Staff & Board

Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI) 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, Former Chief Justice of Ireland, 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 and also in Lilongwe.

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.

Chairperson of the Board of Directors

John Shaw, Solicitor, Former President of the Law Society of Ireland

Members of the Board of Directors

Bernard Brady QC, Barrister-at-Law, Chair of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland

Norville Connolly, Solicitor, Former President of the Law Society Northern Ireland (Norville also volunteers with us, as Country Director of our programmes in Zambia and Tanzania)

Kieran Falvey, Barrister-at-Law

Eithne Lynch, A&L Goodbody LLP

Maura McNally, Barrister-at-Law

Executive Director

Aonghus Kelly (Currently on a 6 month Sabbatical)

Director of Programmes

James Douglas- Acting ED

Programme Manager

Seán McHale

Programme Lawyer Northern Ireland

Anne-Marie Blaney

Pro Bono Development Manager

Michelle Drury

IRLI Malawi Programme on Access to Justice

Susie Kiely, Country Programme Manager

Macdara Ó Drisceoil, Programme Lawyer – Legal Aid Bureau

Martha Pigott, Programme Lawyer – Malawi Police Service

Kate Loughran, Programme Lawyer- Access to Justice Programme 

Immaculate Maluza, Programme Lawyer – Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions

Lindiwe Sibande, Southern Regional Legal Coordinator

Margret Mwale, Child Diversion Programme Officer

Nellie Chipeta, Finance and Admin Officer

Finn Fellow 

Sienna Dunakin 

Office Manager, Dublin office

Caroline Lamba

Legal Assistant

Vongdarareach Chhour

Legal Volunteer

Neema Winfred Ngowi

Financial Controller

Evolve Chartered Accountants

Media & Communications

With thanks to Matheson for continued support



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