Select Page

Hosted by IWLA committee member Cliona Kimber SC this very well attended seminar heard from Chair of the Bar Council of Ireland, Maura McNally SC, current IWLA Woman Lawyer of the Year, together with Aine Hynes SC ad Helen Noble SC, the first two and currently only, female solicitor Senior Counsel.

The expert panel presented and discussed the process of applying for patents of precedence. 

Wise words from Maura McNally SC-

‘To go back to the whole issue of the application for Patents of Precedence and women becoming Senior Counsel, or Senior Counsel and members of the Inner Bar, from our perspective, without going over old ground, we all know that the first women called to the bar were Avril Deverell and Frances Kyle one hundred years ago. November 1921. It will be one hundred years ago this year. But the first practising [female] Senior Counsel member of the Inner Bar silk was Mella Carroll. The first practicing female Senior Counsel was in 1977. It’s hard to think that it’s taken that long for there to be more than one and she was the one and only. The one and only practising female silk in the country. And then, 2 years later, went on to become Chair of the Bar of Ireland. I find statistics and facts like that mind boggling.

But I’m glad that it has been opened up that women are more towards advancing themselves. We are definitely equal. We are as good decision makers as any man. We are as good an advocate, whether that be oral advocacy or written advocacy. And, as was stated earlier, we just simply have to have faith in ourselves. We need to have faith in ourselves. We need to believe we can do it.”

The event can be watched back on our YouTube channel here –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-RCZvi1EYQ

Aine Hynes SC, slides can be viewed here-

Process of Applying for Senior Counsel Aine Hynes_IWLA 26012021