Thursday, 29 February 2024

Professor Ray Murphy from our Irish Centre for Human Rights and Programme Director of our , featured on Al Jazeera News last week regarding Ireland's reaction and stance to war on Gaza.  

Wednesday, 14 February 2024

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O'Gorman, T.D., is to address a University of Galway event on the upcoming referendums on the family and care.  The event - The Constitutional Referendums on 8th March 2024: A Discussion with Minister Roderic O’Gorman - takes place in the IT Building, IT250, on Tuesday February 20th and is open to the public.  Next month, Irish citizens who are registered to vote will have the opportunity to vote in two constitutional referendums.   The first referendum concerns the concept of family in the Constitution, and if passed would broaden the definition of family beyond marriage.   The second Referendum proposes to delete an existing part of the Constitution and insert new text providing recognition for care provided by family members to each other, and to remove the reference to duties in the home of a mother.  Dr Brian Tobin, School of Law, will provide a critical response to the Minister's address and an audience Q&A will also take place.  Speaking ahead of the event, Dr Brian Tobin, said: “I am delighted that Minister O'Gorman can join us at University of Galway to take part in this informative and insightful event for our students, staff and the public. Minister O'Gorman will emphasise the importance of the referendum proposals to attendees, but they will also be exposed to my own critique of the proposals, and then have the opportunity to engage with the Minister themselves in what I hope will be a lively audience Q&A session.”  Ends

Wednesday, 7 February 2024

Congratulations to the School of Law's Adam Carton, Courtney Heal-Powell, and Tommy Earls, who secured third place in the Irish Tax Institute's Fantasy Budget competition 2024.  This competition challenges University students to put themselves in the shoes of a Minister for Finance, critically assessing key measures from the Budget and proposing their own budgetary measures.  The students received their awards from the Institute's President, Tom Reynolds, during a ceremony held last Wednesday in Dublin.  Adam, Courtney, and Tommy, accompanied by their lecturer Dr Charles O'Mahony, met the competition judges at the Institute's offices at Grand Canal Dock. This lunchtime event celebrated the winning teams' achievements and presented them with their well-deserved prizes. The students received additional support from Professor Emer Mulligan and Mary Cosgrove, from the School of Business and Economics at the University of Galway. The judges were impressed with Adam, Courtney, and Tommy’s submission which considered the new Mortgage Interest Tax Credit, they analysed the effectiveness of changes to the Employment Investment Incentive Scheme, and looked at the R&D tax credit changes in relation to attracting foreign direct investment.  In their role as the Minister of Finance, the team address the housing crisis with a grant for private builders or persons commencing construction on their principal private residence. Their hope is that it will offer first-time buyers another option and have a knock-on effect on rent levels.  Congratulations also to the other winning teams from Trinity College Dublin and Dublin City University. 

Tuesday, 23 January 2024

Dr Ciara Smyth, Programme Director of our was recently in the media discussing the facts and misinformation of international protection applicants. Click on the links below to listen to the interviews.  RTÉ Radio 1 RTÉ Upfront with Katie Hannon Before joining University of Galway Ciara worked for a number of non-governmental and intergovernmental organisations in Ireland and abroad, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Wednesday, 24 January 2024

Join our inaugural event of the Crime, Punishment and Rights Research Cluster’s film series, in conjunction with Pálás Cinema. Date and Time: Wednesday 31st January at 6.30pm  Location: Pálás Cinema  Movie: In the Name of the Father The movie depicts the events surrounding one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British history, the false conviction and imprisonment of the Guildford Four following an IRA bombing. The themes evoked by the movie remain relevant today – the use of interrogation techniques in police interviewing, false confessions, conditions of imprisonment, and the right to truth and redress for both the victims of the bombings and the miscarriage of justice. Purchase Tickets: Click here to purchase a ticket. Students can avail of reduced priced tickets for €5 by signing up for the loyalty scheme (free of charge).

