Irish Rule of Law International is a project-oriented, non-profit organisation established by the Law Society of Ireland and the Bar of Ireland in 2007. In 2015, IRLI was joined by the Law Society of Northern Ireland and the Bar of Northern Ireland in the support and promotion of IRLI’s rule of law projects.
The Hon. Mr. Justice Frank Clarke, Chief Justice, is IRLI’s patron.
IRLI is governed by a Board of Directors including representatives of the Law Society of Ireland, the Bar of Ireland, the Law Society of Northern Ireland, and the Bar of Northern Ireland. To ensure adequate growth management, in 2015 the Board expanded to include a number of other relevant experts specialising in International Development, Access to Justice, Business and Marketing.
IRLI has staff operating from its headquarters in Dublin.
IRLI’s project-based work is carried out through a wide range of pro-bono legal experts and programme lawyers, either remotely or in-country. In Malawi, where IRLI implements its largest programme on Access to Justice, a team of six Programme Lawyers support the programme for a minimum period of 12 months each.
Chairperson of the Board of Directors
John Shaw, Solicitor, Former President of the Law Society of Ireland.
Company Secretary
Anna Hickey, Senior Associate, Philip Lee.
Members of the Board of Directors
Bernard Brady QC, Barrister-at-Law, Chair of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland.
Michael Carrigan, Solicitor and Arbitrator.
Norville Connolly, Solicitor, Former President of the Law Society Northern Ireland.
Orla Crowe SC, Barrister-at-Law.
Sharon Cunningham, Chartered Accountant.
Kieran Falvey, Barrister-at-Law.
Mary Keane, Deputy Director General of the Law Society.
Noel Lourdes, Consultant, Business and Finance.
Eithne Lynch, Associate, Pro Bono, A&L Goodbody.
Jeananne McGovern, Barrister-at-Law.
Rachel Power, Solicitor, Public Interest Law Alliance & Strategic Development Manager.
Brian Storan, Barrister-at-Law.
Executive Director
Aonghus Kelly
Director of Programmes
Kate Gauld (maternity leave)
Acting Director of Programmes
James Douglas
IRLI Malawi Programme on Access to Justice
Seona Dillion McLoughlin, Programme Manager.
Macdara Ó Drisceoil, Programme Lawyer – Legal Aid Bureau.
Tyler Holmes, Programme Lawyer – Malawi Police Service.
Andrea Vizsolyi, Programme Lawyer – Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Susie Kiely, Programme Lawyer – Judiciary.
Lindiwe Sibande, Alternative Justice Programme Officer.
IRLI Intern
Aoife Lawlor, Maynooth University.
Susan Colgan, Maynooth University.
Legal Volunteers
Éilis Brennan
Philip O’Leary, ByrneWallace.
Saoirse McGrath, A&L Goodbody.
Helena O’Mahony.