner, with members attending either online or in person. Attendance at these committee meetings has been excellent, and engagement has been positive and enthusiastic.

The committee’s primary focus for 2024 is conveyancing practice reform, and the committee has worked tirelessly with the Policy Department in the Law Society to ensure tight deadlines are met where submissions require to be lodged. 

In June 2024, the Law Society responded to an invitation issued by the Joint Committee on Justice to make a submission on the Seller’s Legal Pack for Property Buyers Bill 2021. The Law Society also previously made a submission on the bill in September 2023. The Law Society agrees with the broad objectives of the bill, but the concern is that its operation in practice will have many unintended consequences, which will promote inefficiency at the individual transaction level and increase costs for consumers.

In October 2023, the committee lodged a submission on the Planning and Development Bill 2022. It highlighted that solicitors are required to search the planning history of a property for almost 60 years to determine whether or not there is unauthorised development, even though in many instances no enforcement action could be taken by a local authority. This is overly burdensome and requires legislative amendment. The Law Society requested that a third class of development, an ‘established non-conforming development’, be recognised as a means of remedying this issue.

Since March 2024, members of the committee have met the Housing for All Expert Group on Probate and Conveyancing. The Law Society took the opportunity to highlightits many submissions and recommendations that highlight concerns with the significant and long-standing delays in the conveyancing process.

Other policy areas the committee continues to work on include the status of a contract deposit (Protim Abrasives case), the Statute of Limitations, the area of statutory declarations and statements of truth in conveyancing, the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014, and property taxes.

In November 2023, the committee launched the General Conditions of Sale (2023 edition). General condition 48 was introduced in recognition of the move towards digitisation and the increasing use of electronic signatures to provide an express confirmation of the parties’ consent to electronic exchange of contracts, the use of counterparts, and the potential use of electronic signatures.

Since the last report, the Conveyancing Committee has published 13 practice notes. These ranged from issues relating to solicitor’s certificates regarding road and services, to copy letters re financial contribution conditions.

The committee has had notable engagements with:

  • the Housing for All Expert Group on Probate and Conveyancing,

  • the Local Government Management Agency, with the aim of improving the ‘request and reply’ letters from local authorities in relation to the roads and services in their charge,

  • tThe Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland,

  • the Society of Chartered Surveyors (SCSI) on the Speed Up Your Property Sale guide,

  • the LPT and RZLT sections of the Revenue Commissioners,

  • the Decision Support Service,

  • Home Bond and the Construction Industry Federation,

  • Tailte Éireann in relation to the significant changes to its registration processes, and

  • Bar associations.

The committee secretary continues to speak at the various LSPT clusters around the country, highlighting the work of the committee. She has received very positive feedback to these talks, following which engagement with the committee has increased.

Throughout 2024, the Building Agreement Taskforce continued its work on a review of the building agreement for new homes. The taskforce aims to publish a combined building agreement/contract for sale for a new home sale in a typical residential estate. A very significant volume of work was completed by the Landlord and Tenant Taskforce with regard to the publication of a new set of prelease enquiries.

The committee intends to publish a new suite of updated FHPA declarations amendments (these should be available before the end of Q3), guidance on the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, and equity release guidelines.

Alongside the above activities, the committee continues to deal with an extremely high volume of day-to-day practice queries from conveyancing solicitors. The committee’s telephone and email helpline, run by the committee secretary (conveyancing@lawsociety.ie) deals with approximately three to six queries each day.

The committee secretary is also working closely alongside members of the Technology Committee to publish new downloadable PDFs highlighting the need for good and effective cyber-security practices.

Renewed thanks are due to all committee members, consultants, committee secretary Deborah Leonard, and vice-chair Keith Mc Connell, who continue the work of the committee.

Eleanor Mc Kiernan | Chair


Fergus Mullen.jpgThe committee has had a busy and productive year. It provided contributions to the Oireachtas and the Department of Justice and Equality, with submissions on the public consultation on the reform of the Coroner Service, and the general scheme of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill.

The committee has worked closely with the Courts Service to ensure practitioners are fully up to date with latest developments of court business. It has also continued to engage with the Department of Justice in relation to restoration of fees for legal aid. Members will continue this engagement through the year.

The committee is committed tocontinuing our programme of liaison meetings with criminaljustice system stakeholders to represent the experiences of solicitors when they attend garda stations or prisons.

