The Eagle: Trinity Law Gazette Volume 2 Issue 1

Kindly supported by Matheson

Sonam Gaitonde analyses the commodification of private data in a digital age and the ability to reclaim it Inside this issue

Irish Innocence Project: David Langwallner speaks to Daniel McCarron and Katie Glennon about the Irish Innocence Project and criminal justice in Ireland

A year in Brisbane: Benn Hogan reflects on his exchange year abroad

Internship Application Success Matheson’s HR team offer advice on how internship applicants can maximise their chances of success on the application process

Social Section: Eoin Hennessy brings us up to speed on a range of extra-curricular activities that took place this semester

Foreword Welcome to Volume 2 Issue 1 of the Eagle: Trinity Law Gazette.

The Eagle provides a tangible platform for students to express their growing interest in legal academic discourse. I am gratified with the enthusiasm the Eagle has generated to date. Its authors, editorial board and interviewees all hail from the Law School.

societies throughout the term. To this end, Eoin Hennessy has been instrumental. From how to get into Harvard, to maximizing internship application success to the much anticipated “Masquerave” ball, we hope our social section provides value, in terms of career planning but also nostalgia for all those late nights.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the authors of the articles included in this issue for working closely and diligently with the editorial board to bring their article up to the highest possible standard. This publication would not have been possible without the hard work of the editorial board; I thank them for their patience and hard-work. Special thanks is also due to the backing from the Law School. I thank Oran Doyle, Neville Cox and David Fennelly for their support and guidance.

It is our mission to foster intellectual discourse of contemporary politico-legal issues in a style that reflects a balance between theoretical and practical views; to be appreciated by any curious inquiring mind. We have endeavoured to include articles that deal with diverse and topical legal issues that are appealing and relevant on both a domestic and international level. The articles contained neatly illustrate the pressing issues that have captured the minds of law students ranging from multiculturalism and the fabric of our society to impending rent review laws to the ability to reclaim one’s identity. The vitality of Irish law depends on such scrutiny and evaluation.

Finally, publication of a review to the current standard would not have been possible without the generous support afforded to us by our title sponsors Matheson. I am delighted they share my belief in the Eagle, its success thus far and its future potential.

We also aspire to encourage student engagement with the extracurricular events hosted by the various law-related

Peter Marshall Editor-in-Chief

Contents

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View From the World of Work: Dearbhail McDonald

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Can You Reclaim Your Identity?

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Why Multiculturalism Won’t Work

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McCann FitzGerald Graduate Opportunities

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Irish Innocence Project Interview

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Itiel Dror Cognitive Bias Talk Suns Out, Guns Out

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The Perverse Triangle: Parental Alienation

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Time to Pull the Trigger on America’s Gun Laws

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Freshfields, Bruckhaus Deringer Graduate Opportunities

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Rent Controls in Ireland

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The Law is Only Going to get More Complex, Unless…

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Interview: Nicola Dunleavy, Matheson

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Erasmus Catch-up

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Clinical Legal Education Review

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Copyright in Academic Journals: Time for Reform?

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Matheson Internship Advice

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Allen & Overy Graduate Opportunities

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Social Section

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Editor-in-Chief Peter Marshall Deputy Editor-in-Chief Katie Glennon Editorial Board Liam Roe Daniel McCarron Isabelle Higgins Maeve McDonough Maeve Lowry Eoin Hennessy Roise Ni Mhaonaigh Nina Milosavljevic Alannah Irwin Luke Gibbons Social Editor Eoin Hennessy Photographer Kmla Sharma All opinions and ideas expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Eagle: Trinity Law Gazette.

View From the World of Work: Dearbhail McDonald Trinity) is the best general arts degree you can do. The way it teaches you to think, to reason, to analyse arguments – they are skills that I honed in Trinity that I bring to bear in all facets of my career whether it’s as a journalist, a broadcaster or an author.

Moreover, what I learnt as I set out as legal correspondent for the Sunday Times is that the law permeates everything. Law in that regard was a brilliant background.

How has the rise of social media changed the journalistic landscape since you began your career?

The disruption, mostly positive (but negative at times too) has been amazing.

Dearbhail McDonald is the Legal Editor of Independent News & Media. She graduated from the Law School in 2000.

