About

Role of the Committee

The Human Rights and Equality Committee was established in November 2004, with the main purpose of raising awareness in the Law Society, the profession and the public of human rights and equality issues under the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and other national and international instruments.

The Committee:

  • provides training and education to the profession on human rights and equality law

  • provides expertise to the Law Society and its committees on issues relating to human rights and equality, both domestic and foreign and co-operates with other committees on human rights and equality related work

  • endeavours to develop resources for use by the profession in relation to the protection and promotion of human rights and equality

  • prepares submissions and commentary on current human rights and equality issues

  • works with and supports other organisations in the promotion of human rights.

  • Represents the Society at external meetings with Government Departments and appears before Oireachtas Committees

International Representation

Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE): The CCBE is an international non-profit representative association founded in 1960. It has a membership of over 1 million European lawyers including the bars and law societies of 45 countries from the European Union, the European Economic Area, and wider Europe. The organisation consists of 32 member countries and 13 further associate and observer countries. The CCBE represents member European bars and law societies in their common interests before European and other international institutions and regularly acts as a liaison between its members and the European institutions, international organisations, and other legal organisations around the world.

The CCBE has a number of specialist committees and working groups including the Access to Justice Committee and the Human Rights Committee. For more information about the CCBE, please visit their website.

Representative: Gary Lee

Members and Secretary

Chair: Gary Lee

Vice-Chair: Stephen Kirwan

Members

  • Grainne Brophy
  • Orla Crowe
  • Kieran Cummins
  • Gary Daly
  • Aine Flynn
  • Diego Gallagher
  • Patricia Hynes
  • Lebeau Jonker
  • Barbara Joyce
  • Marie Kinsella
  • Sinéad Lucey
  • Shane McCarthy
  • Sandra Moloney
  • Clare Naughton
  • Ashimedua Okonkwo
  • Thomas Reilly
  • Cristina Stamatescu
  • Rose Wall
  • Mary O’Donoghue
  • Stephen Collins

Secretary: Leo Twiggs

Application to join the Human Rights and Equality Committee

The process for appointing new committee members begins each year in June. If interested in becoming a member of the Human Rights and Equality Committee, you should submit a CV and cover letter via email to the Committee Secretary. Your application will be reviewed over the summer months by the Committee Chair and Vice-Chair and sent to the incoming President for consideration. Results of this process are communicated via email after the November Council Meeting.

Contact Us

Please email any queries to the Committee Secretary, Nadia Quinn Sciascia.