The committee continued its assistance to criminal-law practitioners with practice guidance queries and by hosting the committee’s annual conference in September 2024, in conjunction with Law Society Professional Training. Some of the topics covered at the conference included juvenile sentencing and guidelines, presented by Tom O’Malley, and a presentation on the Parole Board by Mr Justice Michael White, together with anti money-laundering updates relevant to practitioners.

Fergus Mullen | Chair


Susan-Martin.jpgThe mission of the Law School and Diploma Centre is to enable solicitors to provide excellence in legal services to the public. The CDU oversees that objective. The committee membership includes solicitors from firms of all sizes, a representative from the inhouse sector, Law Society staff, and academics. The committee meets the teams running the Professional Practice Course, as well as those providing diplomas, certificates, and continuing professional development. It reviews curricula and materials furnished to students of the Law School to ensure that the courses offered at every level are at the highest possible standard. The CDU suggests improvements for existing courses and topics for new courses and, if considered appropriate, adoption by the Law School through the Education Committee.

We considered documentation regarding various courses that feature on the fused PPC, including: dispute resolution; business law; wills, probate, and estates; taxation; legalpractice Irish; and skills (which encompasses a number of different subjects). In addition, we received an update in relation to the Law Society Access Initiative and the advanced elective offering to be delivered by the Law Society in 2024, as well as new advanced electives that it was proposed would be delivered by external providers. Information was also provided to the committee regarding the LSRA report on admissions policies of the legal professions.

Reports were obtained regarding the activities of Law Society Professional Training as well as the Diploma Centre, while members received updates on the LLM and professional doctorate programmes offered by the Law Society. We also considered presentations on technology provision within the Education Centre and in-office training and innovation, in addition to a report on the PPC Hybrid. Finally, various members of the committee participated in a trip to Birmingham at the end of May 2024 in order to meet representatives of a legaleducation provider and the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Thanks to each committee member for their attendance, careful thought, and the analysis given during the year, and to all the managers and tutors of the Law Society’s Law School, CPD, and Diploma Centre.

Susan Martin | Chair


Siobhra Rush.jpgThe Employment and Equality Law Committee has provided a strong voice in policy debate to inform decision-making.

The committee continued to keep under review the experiences of practitioners attending before the Workplace Relations Committee (WRC) during this period. Similar to last year, a stakeholder meeting was again held with senior representatives from the WRC in May 2024, including the new director general, Audrey Cahill. This was a positive and productive meeting in which the committee canvassed issues identified by practitioners in their engagements with the adjudication and administrative sections of the WRC. The WRC updated the committee on experiences from its perspective and on upcoming developments in its remit. An open line of communication was further strengthened to enable the continuation of discussions on relevant issues that arise.

Committee members, together with invited guest speakers, presented a webinar for practitioners on a variety of topical legal issues in employment law, including the implementation of gender pay gap reporting, the EU Directive on Pay Transparency and the European Union (Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions) Regulations 2022.

Highlights included:

  • a submission to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth on the Gender Pay Gap Information Act and related regulations in July 2023, and

  • the committee submitted constructive feedback, from an employment-law perspective, on Revenue guidelines for determining employment status for taxation purposes in May 2024.

Siobhra Rush | Chair


Rachel-Minch.jpg

The committee’s inaugural conference on climate justice, ‘Policies and Actions for a Climate Responsive Justice Sector’, took place in the Presidents’ Hall in November 2023. Leading domestic and international experts in environmental law addressed key issues affecting climate and environmental justice, including the Planning and Development Bill 2023, biodiversity and the climate crisis, ethics and climate-conscious lawyering, and climate litigation. Committee member Danielle Conaghan spoke on renewable projects and biodiversity, committee chair Rachel Minch discussed the Planning and Development Bill, and committee member Andrew Jackson spoke on the climate litigation panel, which was chaired by Ms Justice Niamh Hyland. Following on from this conference, the committee has finalised its draft climate-change resolution, which has now gone to other relevant stakeholders for consultation.

In November 2023, members contributed to the Law Society’s submission in response to the Law Reform Commission’s consultation paper on third-party funding.

Committee chair Rachel Minch was invited to speak on behalf of the committee in December 2023 at the launch of the new Planning and Environment Division of the High Court. In May 2024, the committee was invited to submit observations in response to the consultation on the Planning and Environment List. The objective of this consultation was to seek the views of practitioners on the operation of this list.