Wednesday, 17 January 2024

University of Galway School of Law and BARBRI have formed a partnership arrangement which will give our law students discounted access to BARBRI training for the New York State Bar Exam and the Solicitors Qualifying Exam for England and Wales. Students registering for BARBRI’s training course for either of these exams will be entitled to a discount of 20% off the published price. In addition to these guaranteed discounts on BARBRI training, BARBRI will also be offering our law students access to a number of online training events throughout the academic year, on topics such as SQE taster sessions, SQE and US Bar information sessions, and employability skills sessions.  BARBRI have online resources that you can use to learn more about the SQE, the US bar and legal careers more generally. See their student landing page for some English law-related resources, such as ‘SQE Edge’, a bank of 100 taster SQE MCQs, as well as ‘SQE Head Start’, a platform with various legal careers resources. You can also read about the US bar exam here. Upcoming start dates for BARBRI training courses are as follows: SQE1 July 40-week starting late September/early October SQE1 July 20-week starting mid-February SQE1 July 10-week starting late April/Early May SQE1 January 40-week starting early April SQE1 January 20-week starting late August SQE1 January 10-week starting late October Extended US bar prep July 6-month starting February Extended US bar prep July 10-month starting September Extended US bar prep February 6-month starting September Extended US bar prep February 10-month starting April Commenting on the new partnership, Dean of University of Galway School of Law, Professor Martin Hogg, said: “This new partnership is an exciting one for the Law School, as it will ensure that Galway Law students have access to the expert training provided by BARBRI, which is a world leader in training for the SQE and NY Bar exams. As a number of our law graduates seek to enter the legal profession in England and Wales and in New York each year, they will now benefit directly from discounted training for professional bar exams as well as legal skills training during their time as students. This is great news for our students and we’re looking forward to working closely with BARBRI over the coming years to ensure that those students who choose to do so will have the best chance of following a successful career path in England & Wales or in the USA.

Monday, 23 October 2023

Dr Brian Tobin who lectures in Family and Child Law recently launched a new book titled ''The Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Relationships: Emerging Families in Ireland and Beyond'. The book was launched at an on-campus event with special guest Mr Justice Gerard Hogan of the Irish Supreme Court, who described the book as 'scholarship at its finest in terms of avant garde family law'. This book analyses the key issues affecting same-sex families in Ireland and beyond today: marriage; formalised and non-formalised same-sex relationships outside of marriage; parental rights for same-sex couples with donor-conceived or surrogate-born children; and the protections afforded to same-sex families under European human rights law.  Find out more  

Friday, 13 October 2023

Professor Ray Murphy from University of Galway's Irish Centre for Human Rights, and former Irish UN peacekeeper who was based in South Lebanon discusses the Israel-Palestine conflict in media interviews. To listen to the interviews click on the links below: Today with Claire Byrne The Pat Kenny Show Ireland AM (see clip at 11.57)

Tuesday, 12 September 2023

This summer I had the privilege to participate in the Los Angeles Federal District Court 2023 Summer Externship Program, organised by the Irish American Bar Association. Each year the program consists of one student from each of the six participating Irish Law Schools and I was delighted to be the student selected from University of Galway School of Law. The program consisted of eight weeks in the Los Angeles Federal District Court working in the Judge’s chambers and two weeks in the Superior Court. In Federal Court, I spent four weeks with one Judge and then switched to another Judge where I spent another four weeks. During my time in Federal Court, I assisted the law clerks in conducting legal research where I got to work on interesting cases, for example cases involving high profile celebrities. I had the opportunity to prepare legal memorandums which involved reading the facts of the case and making an informed decision on whether the case should be dismissed or not, which ultimately the Judge would decide. I got the opportunity to observe sentencing hearings and see first-hand how a Judge will decide the case. After each hearing, I had the opportunity to speak to the Judge and see why/how he reached his decision, which was always very fascinating and thought-provoking. During my time in Superior Court, I got to observe all different kinds of trials such as family, complex, labour and criminal (including murder trials). One trial involved a medical malpractice case, where we got to see how the attorneys selected a jury. I soon realised how important, and at times very tedious this job is. I also visited the family court, where children up to the age of eighteen had their hearings. This court was much different to a regular court, which reminded me of a children’s hospital. There were teddy bears in each courtroom, children’s art on the wall, and also a playroom for kids to be taken to while they are waiting. It was emotional hearing cases of children who suffered abuse in their childhood and moved from one foster family to another. The Judges and attorneys in this court do an incredible job in making sure the main focus is the child and giving them the chance to thrive and have the best life possible. The other externs and I made the most of being in California for the summer, as none of us had ever been in California before. We visited San Diego, Malibu, Oxnard, San Francisco, Santa Monica, and Venice Beach. We got to go to a Dodgers game, Getty Museum, hike to the Hollywood sign, go to the Griffith observatory, Santa Anita Racetrack, Hollywood bowl, Delmar racetrack and much more. One of the highlights of this summer for me was going surfing with Judge Crowley every Sunday. Overall, this tremendous opportunity allowed my fellow externs and I to gain a unique insight into the U.S legal system and learn from highly experienced judges. The contacts, friendships, and connections you make are unforgettable. Isobel McAllenLaw and Business Graduate, Class of 2023  