She speaks to Peter Marshall and Maeve McDonough about the opportunities available to law graduates in the media and the changing journalistic landscape.

Did you always want to pursue a career in the media?

Absolutely not and I didn’t even know if I wanted to pursue a career in law! But when I look at my legal background and journalism career, I think I was attracted to both of them because they’re vocations where you can really make a difference and be a voice for others. I think that is why there is such a synergy between law and journalism – the altruistic reasons for going into them are quite similar.

What led you from law into journalism?

I didn’t discover my interest in journalism until I moved to New York after I graduated in 2000. I remember thinking, maybe Dublin or Belfast just aren’t for me and maybe I just want to be a lawyer in New York. While I was there, I started using writing exercises that help you find out what it is you want to do. That’s when I discovered that what I really wanted to do was write. I got involved with a very small newspaper while I was over there and just transitioned. I saw journalism as a means to make a living out of writing.

The pivotal moment that made me definitely want to be a journalist was 9/11 – being in Manhattan, everyone else was trying to escape and I was just drawn to it. I was absolutely intrigued so I came home to do a masters in journalism in DCU. I then joined the Sunday Times newspaper as a rookie reporter and that’s where my career in journalism truly began.

Do you think your Law degree adequately equipped you for a career in journalism?

Yes. I always say to people that a law degree (especially one from

As journalists, we have a much more direct engagement with our readers and listeners. They can contact me directly on Twitter, respond and call out to things so it’s a much richer conversation.

It can be a lot more complex because of the disruption and we’re still in the very early footholds of the digital era. For example, the “traditional media” as we understand it have historically been the “gatekeepers” of the news. That is changing. However, in times of crisis, people will still go to trusted brands so there will always be room for traditional media outlets.

Furthermore, we’ve had to reform and change the way we do business. In the past when I was covering a court case, I would go back to the newsroom that evening and write my story for the next day. Now, when I was reporting on the Graham Dwyer trial, for example, we had three journalists in the newsroom who were uploading on our site every thirty minutes! The distribution of news has become so quick that we no longer have a monopoly on the production of news because anyone can go into court, open their twitter account and publish or distribute ‘the news’.

But not everyone knows the rules of court, which could become a problem in the future.

I see you are active on twitter recently tweeting with the hashtags “#RepealThe8th” and “#NotGoingThere.” Do you find that, when it comes to divisive issues such as gay marriage or abortion, the voice of the minority is too easily suppressed?

When there is a crowd, and it’s a rowdy one gaining momentum, I think those with opposite views, different views or more nuanced views may feel that they are getting crowded out. It shows social media’s potential significance but I wonder has that always been the case? Even with mainstream media, those who shout loudest tend get heard the most. Mainstream media coverage of the same sex referendum was in the main more balanced than social media, in part due to the legal restrictions imposed on broadcasters once a campaign was announced.

On the internet, however, there is a lot less balance and a lot of it can be to do with how well mobilised and vocal one is.

There has always been the risk of the voice of the minority not being heard – in the past that may have been the majority voice, however. And I think what we are seeing now is a restoration of the balance, particularly in respect of legal termination of pregnancy and the marriage referendum.

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Ultimately, we have to make sure all voices are heard and that the balance doesn’t tip too far one way or the other, otherwise it becomes oppressive.

Journalists have recently gained permission to report on proceedings in the family courts. What do you think of this development?

I think it is a fantastic development. I have been a long, long campaigner for a relaxation of the in-camera rule. I could not write about divorce or custody or maintenance without getting inundated. Families for so long have been denied basic information about the family courts and about those processes.

There has to be a way of informing people, not just about the cases that happen but also about the way the court operates.

So journalism, media coverage and transparency of the courts generally is a really positive thing. The sky hasn’t fallen in with the relaxation of the in-camera rule in relation to family law cases.

We have protocols. We don’t always succeed in getting the level of coverage we seek and sometimes we have to make our case before a judge. That said, if you have transparency of the system while at the same time protecting the privacy of the families, then I feel that is an appropriate balance.

The irony I always felt about family law is that you have the incamera rule to protect the privacy of families, yet there could be

sixty or seventy cases at a District or Circuit Court and there is no such privacy for families in those circumstances. There has to be a way of reporting on the family law system which benefits families and society as a whole.

What advice would you give to a law student who ultimately wants to go into media/journalism?