In March 2024, the PPC Sustainability Society hosted a panel discussion on climate litigation to celebrate An Taisce ‘Green Week’. Committee member Andrew Jackson took part in a panel discussion that discussed the impact of the legal profession in tackling climate change, and the role of litigation.

The committee continues to monitor developments in relation to pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Planning and Development Bill 2023. Of particular interest are provisions concerning access to justice, primarily in the areas of judicial review and costs.

Rachel Minch SC | Chair


Ross-McMahon.jpgIn line with the Law Society’s strategic objective of representing the profession, the EU and International Affairs Committee continues to foster strategic links with other professional bodies, inside and outside Europe. These relationships allow for the fruitful exchange of ideas on recent legal developments – most notably those affecting governance of the legal profession.

Committee member Cormac Little SC continued to act as the Law Society’s representative on the Irish delegation to the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) and 2024 sees the Law Society taking over the role of head of Ireland’s delegation to the CCBE from the Bar.

Relations with legal professions in other EU member states are maintained through annual engagement with the Brusselsbased representatives of European bar associations. The most recent of these ‘round-tables’ occurred in Brussels in January.

The committee is actively involved in the promotion of the European Lawyers in Lesvos program, with two further volunteers having participated in the programme. The Law Society has joined the European Federation of Bars president’s initiative.

The committee continues to liaise with its counterparts in the Paris Bar regarding the Stage programme, whereby an Irish solicitor may gain work experience in a Parisian law firm, and 2023 saw Philip Crowe attending and representing the Law Society. Building on the formal relationship established in 2020 with the California Lawyers’ Association (CLA), the committee and representatives of the CLA are working towards a further joint online seminar to take place in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The committee participates in the Council of Europe’s HELP program (Human-rights Education for Legal Professionals). This offers free online courses to legal professionals touching on European rules on human rights. The cybercrime and electronic evidence course was run and hosted by the Law Society and launched on 19 October 2023.

This year saw the second year of collaboration with the Irish Red Cross. The committee, working closely with our colleagues on the PPC course, organised a quiz to raise funds for the International Red Crescent and Red Cross on Tuesday 20 February in the Vanilla Café in Blackhall. The efforts of the committee and volunteers have raised nearly €40,000 over the past two years. The event is to become an annual event, with further collaboration and events for both students and the profession envisaged. 

The committee organised other successful events, including:

  • the ‘Comparisons between theIrish and Indian Constitutions’ seminar in May 2023,

  • a seminar on ‘Challenges to the Rule of Law in the EU’, also in May 2023, and

  • a seminar on the ‘Future of Payments – Digital currencies and Cryptoassets’ in October 2023.

Committee members contributed articles to the ‘Eurlegal’ section of the Gazette on various key developments in EU and international law.

I wish to express my sincere thanksto all members of the committee for their hard work and valuable contributions, and to our secretary, Megan Murphy Byrne, for her excellent support and enthusiasm.

Ross McMahon | Chair


Peter-Doyle.jpgThe Family and Child Law Committee again had a very active and productive year in 2023/2024. We are a committee of about 20 members, with a varied experience in all areas of child and family law from around the country. Many of our members are also on a number of external committees, including Courts Service groups, civil legal aid, Department of Justice forums, and a European lawyers' group.

We continue to provide a strong voice in the policy debate in the area of family-law reform. Again, there has been a large amount of legislation going through the Oireachtas to develop and improve family law. The committee has been busy commenting on the legislation, particularly the Family Courts Bill and pieces of legislation involving victims of domestic abuse.

The committee worked on a number of projects, some of which are ongoing, during the year, including the successful Family Law Conference at the end of last year. We have engaged with the Minister for Justice on the Family Courts Bill and brought together a group of NGOs to ask the minister to review the bill with specific changes, particularly on the issue of the jurisdiction of the District Court in divorce and separation cases. Committee members also contributed a number of articles and guidance in the Gazette and have also contributed to CPD seminars and Law School programmes.

The committee continues to work on reviewing how family-law work could be harmonised in the District Court. It has been instrumental in seeking amended legislation to deal with the current anomaly on pension adjustment orders, along with the Pensions Committee, and has engaged and continues to do so on this urgent issue. The committee also continues to work to improve procedures for participants in the process of section 32 and 47 reports and to seek changes to the civil legal aid system, among many other items of interest to family law practitioners.