Tuesday, 10 May 2022

Sligo students at the University’s School of Law named Terence O’Malley DLA Piper Scholars Two NUI Galway law students from Sligo have been awarded special scholarships created in partnership between the global law firm DLA Piper and the University’s School of Law. Annie Forde, from Enniscrone, Co Sligo, and Joan Ighile, from Sligo Town have been named the Terence O’Malley DLA Piper Scholars for the academic year 2021/2022. Both students are undertaking the undergrad degree Law (BCL), Criminology and Criminal Justice, at NUI Galway’s School of Law. The Terence O’Malley DLA Piper Scholarship is named after the Chairman Emeritus of the law firm who has family roots in the west of Ireland. It provides funding and support to enable and empower successful students to study a law degree at NUI Galway and is awarded in-part on academic merit. Maura Dineen, Partner at DLA Piper, met with the scholars on campus and shared interesting insights into her fascinating career advising domestic and international clients on tax matters. Ms Dineen said: “We are proud to partner with NUI Galway’s School of Law to support deserving students like Annie and Joan, as they pursue their studies in law. It was a pleasure to visit the campus, talk to the students about their experience and hear the positive impact the Terence O’Malley DLA Piper scholarship has had on their studies so far. We wish all of the students the very best in their studies and look forward to seeing what innovative thinking they contribute to the industry in the future.” Professor Martin Hogg, Head of the School of Law at NUI Galway, said: “We are delighted to have the continued support by DLA Piper of two more students under this scholarship programme. The educational opportunities which these scholarships afford are highly valued by the School and by the scholars and we’re very grateful to DLA Piper for this investment in two lawyers of the future.” The scholarship supports scholars throughout their four-year law degree to the value of €2,500 annually (total value of €10,000 per scholar). It is open to first year students who are enrolled in one of NUI Galway’s five full law degrees and have a home address in the west of Ireland (to include all counties in Connacht plus counties Donegal and Clare).  Annie Forde said: “Studying Law at NUI Galway has been a highly enjoyable experience and I am grateful that DLA Piper are able to support me in my academic endeavours. This scholarship has had a positive impact on my life and I hope that in my future legal career that I can make a positive change in people’s lives.” Joan Ighile said: “This scholarship has given me the opportunity to thoroughly enjoy my study of Law at NUI Galway with lessened financial stress. It has been a great support to me, and I’d like to thank DLA Piper for their great generosity in continuing to support Irish students pursuing a career in Law." The Scholarship was launched in 2020 at NUI Galway following Terence O’Malley’s retirement from a highly-regarded legal career, serving in various roles including as DLA Piper's US Managing Partner, US Co-Chairman, and Global Co-Chief executive officer. The inaugural scholars were Ava Cullinan, Law (BCL) student from Kilrush, Co Clare and Emily Donnellan, Law (BCL), Criminology and Criminal Justice student from Maree, Co Galway. In addition to the scholarship, a separate annual Terence O’Malley DLA Piper bursary is awarded to a NUI Galway Law student achieving the highest grade in the University’s Law and Innovation module.  DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. DLA Piper established in Ireland in 2019 with offices in Dublin.  DLA Piper clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies. For full details about this scholarship, including terms and conditions, visit: www.nuigalway.ie/dlapiperscholarship   Ends

Wednesday, 23 August 2023

University of Galway School of Law is proud to be a member of the Law Schools Global League and as part of this membership one student from the School is offered the opportunity to attend the annual LSGL Summer School. The LSGL Summer School offers students a cutting-edge learning experience in exploring the challenges of the legal profession in an increasingly globalised world. The courses are co-taught by professors from member institutions. This year’s 11th LSGL Summer School took place in King’s College London in July and Róisín McGrath, Law (BCL) and Human Rights student at University of Galway School of Law was selected to attend. Róisín, said: “I had the opportunity to attend the wonderful LSGL Summer School in London this summer. The quality of teaching was second to none and I feel extremely grateful to have learnt so much from both the lecturers and the other students, as well as having made friends for life. Having made connections and learned about the legal education systems and professions in jurisdictions all over the world, I feel very lucky to call myself Irish and to attend University of Galway. Staying in the centre of London and getting to attend class in the beautiful Dickson Poon School of Law was truly an amazing experience and all the staff in King's College London, particularly Caitlin who herself did a semester of study abroad in the University of Galway (UCG at the time), could not have been more helpful and hospitable. Thank you to University of Galway School of Law for promoting and sponsoring this opportunity, I have no doubt that it will greatly benefit my legal studies next year and well into the future and hopefully I will be able to share the wonderful insights that I got from the experience with my classmates in University of Galway." Learn more about LSGL Summer School

