The Council

The Law Society is governed by a Council, comprising elected and nominated members of the profession. The purpose of the Council is identified in the Charter of 1852 as “for the better rule and government of the Society, and for the better direction and management of the concerns thereof”. The statutory functions of the Society, as set out in the Solicitors Acts 1954 to 2008, are exercised by the Council or by Committees to which the Council delegates those statutory functions. The Council represents the Society and its members both in the interests of the public and of the solicitors’ profession generally.

Composition of the Council

The Council comprises 35 solicitor members elected by the membership throughout the country and 13 nominated members from the Law Society of Northern Ireland, the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association and the Southern Law Association. Past Presidents are entitled to attend Council meetings for three years following their year of Presidency.

Fifty per cent of the elected Council are required to retire annually and elections are held to fill the vacancies arising, with successful candidates serving for a two-year period. The nominated members of the Council are appointed on an annual basis.

Functions of the Council

Under the Solicitors Acts, “the functions vested in the Society by or under this Act shall be performed by the Council”.  These  functions can be divided into three broad categories:

  1. Education and admission
  2. Regulation and discipline, and
  3. Protection of clients

Committees

The Act provides that the Council may appoint a Committee for any purpose which the Council believes would be better effected by means of a Committee and may delegate, with or without restrictions, the exercise of the functions of the Council.  This has been done by the Council in relation to a variety of matters, e.g. Education, Finance, Professional Indemnity Insurance, Regulation of Practice and Complaints and Client Relations.

The Council has also appointed committees to monitor and advise its members on best practice in a range of legal areas, eg arbitration, conveyancing, family law, litigation, taxation, probate etc. You can view a list of members of the 2009/2010 committees.  

The President and Vice-Presidents

Under its legislative framework, the Council of the Society is empowered to elect a President and Vice-Presidents from among the Council members elected in the annual national election. This is done at the Council meeting immediately following on the Annual General Meeting in November of each year. Officers serve for a period of one year.

Council of the Law Society - for the year ending 7th November 2010

President: Gerard Doherty

Vice-Presidents:
Senior: John E. Costello
Junior: John P. Shaw

Conall  Bergin
Donald P. Binchy
James  Cahill
Paul  Connellan
Hilary  Coveney
Maura  Derivan
Patrick  Dorgan
Niall  Farrell
Stuart  Gilhooly
Liam A. Kennedy
Martin G. Lawlor
Barry  MacCarthy
James  MacGuill
James B. McCourt

Simon J. Murphy
Thomas  Murran
Michelle  Ní Longáin
Michele  O'Boyle
Daniel  O'Connor
John  O'Connor
Gerard  O'Donnell
Kevin  O'Higgins
Valerie  Peart
Michael  Quinlan
Moya  Quinlan
Dara  Robinson
John D. Shaw
Brendan J. Twomey

Past Presidents
Gerard F. Griffin
Michael G. Irvine
Philip M. Joyce

Provincial Delegates
Leinster: Andrew J. Cody
Munster: Frances Twomey
Ulster: Margaret M. Mulrine
Connaught: Rosemarie J. Loftus

Dublin Solicitors Bar Association Representatives
John NR Glynn
Aaron  McKenna
Keith Walsh

Southern Law Association Representatives
Eamon  Harrington
Fergus  Long
Michael  Mullane
Eamon  Murray

Law Society of Northern Ireland Representatives
Barry Finlay
Norville Connolly
Donald Eakin
James Cooper
Brian Spears



Find a Firm
Legal Vacancies
Gazette
Accessibility       Using this Website       Terms & Conditions       Privacy Policy      
@Copyright Law Society of Ireland
Law Society of Ireland, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7, Ireland.
Tel +353 1 672 4800 Fax +353 1 672 4801 Email general@lawsociety.ie    
Designed & Developed by biznet IIS