They’ve done the first part right: which is to do something else at undergraduate level rather than going into journalism straight way. That’s just my own personal view. I’m a bit sceptical about formal education for journalism because you only really learn it when you are on the job. But I of course did my masters in journalism in DCU which was fantastic and really focused towards going into the profession.

I’ve been really lucky because I’ve managed to marry two loves of my life. I love writing about the law. I love the human interest stories. I love seeing the law in action. I love seeing policy in action. I’ve grown up in a professional sense with a whole generation of solicitors, barristers and people working in government departments and elsewhere that were in my year and it’s been really exciting for me. So when I look back and give advice, I would say whatever area you pursue (features, news, sport or whatever) just be tenacious, and when you find out what it is you love, go for it.

Can You Reclaim Your Identity?

An insight into not-so-private personal information, data trading and what you can(not) do about it Sonam Gaitonde, LLM candidate

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ver wondered whether your personal information was per se private? The bitter truth is that even the browser history in your computer is accessible without your knowledge and your sexual orientation is likely to be made public in the digital world. Data that you believe is protected and secure is actually capable of being accessed, circulated and sold.

In the digital age, personally identifiable information is a commodity.

A widely traded, high revenue-generating commodity. 'Personally identifiable information' is information that can be used to distinguish or trace not only an individual's identity but also his preferences, biometric and medical records, financial data and behavioural patterns. Each of us is a target for several companies in the world that are dedicated to compiling and trading data: data brokers.

The data brokers operate an industry that collects, analyses and packages some of our most sensitive personally identifiable information. Such information is collected through a variety of public and private records, by tracking online and credit card purchases, through questionnaires and without doubt through our activity on social media. The information is then married to create comprehensive digital dossiers of each individual and sold to customers who channelize

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this information towards targeted marketing. To put it in simple terms, every piece of data about us is worth something to somebody.

Why should you be concerned? The data market is an imminent threat to an individual's privacy. The threat is that we are absolutely clueless of what personal information is being compiled, stored and perhaps even sold by the brokers. As technology permeates through every aspect of our lives, our interaction with technology leaves a trail of digital footprints, which record all our activities. What is worse is that the authenticity of this information is not verified, and with so much information flooding in from innumerable sources, errors are inevitable.

As a result, incorrect records are being permanently inscribed into the internet without any knowledge of the individual. In several instances, prospective employers and financial institutions refer to such inaccurate records to make employment and lending decisions.

Such erosion of one's privacy has shaken the very foundation of the right to privacy while the right to be forgotten recognized by the European Court of Justice remains elusive. The right to be forgotten is a positive right which grants individuals a right to request a search engine to remove any data which the individual finds inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive about himself. With the invasion of

privacy by data brokers, everything is out there for the world to see and the purpose intended to be served by these rights is quashed. What is noteworthy is that by exercising the right to be forgotten, the inappropriate content would not disappear from cyberspace, but would merely not appear on European search engines. In effect, the Google ruling of the right to be forgotten is encompassed by a grey area.

While the data market is booming in the United States, it is interesting how the residents of Ireland are susceptible to this industry. In Europe, it is mandatory to obtain an 'informed consent' prior to use and monetization of any personal data by a third party.

In practice, informed consent is never really 'informed'. Users are often confronted by a lengthy clickwrap agreement detailing the terms and conditions which an average person would never spend significant time reading. Consequently, several users fall prey to the data market, often having very little or no knowledge at all.

However, the industry of data brokers is not all evil. There are companies who use the data for the benefit of consumers, for example, for improving user experience. Privacy primarily becomes an issue when the information is shared outside of the approved channels. What the system lacks is the option for an individual to opt out of the information sharing system as well as transparency in the world of data processing.

Further, upholding the Right to Privacy mandates firm backing by way of appropriate legislative and enforcement reforms. While European laws around data protection are more stringent than in the United States, enforcement is a lot weaker. In Ireland, the Data Protection Commissioner is not empowered to impose fines owing to constitutional provisions prohibiting a non-court body from making judicial decisions. The executive authority is thus crippled and the enforcement mechanism falters.

In light of the developments to the digital analytics technology, the minutest details of every individual will be on the internet and this makes it evident why privacy should be on the radar of the legislators.