Monday, 21 August 2023

Data science is increasingly important, and teaching it to students outside of traditional disciplines is valuable. Dr Rónán Kennedy and Dr Abigail Rekas of University of Galway School of Law are working on 3G4P: Towards a Göttingen-Groning-Galway Perspective on the digital revolution, involving colleagues in those institutions as part of the ENLIGHT project. With the digital revolution, data science is becoming an increasingly important tool in developing responses to various challenges. However, its successful application often hinges of the ability of data scientists and experts from various fields to work hand in hand. Students in many  disciplines often struggle with statistical approaches themselves, while STEM/statistics students can lack skills for symbiotic teamwork with diverse partners. This project will tackle this problem by developing open educational resources (OER) on the basis of H5P (an open source content collaboration framework) which will enable cross-disciplinary learning  – by considering  policy responses to three key challenges – to climate change, workplace stress, and access to justice – through the eyes of three disciplines – statistics, psychology and law. The course materials thus developed will be opened under a CC BY 4.0 licence and used in a pilot course for three years entailing roughly 30 students per university. 

Monday, 3 July 2023

One funded PhD position is available to work on a doctoral thesis in the area of the Regulation of Legal Analytics. The successful applicant will work under the supervision of Dr Rónán Kennedy and Dr Abigail Rekas, School of Law.   It is open to a candidate to define their own PhD topic, but representative research questions could include:   What are the strengths and weaknesses of analytics techniques as applied to law? What approaches to regulation of (new) legal services are adopted in different jurisdictions worldwide, and to what extent are these focused on protecting consumers or on vested interests? Are legal analytics an economic activity which should be regulated by the European Union, as part of the common market, and if so, to what degree of harmonisation and with what level of competence retained by the Member States?  What are the implications of data protection and privacy laws, which are developing rapidly in many jurisdictions worldwide, for legal analytics? How can the governance of legal analytics foster better access to justice? Please consult this document for further guidance: Regulation of Legal Analytics   Entry criteria Essential: A minimum 2:1 Honours (or equivalent grade) UG and/or PG Degree in law or a related discipline (philosophy, social science etc). In exceptional circumstances a 2.2 would be considered where the candidate had significant practical or lived experience in the field. Desirable: A 1st Class Honours (or equivalent grade) UG and/or PG Degree in law or a related discipline (philosophy, social science etc). Funding: The scholarship is funded for a maximum of 4 years. It will cover full fees for the successful candidate, in addition to a stipend of €18,500 per annum. Nevertheless, the successful candidate will be expected to apply for Irish Research Council (IRC) and University of Galway scholarships in the first year of their degree.  Application Interested candidates should complete this Proposal Form‌, and submit a CV and an academic writing sample (e.g. article, course essay, dissertation) by 5pm, 21st August 2023 to ronan.m.kennedy@universityofgalway.ie and/or abigail.rekas@universityofgalway.ie. Informal inquiries can be sent to the same addresses. Candidates may be invited to interview.

Wednesday, 28 June 2023

Displacement, internally or across borders, and statelessness heighten risks of trafficking in persons, a UN expert said today, urging States to prevent trafficking and ensure effective protection of victims.    “Limiting access to asylum and other forms of international protection is likely to increase the risks of trafficking in persons, by forcing people into risky, precarious situations,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Professor Siobhán Mullally, in a report presented to the Human Right Council today.    Professor Mullally was particularly concerned about the adoption of legislation and policy by States to prevent trafficking in persons, which fail to comply with international law.    “The increasing use of accelerated refugee status determination procedures, transfer of refugee status determination procedures to third countries, and the phenomenon of ‘push-backs’ following interceptions at sea or land borders, undermine States’ ability to comply with their obligations to identify, assist and protect victims of trafficking, and to respect the principle of non-refoulement,” Professor Mullally said.    She recalled that States have obligations to identify and protect victims of trafficking or persons at risk of trafficking also in the context of interceptions at sea, and in the context of duties to rescue persons in distress at sea.   “Expanding safe, regular migration opportunities, and providing resettlement opportunities and other complementary pathways for the admission of persons with international protection needs, as well as effective access to asylum and international protection, are essential to prevent trafficking and ensure protection of victims,” she said.    Professor Mullally noted that States hosting the highest numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons have limited capacity to assist and protect trafficked persons or to prevent trafficking: “Where the rights of refugees to freedom of movement, to decent work and to access education or training are limited, the risks of exploitation increase.   “Stateless persons are exposed to increased risks of trafficking linked to their precarious legal status as persons deprived of their right to a nationality, and consequential violations resulting from limited access to civil documentation, education, employment, social protection, and restrictions on freedom of movement.”    Professor Mullally also raised the risks of trafficking faced by unaccompanied and separated children: “I am concerned that adolescent refugee children are often not given equal protection by States. States have an obligation to respect and ensure the rights of all children without discrimination.”    The full report is available here.   Ends