Our committee meetings are well attended. Many thanks are due to our active and hard-working committee, and I would like to thank the committee for its work and support during the year. It has been a privilege to chair the committee. I am lucky that we have exceptionally hard-working and enthusiastic members who volunteer their time and expertise. I want to thank all the members for their commitment and hard work throughout the year, including my predecessors as chair, my vice-chair Siún Hurley, and our secretary, Judith Tedders.

Peter Doyle | Chair


Aisling-Meehan.jpgThe Gazette remains the most popular communications channel for members of the solicitors’ profession, as verified by the most recent findings of the Law Society’s survey of its members.

The monthly magazine, daily news service Gazette.ie, and the weekly Gazette Digest are among the most important media channels for solicitors. They allow our members to stay informed about the most significant legal news and analysis. The multi-awardwinning magazine and online news service regularly surpass the national media outlets with their timely and comprehensive coverage of significant legal news and developments. Our focus on legislative change is a priority information service, and we continue to focus strongly on this vital support to members.

The circulation of the Gazette magazine and readership of Gazette.ie continue to grow. While the magazine remains as popular as ever, Gazette.ie continues to add significantly to its readership base. The website received over 1.1 million page-views in the year under review (1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024) – up 7.8% compared with the previous 12 months. Further, there were 687,240 sessions recorded and a monthly average of 1,200 downloads of the magazine PDF.

The Gazette takes its green credentials seriously. It has been an innovator in this field and uses carbon balanced and FSC-certified paper from sustainable, ecologically managed forests. Its inks and varnish are environmentally friendly, and it was the first magazine in the country to use a 100% compostable bio-wrap.

We welcomed six new members to the Editorial Board during the year. I am very grateful to all my colleagues for their dedication, commitment, and valuable contributions. I also wish to express my sincere thanks to our  previous board members for their years of generous service. Finally, congratulations to the Gazette team for its constant emphasis on editorial and production excellence.

Our main goal is to ensure that the Gazette remains highly relevant to the solicitors’ profession and that its unique legal content meets the needs of our members via its useful and varied media channels.

Readership: top five countries outside Ireland

  • Britain 7.99%

  • Belgium 5.38%

  • Germany 3.76%

  • United States 3.52%

  • France 0.75%

Aisling Meehan | Chair


Robert-Baker.jpgThis year, the focus of the committee has been on the completion of two key documents: an update of the terms and conditions of business precedent, and a new practice note on principal and agency. Both projects have involved significant effort on the part of many committee members and will provide practical assistance to the profession once completed.

The committee has conducted a review of existing practice notes, so that its published materials remain up to date, as well as developing new practice notes on areas of interest to the profession. This review work requires considerable cross-committee input and cross-departmental collaboration. Examples of recent work include an update to ‘Administration of estates – guidelines for solicitors’, which was necessary due to the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015, and a new practice note on ‘Representing the child’ in collaboration with the Criminal Law and the Family and Child Law Committees.

The committee has continued its comprehensive CPD offering. In the last 18 months, there have been 15 talks delivered on a range of topics, such as an overview of the Solicitors’ Guide to Professional Conduct, guidance on client care, and the transfer of files.

The committee continues to provide outreach support to the profession through the Guidance and Ethics Helpline, which remains busy. Typical queries range from conflict of interest, transferring files, exercising a lien over a client file, and terminating a client retainer. To complement the work of the helpline, it is proposed to publish an article in the Gazette, identifying the most common Helpline queries, and pointing practitioners to published guidance to assist with them. Trainee solicitors continue to benefit from the work of the committee, as members not only deliver lectures and tutorials on the PPC courses, but also assist in the drafting of problem questions for trainee examinations.

The committee continues to support the work of the Panel to Assist Solicitors in Regulatory Difficulty, and hosts an annual afternoon of regulatory CPD lectures for the members of the panel, which provides panel members with an opportunity to meet colleagues and discuss common issues and concerns, all while learning and earning much-valued regulatory points.

Finally, the committee also maintains and updates the online ‘Get a Quote’ page, which provides the public with access to a list of participating solicitors through a platform available on the Law Society website.

Robert Baker | Chair


Gary-Lee.jpgOver the last year, the committee has continued its work in promoting human rights, access to justice, and the rule of law among members of the profession and the public. Through our committee, the Law Society maintains representation on the Human Rights Committee of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE).

