NEWS

Michael Collins Elected Chairman Of The Bar Council Of Ireland

24 July 2008

Michael M.Collins S.C. a door tenant of Monckton Chambers, has been elected as Chairman of the Bar Council of Ireland. Michael is a senior counsel practising primarily from Dublin, specialising in commercial litigation, competition law, EU law, constitutional law and judicial review. He was called to the Irish Bar in 1978, to the English Bar in 1987 and took silk in Ireland in 1994. He is also a member of the Bars of New York (having practised there with Sherman & Sterling in the early 1980s and was called to the Bar of the United States Supreme Court in 2003). The variety of Michael's practice can be seen from the fact that he acted for BUPA in its successful challenge to the risk equalisation scheme introduced by the Irish Government to the health insurance industry in Ireland (Irish Supreme Court decision 16th July 2008) and, in a case pending before the Irish Supreme Court, he is acting for two gay women, arguing that they have a right to marry under the Irish Constitution and under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Michael has been a member of the Bar Council of Ireland for the past 4 years and has been Vice-Chairman for the past year. He was re-elected to the Bar Council two weeks ago with the largest vote in the history of Bar Council elections and was elected as Chairman of the Bar Council on the 18th July 2008.

"It is a tremendous honour to have been elected as Chairman of the Bar Council and my priority is to ensure that irrespective of the regulatory environment, members of the Irish Bar can continue to act as utterly independent and fearless advocates for clients while maintaining the highest possible standards of professionalism and integrity" Michael said. "It is also vital that we maintain the links between the independent referral Bars of the world and I particularly value my membership of Monckton Chambers in that context as well."

Paul Lasok QC, Head of Chambers, said: "Michael's colleagues at Monckton Chambers all send their congratulations. It is a well-deserved appointment".

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Michael Collins SC