Wednesday, 21 June 2023

Every year, the Law School offers tutorials to our Undergraduate and LL.B. students in a range of law subjects. Applications are invited for tutoring positions in the following subjects:  Administrative Law Company Law Contract Law Constitutional Law Criminal Law Equity European Union Law Evidence Family & Child Law Land Law Mooting Understanding the Law * * Understanding the Law is a first-year module that combines the Irish Legal System and Legal Methods and Research modules. It is skills-based, with a strong emphasis on legal writing. It is taught for the first four weeks of Semester I. Applications from students who have already taken this module, or who have been CÉIM leaders, will be particularly welcome. All modules, with the exception of Understanding the Law and Mooting, are taught in both Semester 1 and 2. Understanding the Law and Mooting are taught in Semester 1 only. The academic calendar for 2023-24 is: Semester 1 Monday 4th September – Friday 24th November, 2023 (Tutorials start on week 5 for 8 weeks) Semester 2 Monday 8th January – Friday 28th March, 2024 First years: Semester 1 TBC Semester 2 TBC If you are interested in tutoring in the academic year 2023/24, please submit a short (1 page max) cover letter and one-page CV to Tara Elwood, School of Law, University of Galway (tara.elwood@universityofgalway.ie) by Friday 30th June 2023, indicating your preferred subject area(s). Please also provide contact details for one referee. The School of Law anticipates that interviews will be held virtually from Wednesday 5th July 2023.

Tuesday, 6 June 2023

We are delighted to welcome Professor Roja Fazaeli, to the Irish Centre for Human Rights, School of Law. Professor Fazaeli will take up the post of Established Professor of Law and Islamic Studies, commencing July 1 2023, and leading the ERC Consolidator award: BILQIS: Building Conceptual and Methodological Expertise for the Study of Gender, Agency and Authority in Islam. Professor Fazaeli is currently Professor In Islamic Civilisation, Near & Middle Eastern Studies, Trinity College Dublin.  She is the recipient of numerous honours and awards, including winner of Trinity Research Excellence Award for 2020 in the category 'Cherish academic freedom, diversity of scholarship, and pursuit of truth'. She is a Global Affiliate of the Vulnerability and the Human Condition project, Emory University, School of Law, USA. Professor Fazaeli has always combined engagement with public policy and human rights advocacy with her academic scholarship and teaching. She is currently the Chairperson of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, and is a member of the Board of Frontline Defenders and of Scholars at Risk, Europe. Professor Fazaeli has published extensively on Religion and Human Rights, Islam and Human Rights, Islamic Feminisms and Gender and Human Rights. Professor Fazaeli is also PI of the European Commission funded project: Preaching Hate: A Contextual Discourse Analysis of Charismatic Socio-Religious Speech. Professor Fazaeli gained her BA and MPhil. from Trinity College Dublin and PhD in International Human Rights Law from the University of Galway, where she was also the recipient of an Irish Research Council Government of Ireland PhD scholarship. Professor Fazaeli is a former member of the Board of Directors of Azadi Andisheh (Association for Freedom of Thought) and of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Religions and Human Rights.   Prior to commencing her academic career, Professor Fazaeli, worked for Amnesty International, Irish Section and a number of other Non-Governmental Organisations, and served on the executive boards of the Irish Refugee Council and UNIFEM Ireland.

Wednesday, 22 March 2023

Mr. Tom O'Malley, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Galway, Senior Counsel and member of the Inner Bar of Ireland, gave the 2023 Annual Distinguished Lecture in Law on Thursday 11th May. The title of the lecture was “From practical wisdom to guidelines: The future of sentencing and regulation in Ireland”. You can watch the lecture on YouTube and view photographs from Martina Regan Photography on Flickr or further down the page below. Tom's full lecture can be downloaded in PDF format: Annual Distinguished Lecture 2023. The lecture was covered in The Irish Times (subscriber only) and Tom was interviewed on RTÉ Radio 1’s The Claire Byrne Show. This was our 11th Annual Distinguished Lecture. Previous speakers include: Professor Christopher McCrudden of Oxford University, Judge John T. Noonan of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Professor Neil Walker of Edinburgh University, Baroness Brenda Hale of the UK Supreme Court with Mrs. Justice Catherine McGuinness of the Irish Supreme Court, Mr. Justice Nial Fennelly of the Irish Supreme Court, Sir Declan Morgan, the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, Judge Síofra O’Leary of the European Court of Human Rights, Justice Leona Theron of the Constitutional Court of South Africa and the Hon. Mr. Justice Gerard Hogan, Advocate General of the European Court of Justice.