For the second year in a row, the committee recommended to the Council of the Law Society the nomination of Zimbabwean human rights lawyer Douglas Coltart for the prestigious CCBE Human Rights award. The Bar of Ireland concurred and also supported this nomination.

The 21st Annual Human Rights Conference took place, in person, in November 2023. The conference focused on ‘digitising justice’ and was very well received by the large number attending. The conference explored how modernising the courts system could improve access to justice, particularly for marginalised groups. Speakers included former Chief Justice Frank Clarke, Stephen Collins of the Human Rights and Equality Commission, Siobhan Long of Enable Ireland, Sarah Benson (CEO of Women’s Aid), Cindy Carroll of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal, US Judge Scott Schlegel, and Aoife Kelly Desmond of Mercy Law Resource Centre.

Preparations are ongoing for the 2024 conference, which will consider artificial intelligence and human rights. Preparations are also ongoing for this year’s Annual Human Rights Lecture, which take place in September and will be given by Prof Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, former UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights.

Other activities included releasing a series of videos on social media, interviewing members of the committee on their experiences as human-rights lawyers. Interviewees included Cristina Stamatescu, Ashimedua Okonkwo, Orla Crowe, and Gary Lee. The committee also worked on several submissions covering a range of different issues.

The chair and vice-chair of the committee continued to engage in constructive meetings with the European Commission Representation in Ireland to provide valuable input for the commission’s annual Rule of Law Report. The committee regularly provides submissions to the CCBE on issues affecting members of the legal profession in Ireland and has established a subgroup to collaborate with Irish Rule of Law International and the Bar
Council for mentoring and training endangered lawyers.

Gary Lee | Chair


Alison Bradshaw.jpgThe In-house and Public Sector Committee was formed in recognition of the different perspectives and requirements of in-house solicitors, which now comprise approximately 25% of the profession.

The committee aims to represent the views and promote the interests of in-house solicitors in the private and public sectors and helps to support the Law Society in the exercise of its representative, educational, and regulatory roles as they relate to the in-house sector. 

The committee has adopted a theme of ‘Innovating and Leading in Transformative Times’ and a strategy with three focus areas of ‘profile’, ‘expertise’, and ‘leadership’ to help guide its agenda.

On ‘profile’, the committee works to promote the profile of the inhouse solicitor sector within the Law Society and also to enhance awareness of Law Society resources for the in-house community among its members.

On ‘expertise’, the committee seeks to enhance knowledge development across the in-house sector on targeted, relevant areas, as well as sharing its expertise of in-house considerations with the Law Society.

On ‘leadership’, the committee seeks to support the in-house sector to manage their career path at all stages of their career and inspire about the potential within an in-house career.

Promoting networking for the in-house community is key to all of these goals.

On 12 October 2023, the committee held its annual conference, which explored artificial intelligence and how in-house and public-sector solicitors can deal with the new evolving environmental, social, and governance (ESG) implications (see December 2023 Gazette, p50).

On 1 May 2024, the committee held its annual panel discussion.It focused on in-house solicitors taking up non-legal roles and incorporating AI into our businesses and profession. It was covered in the June 2024 Gazette (p46).

The committee continues to liaise with the Gazette regarding the inclusion of content relevant to inhouse solicitors in the private and public sectors. Sarah Jane Clifford is the committee’s current liaison on the Gazette Editorial Board.

The monthly In-house Update continues to be published on the Law Society website and in the members’ eZine. It includes news, Law Society resources, and training for in-house solicitors in the private and public sectors.

As chair, I represent the Law Society at general assemblies of the European Company Lawyers’ Association (ECLA). ECLA is the umbrella organisation for 22 company-lawyer associations in Europe (including the Law Society of Ireland) and represents the common interests of European company lawyers.

Committee members provide the in-house perspective to Ireland for Law and to the Law Society’s Professional Wellbeing Steering Group.

Committee members also continue to make posts to the Law Society’s In-house LinkedIn Group, a useful communications resource for inhouse solicitors.

The committee’s annual conference, on 2 October 2024, continued the leadership theme.

The committee continued to provide guidance on queries received. The committee’s Guide for In-house Solicitors Employed in the Corporate and Public Sectors provides prospective and existing in-house solicitors with key information, coupled with the Law Society’s Regulatory Guide for In-house Solicitors Employed in the Corporate and Public Sectors.

Key information about the committee and its work is available on the committee’s section of the Law Society website.