The pressing need for legislation is justified by the limitations on an individual's Right to Privacy.

Against this background and due to the current challenges to data privacy laws it is imperative to establish a strong checks and balances system to empower an individual to his right to privacy. A true manifestation of this right is plausible merely through reformation of the laws in conjunction with a strong enforcement regime. The inevitable makeover of the right to privacy may mean that some interesting times lie ahead of us.

The protection of an individual's privacy can be sought through a threefold mechanism: knowledge of the personal information collected, ability to challenge any erroneous information and an option to withdraw from the system. This mechanism found light in a report on 'Protecting Consumer Privacy in an Era of Rapid Change' by the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC focuses on three key elements: • Privacy by design - In-built privacy at every stage of product development; • Simplified choice for businesses and consumers - Giving consumers the ability to make decisions about their data at a relevant time and context, including through a ‘Do Not Track’ mechanism; • Greater Transparency - Making information collection and use practices transparent.

Why Multiculturalism Won’t Work Michael Foran, SS Law

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ur society will never achieve true multiculturalism if we continue to value and protect the manifestation of religious or cultural belief more than we value and protect the freedoms and liberty of citizens in general. The current legal approach to multiculturalism does just that, providing legal rights and protections for religious liberty based on belief and identity. Once there are explicit protections for religious liberty or cultural identity, rights will be afforded to citizens based on what they think and believe. If you think a certain way, you will be afforded extra rights and protections than those who do not think similarly to you. Additionally, if you are afforded extra rights by virtue of how you think, then the

courts will necessarily have to decide exactly how you think and whether that meets the threshold for protection. We will be forced to distinguish between religious and cultural beliefs and practices and secular beliefs and practices, one having greater protection under the law than the other. People should not get rights based on what they think nor should they get rights based on how sincerely they believe or feel something.

No convincing definition of “religion” exists. Gunn argues that “while academics have the luxury of debating whether the term “religion” is hopelessly ambiguous, judges and lawyers often do not. If we are to legislate for religious freedom we must have

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a definition of religion. Such definitions often reflect less than multicultural attitudes towards religion and culture. Definitions usually contain value judgments held by judges or legislators who may regard particular ideologies with “good” beliefs as “religious” and “bad” beliefs as “cults” and thus not worthy of the legal protection afforded to religion. It may also be the case that definitions of religion reflect notions of deity worship, and other characteristics of traditional religions which leave alternative or newly emerging religions without protection.

dagger, known as a Kirpan, at all times. When determining if that person should be allowed to bring a dagger to school it is important to look to the consequences rather than the motivation for such action. The fact that there is a religious motivation for bringing a weapon to school should not be the deciding factor. Additionally, the fact that the only reason we are granting this extra protection is because we do not want people to undermine their identity is incredibly problematic as this will necessarily involve delving into an examination of the sincerity of belief. What if we saw that there were times that this Sikh had taken off his dagger, when boarding a plane for example? This could lead the court to Definitions usually contain decide that he wasn’t really sincere in value judgments held by judges his belief that wearing such a dagger was a religious obligation. Once extra or legislators who may regard protection is granted based on identity or belief, this necessitates the particular ideologies with examination of individual belief and “good” beliefs as “religious” identity, resulting in the court telling us what we think or how we identify. and “bad” beliefs as “cults” and

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For the purposes of a legal definition of religion in a multicultural society, it is important to attempt to define religion as a neutral term which does not contain any of the value judgments held by the majority. We also cannot rely purely on the word of the claimant that their actions were religiously motivated, as this would leave the legal system hopelessly unclear and could result in abuses of the protection offered. All courts have an interest in screening out thus not worthy of the legal dubious claims. If you are afforded extra Many of the problems encountered protection of your religious liberty, more by advocates for multiculturalism protection afforded to religion. than the protection you receive for your stem from what they describe as a liberty in general then there needs to failure to approach these issues in a be a clear definition which can allow the nuanced and sophisticated manner. I courts to distinguish religious liberty from liberty in general. I am submit that no amount of nuance will counter the inherent of the view that if individual liberty was given the same level of problems with the protection of religious freedom due to respect and legal protection that religious liberty is given, we both the definitional issues mentioned above, as well as the would not need a separate layer of protection for religious liberty. detrimental focus on identity and sincerity of belief when it Individual liberty would be seen as something which is inherently comes to granting protection of certain actions. We should valuable and which must be protected from undue attack. As begin from an assumption that we are free to do what we such it would only be interfered with to protect the rights and wish regardless of why we are doing it unless the state has a freedoms of others, or if it passed a proportionality test. good reason to prohibit that conduct. Then we can say that if the reason the state has for interfering is good enough to restrict our liberty, there should be no exceptions, as exceptions undermine the goal to be achieved. As such the state's reasons had better be extremely convincing. The current structures and tests will never allow for a truly multicultural legal system because they are providing protection which people must qualify for through the religious nature or the sincerity of the belief held. This leads to the examination of the motives and identity of claimants and the exclusion of those the court is not satisfied are worthy of protection. We are all worthy of protection and the current system doesn’t recognise that. Until it does, multiculturalism will be but an aspiration.