Tuesday, 9 May 2023

One funded PhD position is available to work on a doctoral thesis in the area of Disability Law. The successful applicant will work under the supervision of Dr Shivaun Quinlivan and Dr Charles O'Mahony, School of Law.   It is open to a candidate to define their own PhD topic, but it should fit, broadly within the parameters of research in relation to the CRPD and Disability Rights more generally, with a particular focus on: Constitutional law and disability rights The CRPD with particular reference to any of the following rights, employment education, mental health, legal capacity, law reform EU Disability Law & Policy Disability, discrimination & employment Disability and the criminal justice system Entry criteria Essential: A minimum 2:1 Honours (or equivalent grade) UG and/or PG Degree in law or a related discipline (philosophy, social science etc). In exceptional circumstances a 2.2 would be considered where the candidate had significant practical or lived experience in the field. Desirable: A 1st Class Honours (or equivalent grade) UG and/or PG Degree in law or a related discipline (philosophy, social science etc). Funding: The scholarship is funded for a maximum of 4 years. It will cover full fees for the successful candidate, in addition to a stipend of €18,500 per annum. Nevertheless, the successful candidate will be expected to apply for Irish Research Council (IRC) and University of Galway scholarships in the first year of their degree.  Application Interested candidates should complete this Proposal Form‌, and submit a CV and an academic writing sample (e.g. article, course essay, dissertation) by 5pm, 28th July 2023 to  shivaun.quinlivan@universityofgalway.ie and/or charles.omahony@universityofgalway.ie. Informal inquiries can be sent to the same addresses. Candidates may be invited to interview.

Thursday, 6 April 2023

University of Galway has secured two additional Athena SWAN Bronze Awards in recognition of the University’s commitment to advancing gender equality for staff and students. The University’s School of Law and a joint award between the School of Computer Science and the Data Science Institute have received the accolade which acknowledges efforts to create cultural change within higher education institutions. This latest accreditations sees a total of ten Bronze Awards and one Silver Award in the University, along with an Institutional Bronze Award which was renewed in 2021. Eleven out of the University’s 18 schools now hold Athena SWAN Awards. University of Galway Vice-President for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Helen Maher, said: “I am delighted with the positive news of the successful Athena Swan Bronze applications for our School of Law, School of Computer Science and Data Science Institute. I very much appreciate the significant work undertaken by staff members to advance gender equality as evidenced by these new awards. In addition, I am mindful of the necessity of supporting and enabling leadership for equality at every level within our University, as a critical factor in transforming the gendered nature of inequality in higher education.” Professor Martin Hogg, Head of the School of Law, said: “The School of Law is delighted to be the recipient of an Athena Swan Bronze Award. The Award recognises the commitment we have made as a School to advance gender equality in a range of ways, and we intend to make an early start on the work needed to achieve this. The award represents the next step of an important journey for us, one which we embark upon with renewed confidence. The School owes a huge debt of gratitude to our Self-Assessment Team for the time and effort they put into securing this award, and I should like to thank them for all their hard work.” The Athena Swan Charter is a framework which is used across the globe to support and transform gender equality within higher education and research.  

Thursday, 30 March 2023

We are delighted to announce that Dr Maeve O’Rourke, Assistant Professor at the Irish Centre for Human Rights, School of Law, has today been appointed to the Young Academy of Ireland, established by the Royal Irish Academy. This prestigious appointment reflects Dr O’Rourke’s standing as an internationally renowned scholar, teacher and legal practitioner, and her leadership in human rights law research and public policy engagement, through initiatives such as the award winning Human Rights Law LLM clinic at University of Galway, the CLANN project and the Justice for Magdalenes Research campaign. The YAI consists of forty members from Ireland and Northern Ireland, who were selected after a competitive recruitment process launched by the Royal Irish Academy in 2022. The successful candidates include researchers, academics, scientists, innovators, clinicians, economists, and professionals who have each made a significant contribution to their field and beyond their individual disciplines. Speaking about her appointment, Dr O’Rourke said: ‘I am thrilled to be included in this first group of Young Academy scholars. I can’t wait to meet the other members and to work with them over the next four years to propose new approaches to pressing national and international problems.’

Wednesday, 22 March 2023

Mr. Tom O'Malley, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Galway, Senior Counsel and member of the Inner Bar of Ireland, will give the 2023 Annual Distinguished Lecture in Law at 6pm on Thursday 11th May. The title of the lecture is “From practical wisdom to guidelines: The future of sentencing and regulation in Ireland”.  *** Register now on EventBrite at https://bit.ly/LawADL2023 ***  This will be our 11th Annual Distinguished Lecture. Previous speakers include: Professor Christopher McCrudden of Oxford University, Judge John T. Noonan of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Professor Neil Walker of Edinburgh University, Baroness Brenda Hale of the UK Supreme Court with Mrs. Justice Catherine McGuinness of the Irish Supreme Court, Mr. Justice Nial Fennelly of the Irish Supreme Court, Sir Declan Morgan, the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, Judge Síofra O’Leary of the European Court of Human Rights, Justice Leona Theron of the Constitutional Court of South Africa and the Hon. Mr. Justice Gerard Hogan, Advocate General of the European Court of Justice.