I would like to thank all committeemembers for their contribution thisyear, with special thanks to vicechair Roisin Magee and secretary Louise Campbell.

Alison Bradshaw | Chair

Paul Lavery.png

The committee has been involved in a range of activities relating to data protection, digital services, technology and intellectualproperty law. Areas of focus have included:

  • The implementation of the EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market – this is the subject of ongoing communication with the IP Unit of the DETE,

  • The Unified Patent Court and potential divisional court in Ireland, culminating in the postponement of the proposed referendum in June,

  • Issues with challenging trademarks that conflict with existing company names,

  • Considerations under the Electronic Commerce Act to facilitate electronic dealings with the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland, and

  • Data-protection matters, including data transfers and the processing of children’s data

Interactions with other organisations of interest during the year have included constructive meetings with:

  • The Intellectual Property Office of Ireland to discuss a range of IP topics, including the impact of the Electronic Commerce Act,

  • Jeremy Godfrey and Niamh Hodnett of Coimisiún na Meán,

  • The American Chamber of Commerce,

  • The Office of the RevenueCommissioners’ Customs Division, and

  • An Garda Síochána’s IP crime unit.

The committee continues to assist the profession in dealing with data-protection compliance topics by answering queries, liaising with other committees, and contributing to guidance notes. The committee has drafted guidance notes on handling dataaccess requests from An Garda Síochána and the processing of children’s data.

The committee is collaborating with other committees and the Law Society policy team to offer guidance for the profession in the use of AI.

Members have volunteered Gazette articles on the Consumer Rights Act 2022, international data transfers, AI and employment, and cybersecurity.

I would like to thank the committee members for their enthusiasm, support, and hard work throughout the year.

Paul Lavery | Chair


Joe-Omalley.jpgThe committee has continued to engage on significant matters, including:

  • participation in various user groups, including the Superior Courts User Group, the Modernisation of the Courts User Group, and the Digitalisation of the Courts User Group,

  • updating the profession through notices on the Law Society website and Gazette articles,

  • dealing with a wide range of queries from litigation practitioners,

  • continued engagement with external bodies such as the IMO and PIAB,

  • continued engagement on the Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2023,

  • engagement with the Department of Justice on District Court fees,

  • engagement with the Law Society’s Policy Department regarding submissions to the Department of Justice on preaction protocols,

  • engagement with the Superior Court Rules Committee regarding commissioners’ fees,

  • preparing submissions on proposed new legislation relating to representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers,

  • preparing submissions to the Law Reform Commission on third-party funding,

  • Working with the Business Law Committee on e-signatures,

  • working with the Law Society web team to update the Litigation Committee webpage,

  • liaising with the Courts Service and director general on various court offices’ issues,

  • addressing issues arising with claimsboard.ie,

  • engagement on the Interdepartmental Working Group on Rising Cost of Health-related Claims,

  • participation in the Expert Group on Discount Rates, and

  • participation in the Costs Task Force.

We are delighted to note the following appointments of newcommittee members for this term Paula Cullinane, Elaine Hickey, Fiona McNulty, Martin Lawlor, Derek Walsh, and Róisín Peart. We salute formers members Karen McDonnell, Fiona Duffy, Maeve Delargy, Sonya Morrissy Murphy, and Gerard O’ Flynn, who retired at the commencement of this term after committed (and in some cases long) service on the committee.

Our annual seminar will take place on 23 October 2024, and preparations for this are underway. I would like to thank every member of the committee for their generous contributions this year.

In particular, our vicechair Ann McGarry has made an enormous contribution to the committee’s work this year. Riona Leahy and Sara Van den Bergh, our committee secretaries, have ensured that we met our objectives and our deadlines and provided excellent and invaluable assistance throughout the year.

Joe O’Malley | Chair


Anne-Stephenson.jpg

The committee continued to engage on behalf of practitioners and their clients, focusing in particular on:

  • Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) under the new regime,

  • tax clearance in estate cases and the requirement for TAIN numbers, and

  • delays in the Probate Office.

In recent weeks, the difficulties solicitors face in relation to EPAs have been the subject of a series of articles and letters in The Irish Times. Clients are now more aware of the concerns solicitors have, and committee members continue to seek reform in this area, along with our colleagues on the Mental Health (Capacity) Task Force. In particular, the ‘Digital First’ approach is one that can be reformed without legislation.