Indeed, the current focus within most legal systems is the motivation behind specific actions. If these actions are motivated out of a sincerely held (often it must also be religious) belief, then greater protection is given to that action.

This focus is mistaken. Courts should look to the consequences of practices, whatever their motivation, and their effects on the rights and freedoms of others, using the proportionality test and other mechanisms for determining the validity of a state law which interferes with the liberty of its citizens. This should be done with regards to all interferences with liberty, not just interference with things people really care about or consider to be fundamental to their identity. For example, a law may exist which prohibits the presence of weapons on school grounds. A Sikh may feel bound by their religion to wear a ceremonial

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Developing Talent Congratulations to all of the contributors to this edition.

McCann FitzGerald is delighted to support this publication.

If your are interested in exploring how we may develop your talent please call our Recruitment Manager, Kate Coughlan on +353 1 611 9141 PS FNBJM LBUF DPVHIMBOÁNDDBOO U[HFSBME JF

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“The Innocence Project is the Alamo.

The last stand in this country for justice.”

David Langwallner is the founder and director of the Irish Innocence Project. He graduated from the Law School in 1989. He speaks to Daniel McCarron and Katie Glennon about the Project.

What is the Innocence Project?

The Innocence Project was set up in 1992 by Professor Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld in the United States. The historical assumption in the US regarding criminal justice was that people who were in prison deserved to be in prison. However, there were always uneasy feelings that miscarriages of justice were being perpetrated. These tended to be ignored due to ‘cause celebré’ incidences i.e. the Guildford 4 or the Birmingham 6 which were politically motivated crimes against Irish people.

Thus, there was a sense that the criminal justice system was structurally/scientifically unsound. The Innocence Project advanced the argument that there were many people wrongfully incarcerated. It initially focused on DNA evidence because DNA tests carried out prior to 1992 were of what the Americans now term “junk science”, due to the limited technological capabilities at the time. DNA evidence in the meantime has evolved at an exponential rate. To date, the work of the Innocence Project has led to the freeing of 329 wrongfully convicted people, including 18 who spent time on death row.

How did you get involved?

While studying in Harvard, I studied under a man called Alan Dershowitz who made a strong impression on me. (He is still probably the most famous criminal lawyer in the US and kind of is the ‘éminence grise’ of US criminal lawyers). When I returned to Ireland, I started teaching at Griffith College Dublin (GCD) then resumed practice at a minor level. I then started (and still do) lecturing constitutional law and jurisprudence in the King’s Inn. While there, they asked if I would co-design the new one year degree course. The reason I mention it is that the clinical legal education had a profound effect on me. Although I am still very academic on one level, in that it is the way I mainly go about pretty much everything, the clinical teaching recalibrated me to look at the nuts and bolts of the law. I sat down one day with a cup of coffee and typed up a proposal for an Innocence Project for GCD. I did not anticipate at the time what it would become when I did that.

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What are some of the common themes among Irish criminal justice cases?

There are obviously certain types of things prevalent in some jurisdictions more so than others. To understand the themes, we must look at the causes. First, as far as Ireland is concerned, the most common theme is police misconduct. I think at times it is police criminality and we bury our heads in the sand about using that word. I am firmly of the view that they obfuscate the truth and often engage in structural levels of misconduct.

Second, they have not been adequately trained how to correctly investigate a case. It is not that they are not allowed investigate but rather, their mind-set is simply not trained to investigate correctly. Their mind is set on securing a conviction at all costs, even if that means deluding themselves as to the reality of the situation, an alternative explanation and so on.