Monday, 31 October 2022

Congratulations to Dr Maeve O'Rourke, Irish Centre for Human Rights, who received a special merit award at the Durham and Dye - Irish Law Awards on 28 October. The award was in recognition for her work with survivors of Magdalene Laundries. Read more about her work on her staff profile.

Friday, 14 October 2022

The University of Galway has climbed in the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2023. We are now in the 301-350 category, up from the 351-400 category last year. The School of Law has risen to the 101-125 band in the per subject rankings for law, placing us alongside Trinity College Dublin as the joint highest rated Law Schools in Ireland.

Thursday, 20 October 2022

On Friday 21 April 2023, the Irish Centre for Human Rights in the School of Law at the University of Galway will host a one-day conference exploring the Irish Civil War 1922-23 within the framework of the laws of war and against the backdrop of developments concerning international regulation of internal conflicts. The laws of war were frequently invoked during the Irish Civil War 1922-23, often in the condemnation of the execution of prisoners or other reprisal measures, notwithstanding that contemporary international law was not considered formally applicable to internal conflicts at that time. Nascent attempts were being made at the international level to expand the scope of the laws of war, with the Tenth International Conference of the Red Cross in 1921 adopting a resolution urging a greater role for humanitarian organisations during civil wars, as well as a call for political prisoners to be afforded treatment similar to that of prisoners of war in such conflicts. The conference will explore legal, political and judicial debates concerning the application of the laws of war during the Civil War and the role of various individuals, groups and organisations in this context. Topics covered will include the question of prisoner of war status for captured anti-Treaty forces, the relevance of the doctrine of reprisals in wartime, and the role of the International Committee of the Red Cross during the Irish Civil War. Those interested in presenting a paper should send a proposed title, a 400 word abstract and a short bio to Professor Shane Darcy (shane.darcy@universityofgalway.ie) by 15 December 2022.

Monday, 26 September 2022

The School of Law held a successful conference on ‘Oversight of National Security: Lessons from Australia and the United Kingdom’ on Friday 23rd September. The event, which was opened by the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, TD, was held to coincide with the publication of new legislation to establish an office of Independent Examiner of National Security Legislation, something that was recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in 2018. Current and previous holders of similar oversight offices in Australia, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland  (Grant Donaldson SC, Lord David Anderson KBE KC and Professor Marie Breen-Smyth) addressed the conference along with other experts drawn from the fields of academia, human rights and security (Dr Jessie Blackbourn, Michael O’Neill and Dermot Woods). Professor Donncha O’Connell of University of Galway School of Law organised the conference and was a member of the Commission. The conference was also livestreamed on Zoom so that people can participate remotely. A video recording of the event will be uploaded shortly. The conference proceedings were reported in the media by the Irish Times and the Irish Examiner. Pictured above (L to R) are: Conference organiser and chair, Professor Donncha O’Connell of the School of Law, Dr Jessie Blackbourn, Durham University, Lord David Anderson KBE KC, former UK Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, Professor Marie Breen-Smyth, Independent Reviewer – Justice & Security for Northern Ireland, Dermot Woods, Director of the National Security Analysis Centre, Department of An Taoiseach and Michael O’Neill, Head of Legal, Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission

Tuesday, 20 September 2022

Book Discussion on '9/11 and the Rise of Global Anti-Terrorism Law: How the UN Security Council Rules the World' (CUP 2021) About this event Twenty years after the outbreak of the threat posed by international jihadist terrorism, which triggered the need for democracies to balance fundamental rights and security needs, 9/11 and the Rise of Global Anti-Terrorism Law offers an overview of counter-terrorism and of the interplay among the main actors involved in the field since 2001. This book aims to give a picture of the complex and evolving interaction between the international, regional and domestic levels in framing counter-terrorism law and policies. Targeting scholars, researchers and students of international, comparative and constitutional law, it is a valuable resource to understand the theoretical and practical issues arising from the interaction of several levels in counter-terrorism measures. It also provides an in-depth analysis of the role of the United Nations Security Council. Participants in the book will discuss their contributions and the volume overall: Prof. Arianna Vedaschi (Bocconi University),  Prof. Martin Scheinin (EUI and Oxford University, former UN Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism),  Prof. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin (University of Minnesota and Queens University of Belfast, current UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism),  Dr. Chiara Graziani (Bocconi University)  Prof. Daniel Alati, (McEwan University) ** Register for this free event on Eventbrite. **  ‘Since 9/11, the UN Security Council has become a global counter-terrorism legislator and actor. This impressive collection provides much needed analysis and critique of how the emergency intervention of the Security Council two decades ago has become normalized. It examines the Security Council’s significant and surprising impact on domestic laws and practices targeting terrorism financing, pre-crime, listing, internet censorship and intelligence co-operation.’ Kent Roach - author of The 9/11 Effect and Comparative Counter-Terrorism Law