Committee members, along with their colleagues on the Taxation Committee, are meeting Revenue to resolve the difficulties faced by solicitors and to come up with an agreed approach in estate cases. It is hoped that a greater understanding by Revenue of the ‘once off ’ nature of the role of the solicitor in these cases will enable us to arrive at a more practical, user-friendly means of arriving at a conclusion in estate cases.

The committee continues to engage with the Probate Office on a regular basis and, in that regard, is happy to see the new, more user-friendly Probate Office page on the Courts Service website. This is a first step towards an online ‘eProbate’ process that will lead to a speedier application process for the benefit of our clients. While the delays have reduced from 18 or so weeks to 14 or so weeks recently, these delays are causing anxiety and hardship, particularly where a sale of property requires a grant of representation.

In this regard, the committee chair and secretary attended the ‘Housing for All’ sessions in the Department of the Taoiseach and recommended changes, among others, to the credit union legislation to remove unnecessary probate applications from the system. The committee also met representatives from the Irish League of Credit Unions and representatives from the Department of Social Protection in this regard to provide clarity and an agreed approach in cases where the deceased was in receipt of ‘assistance’. While this does not arise in many estates, it causes significant concern when it does.

Catherine Bourke | Chair


Sonia-McEntee.jpgThe PR and Member Services Committee provides insights from practitioner experience to work with Law Society staff on communications and practice support projects that represent the interests of the solicitors’ profession and the public.

Once again, the relevance and value of the Law Society’s Justice Media Awards was clearly demonstrated from the moment entries opened
to the unanimously positive feedback from media after the event. Breaking yet another record, 400 entries were received from national and local print, broadcast, and online journalists from across the country. A highlight of the Law Society’s calendar each year, the awards recognise outstanding print, broadcast, and online journalism that contributes to the public’s understanding of justice, the legal system, and legal issues.

More than 120 of Ireland’s leading journalists attended the awards ceremony in Blackhall Place in June, with 15 Justice Media Awards and 38 merits presented across 15 categories. The overall winner for 2024 was Killian Woods of the Business Post for his public-interest series reporting on issues relating to the planning system.

As the number of entries continues to grow, the judging panel now comprises 12 volunteer judges. Further expansion of the panel is anticipated next year. Safeguarding the integrity of the awards is paramount, and each judge participates in selecting winners in every category. This requires a significant time commitment over a very short period, and I wish to extend my thanks to all of the judges for their time andengagement.

In my capacity as chair of the committee, I have become a regular contributor to the ‘Ask the Expert’ segment on Newstalk’s Anton Savage Show. This is a great opportunity to provide practical and informative legal information to a national audience, in response to listener queries, and highlights the importance of making the law accessible to all.

In the context of the development of a new strategy, the usual advertising campaigns have been suspended. The work of the committee in the year ahead will bring a renewed focus on the member-services aspect of the remit.

I would like to thank members of the committee for their engagement and contributions to the work of the committee, the solicitors’ profession, and the Law Society. I look forward to continuing this work for and on behalf of colleagues, and the public interest we proudly serve, in 2024/2025.

Sonia McEntee | Chair


Andrew-Quinn.jpgThe Taxation Committee has had another busy year representing the Law Society and its members through its engagement with the Revenue Commissioners and other stakeholders. 

Committee membersactively participate in the Tax Administration Liaison Committee (TALC) and its relevant subcommittees, where the Law Society engages with the Revenue Commissioners and other stakeholders (the Irish Taxation Institute and the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies – Ireland) with the aim of delivering more effective and efficient tax administration. The areas covered by TALC and related subcommittees include direct taxes, indirect taxes, capital taxes, audit, collection issues, base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS), KDB (Knowledge Development Box), R&D, Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT), enhanced reporting requirement (ERR), letters of no audit (LONA), and leasing.

The committee is also represented on the CCBE (Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe) Taxation Group and the Business Tax Stakeholder Forum (BTSF) established by the Department of Finance.

The committee reviewed and commented, to the extent appropriate, on the provisions of the Finance Act 2024 as it passed through the legislative process, and summarised its relevant consequences in the annual Tax Guide published and distributed to members.

Numerous submissions were made on behalf of the committee over the course of the year, both via the TALC forum and directly to Revenue/Department of Finance in respect of issues concerning practitioners. The hard work and commitment of committee members in this regard is acknowledged with thanks, as the time commitment has been considerable in light of the continually changing fiscal environment.

