History was made today (9 October) as 17 solicitors from throughout Ireland were formally granted Patents of Precedence, and given the designation of Senior Counsel, in an online ceremony.

Law Society President Michele O’Boyle attended the ceremony remotely at the invitation of the Chief Justice Frank Clarke.

“After many decades of progress, the Law Society is immensely proud of our Senior Counsel solicitor colleagues as they carve out their unique place in Irish legal history,” she said.

“I congratulate each of my colleagues on this significant achievement, and I am honoured to be at the helm of the solicitors’ profession to witness this historic event," she added.

Unique viewpoint

“At the Law Society of Ireland, we are proud of tradition and prepared for the future. This is a historic day for Ireland’s legal profession," Ms O'Boyle said.

"The 17 solicitors who were granted the Patents of Precedence come from a range of professional backgrounds and, from law firms large and small, urban and rural, from right across the country,” she said.

“I am certain that their knowledge and expertise as solicitors will bring a unique viewpoint and insights to this role which will be an enormous value to the Irish justice system,” she said. “The Law Society and I are confident that these solicitors will be the first of many solicitors to be granted this recognition of excellence.”

The 17 solicitors granted Patents of Precedence are:

• Éamonn Conlon, Éamonn Conlon Solicitors (Dublin),
• Paul Egan, Mason, Hayes & Curran LLP (Dublin),
• Patrick Groarke, Groarke & Partners (Longford),
• Richard Hammond, Hammond Good Solicitors (Cork),
• Bill Holohan, Holohan Lane LLP (Cork),
• Áine Hynes, St John Solicitors LLP, Dublin,
• Liam Kennedy, A&L Goodbody (Dublin),
• Rory Kirrane, Mason, Hayes & Curran LLP (Dublin),
• Cormac Little, William Fry (Dublin),
• James MacGuill, MacGuill and Company (Louth),
• Roger Murray, Callan Tansey Solicitors LLP (Sligo),
• Helen Noble, Noble Shipping Law (Wicklow),
• Bernard O’Connor, NCTM Studio Legale (Brussels, Belgium),
• Vincent Power, A&L Goodbody (Dublin),
• Dara Robinson, Sheehan and Partners (Dublin),
• Michael Staines, Michael Staines & Co Solicitors (Dublin),
• Damien M.P Tansey, Damien Tansey Solicitors LLP (Sligo)

The Legal Services Regulatory Authority first announced the names of the 17 solicitors to be appointed Senior Counsel on Tuesday 1 September.

The change to allow solicitors to apply for Patents of Precedence was first signed into legislation in 2015 under the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) Act 2015.