Wednesday, 14 September 2022

AI can enable healthcare systems to offer better care to more people. However, only wise policy choices will assure its positive impact. How can governmental and other authorities better support the development of high-quality AI for diagnosis and clinical decision making? Do we have the systems in place to make the meaningful changes needed for doctors and hospital administrators to take genuine advantage of the potential of AI? What are the challenges they face? Frank Pasquale, Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School and former Chair of the Subcommittee on Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security of the U.S. National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics, will address these issues in a wide-ranging talk on critical issues in liability, licensing, and reimbursement facing doctors, researchers, and entrepreneurs.   Invited Inspioráid is a series of public lectures hosted and chaired by the Dean of the College of Business, Public Policy and Law, Professor Geraint Howells.   For more information and to register, click here.

Thursday, 8 September 2022

The School of Law at the University of Galway and Dr Connie Healy invite you to a lecture entitled; “The work of Ireland’s Commercial Court: increasing international features” being delivered by Mr Justice David Barniville, President of the High Court, at the Aula Maxima, University of Galway at 6pm, on Tuesday the 27th September. CPD points will be available for this event. Register at https://lnkd.in/dCs3zMJZ

Wednesday, 8 June 2022

Dr Ioanna Tourkochoriti organised on June 7th a Workshop on Anti-Discrimination Law and Religion in Collaboration with Professors Mark Graber and Peter Danchin from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. The workshop’s texts will be published as a Handbook on Anti-Discrimination Law and Religion by Oxford University Press in the coming years. The workshop featured presentations by the following scholars: Colm O’Cinneide, Professor of Human Rights Law, University College London, Peter Danchin, Jacob A. France Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Research & Faculty Development, University of Maryland School of Law, Mark A. Graber, University System of Maryland Regents Professor, University of Maryland School of Law, Patricia Jeronimo, Professor University of Minho Law School, Jean Monnet Fellow, European University Institute, Anton Kok, Professor, University of Pretoria, Christopher McCrudden, Professor of Human Rights and Equality Law, Queens University Belfast, Mathias Möschel, Associate Professor, Central European University, Ioanna Tourkochoriti, Lecturer Above the Bar, School of Law, National University of Ireland, Galway, John Adenitire, Strategic Lecturer in Law, Queen Mary University of London. Dr Ioanna Tourkochoriti also organised at the Universirty of Maryland with Professors Graber and Danchin a twin workshop on the same topic featuring: Stuart Adams, President, Utah Senate and Senator for the Utah State Senate’s 22nd District, Benjamin Berger, Professor and York Research Chair in Pluralism and Public Law, Osgoode Hall Law School, Kera Birkeland, Representative, Utah House District 53, Louis Blond, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies, University of Cape Town , Caroline Corbin, Professor of Law and Dean’s Distinguished Scholar, University of Miami School of Law, Peter Danchin, Jacob A. France Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Research & Faculty Development, University of Maryland School of Law, Perry Dane, Professor of Law, Rutgers Law School, Mohammad Fadel, Professor and Toronto Research Chair for the Law and Economics of Islamic Law, University of Toronto Faculty of Law, Mark A. Graber, University System of Maryland Regents Professor, University of Maryland School of Law, Tarunabh Khaitan, Professor of Public Law and Legal Theory and Head of Research in the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, University of Oxford, Andrew Koppelman, John Paul Stevens Professor of Law, Professor (by courtesy) of Political Science, Northwestern University, Ioanna Tourkochoriti, Lecturer Above the Bar, School of Law, National University of Ireland, Galway, Robin Fretwell Wilson, Mildred Van Voorhis Jones Chair in Law, University of Illinois College of Law and Director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs for the University of Illinois System, Michel Rosenfeld, University Professor of Law and Comparative Democracy and Justice Sydney L. Robins Professor of Human Rights, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Heather Miller Rubens, Executive Director and Roman Catholic Scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies (ICJS), Amy J. Sepinwall, Associate Professor of Legal Studies & Business Ethics, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Winnifred Fallers Sullivan, Provost Professor, Religious Studies, Affiliate Professor of Law, Maurer School of Law and Co-Director, Center for Religion and the Human, Department of Religious Studies, Indiana University Bloomington, Marley Weiss, Professor of Law, University of Maryland School of Law. 


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