The committee continues to provide updates to the profession via practice notes and an annual conference (in collaboration with the Probate, Administration and Trusts Committee and STEP) on changes to tax legislation and Revenue practice and procedures. The committee responds to the various taxation queries raised directly by members of the profession and other Law Society committees throughout the year.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Rachael Hession, who has ably assisted me in her role as the committee’s secretary, a role that she has held for many years. I want to pass a particular vote of thanks to Dr Hession this year, as she has recently handed over the role to Nora Ward, who the committee looks forward to working with in the future. My thanks also to vice-chair Maura Dineen and to all committee members for their
valued contributions throughou the year.

Andrew Quinn | Chair


Peter-McKenna.jpgThe Law Society Technology Committee helps solicitors as they navigate the ever-evolving technology landscape in the operation of their legal practice, from a systems, regulatory. It aims to give members the confidence and competence to integrate and use technology in everyday practice, doing so in a practical and sustainable way for the overall benefit of colleagues, clients, and business.

In the year under review, the committee advanced work on cybersecurity and AI, while also engaging with the Courts Service and other agencies on their digitisation efforts and responding to queries from the profession.

On cybersecurity, the committee continues to review and update online cybersecurity resources and completed a series of detailed articles in the Gazette:

The committee continues to support ongoing Law Society communications and training, covering both cybersecurity fundamentals and emerging issues.

On AI, the committee provided input into draft Law Society guidance on the use of AI and contributed to detailed articles in the Gazette to drive greater awareness and understanding of this fast-moving technology. The most recent article, in April 2024, provides essential information on the EU’s AI Act.

The committee’s work liaising with the Courts Service involves demonstrations and providing practitioner feedback directly to the relevant development teams. We are grateful to the staff in the Courts Service for their openness to this feedback, and also to practitioners who have brought issues to our attention. Among the queries received from the profession, we have noted particular difficulties with extracting data from key systems
when moving to a new supplier, and continue to encourage all practitioners to give this issue careful thought when considering any system.

This year marks the conclusion of my time as committee chair. I wish to thank the committee members, both past and present, for making this role so enjoyable and rewarding. By design, the committee includes a broad mix of the profession, from gender to areas of practice and geographical location. This diverse group of valued colleagues has provided enriching perspectives, along with tremendous support and friendship, over the past two years.

Peter McKenna | Chair


MaeveDelargy.jpgThe YMC represents and advocates for members of the profession in their first seven years postqualification.

This year, we were lucky to retain the expertise of some valued senior members of the committee and were excited to welcome new members with fresh ideas and energy. The following are some highlights from our busy year.

‘The first seven years of qualification: don’t just survive, thrive!’ was the theme of the YMC annual conference in October 2023, with speakers on a range of topics including professional and personal branding, negotiation techniques, and key skills to succeed.

Members of the committee again facilitated sessions as part of the Future of Legal Practice Summit in January 2024. 

In collaboration with the Young Bar Committee, we held an inperson event in February 2023 at the Distillery Building, chaired by Mr Justice Liam Kennedy, called ‘Briefing 2.0: maximising the solicitor/barrister relationship’.

We continued the tradition of attending EYBA conferences, sending a delegation of four representing the Law Society to the spring conference in Istanbul in March 2024, and two delegates to the summer conference in Copenhagen in June.

In April, members presented to the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers as part of their Legal Training Programme. We also continued the tradition of the YMC Calcutta Run Yoga in May 2024. Runners and non-runners alike were welcome to join on the pitch at Blackhall Place for a session lead by Mary Duffy of Law Society Psychological Services.

On 26 June 2024, we hosted an event for the IBA, in collaboration with the Society of Young Solicitors (SYS) and the DSBA Younger Members Committee, on the topic ‘From NQ to partner: how to navigate and stay well on the journey’. We continue to engage with other young professionals' groups, such as the Southern Law Association (SLA) Younger Members Committee, the Young Bar, the Chartered Accountants Ireland Young Professionals, the Northern Ireland Young Solicitors Association (NIYSA), and the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA).

It has been an honour to serve as chair of the YMC for 2023/2024. I would like to acknowledge the hard work of all the committee members at what is already a busy stage of their careers. In particular, I would like to thank immediate past-chair Fiona McNulty, Gregory Benson (senior vice-chair), Frank McNamara (junior vice-chair), YMC secretary Siobhán Masterson, and interim YMC secretary Sarah Barrett.

Maeve Delargy | Chair