The Law Society welcomed a new President and a new Director General in 2022.

In November, the Society announced the appointment of Tipperary-based solicitor Maura Derivan as President for the year 2022/2023.

Derivan is a managing partner in the firm Derivan Sexton & Company.

She became the 152nd President of the Law Society, and the sixth woman to serve in the role. 

New DG

January saw the arrival of the new Director General Mark Garrett, who had been named as successor to long-serving Ken Murphy the previous September.

The new DG, who is a passionate Mayo football fan, has extensive experience in leadership and management in the public and private sectors.

In March, he told the Gazette that his priority was to put in place a proactive strategy that would help solicitors mitigate the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities offered by the rapid changes in how people are living and working.

The year also saw the retirement in June of deputy director general Mary Keane after almost 30 years with the Law Society.

The Mayowoman had stepped in to serve as interim director general after the retirement of Ken Murphy in 2021, taking over at a difficult time when COVID restrictions were still in place.