They should be looking for innocence as well as guilt.

Do you think the legal education Irish criminal barristers receive trains them to think differently when compared with the American legal education?

Absolutely, and I think this project has been a major educational tool, teaching people in Ireland similar practices to those taught in the US. I think the whole template for legal teaching in the US is better. Americans believe in ingenuity, they believe in science and getting to the bottom of things. They do not adhere to the type of parochial culture inherent in Ireland of maintaining the status quo, cartels (whether business, political or legal) and family ties. It’s extremely worrying from a practical standpoint.

Assisting the project, we have experts in cognitive and confirmatory bias. We have experts in psychology and false memory systems. The Project has proper levels of experts and proper levels of understanding of criminal justice matters.

Advancements in DNA due to the YSTR test and the mitochondrial test have secured almost 600 exonerations from death row in America alone on the DNA question. Hopefully papers will be going to the Irish courts on the issue of what we’ve established and new tests on DNA if the guards preserve it.

Do you think that the problems for the Innocence Project in Ireland are greater than they are in the US? There is certainly a lack of expertise in Ireland that has hindered the Irish Innocence Project’s progress. To elaborate on what I mentioned, our main problems are cognitive and confirmatory bias. Itiel Dror and Greg Hampikian carried out a study where the police went to their forensic experts and said “we believe he did it”. They took a sample and confirmed the DNA match.

Dror took the exact same sample, did not say anything and brought it to seventeen other people. Fourteen of them said it was not a match. Two said they didn’t think it was a significant

match and only one person was willing to countenance the outside possibility that there might be a match. It wasn't that the forensic experts were corrupt, they were just predisposed to believe what the police told them. The extension of this is confirmatory bias where experts who are non-forensic are told something by the police and simply rubber stamp it. In general I am very concerned at so called expertise at all levels in The Irish justice system.

Then there’s eyewitness identification. The Mark Marku case was a shocker on this topic. This was a European court – the second highest court in Greece, which does not subscribe to standards at all in terms of eyewitness identification. The Greek police took a line-up of the suspects. They put all the suspects together and told the individual doing the identification “that’s them.” Well, that’s not a line up! They then used “body mass identification”, which is completely discredited! It amounts to

‘we felt him and he seemed like the right size’. So yes, problems for the Innocence Project are greater in Ireland than the US, but every country has its own level of discrepancies.

Do you think there’ll be greater opportunity for case workers since the Innocence Project is partly moving to Trinity?

We’ve always had a Trinity presence. We keep upping the numbers, and we have got about nine caseworkers from Trinity.

It is going to be a partnership with Trinity. The students work under the supervision of lawyers to provide case reports and we’ve a Clio cloud system where students can work remotely but it’s very useful to brainstorm for a couple of hours in the morning at meetings. We intend to rotate these meetings between Griffith and Trinity. You need a particular set of skills to work for the Innocence Project. As a graduate, I feel Trinity fosters those skills on a variety of levels.

The Science Behind Criminal Justice Itiel Dror is a Harvard psychology graduate and is the Senior Cognitive Neuroscience Researcher at University College London.

He speaks about “cognitive bias” amongst forensic examiners in the context of criminal justice procedures.

In daily life, automatically using contextual clues can help us make quick and effective decisions. In the context of forensic science however, it can significantly undermine the goal of objectivity because it can introduce cognitive bias.

Forensic science greatly relies on the human examiners. There are many factors that shape examiners’ perception, interpretation and decision making. It is important for forensic examiners to be as impartial and objective as possible, and work toward their independence of mind. However, just being aware of the potential for mistakes is not enough of a protection against errors that could deprive an innocent person of their liberty. Errors are sometimes the result of our cognitive architecture and should be used as learning opportunities rather than aggressively denying them. It’s impossible to will ourselves to be unbiased.

There are a variety of practical solutions to protect against cognitive bias. One reform is based on the idea that some

information the forensic analyst never needs because it is irrelevant. For instance, a fingerprint analyst does not need to know if the suspect confessed to the crime. This information is irrelevant and analysts should be insulated from it. Of course, sometimes an analyst does need to see potentially biasing information. For example, a fingerprint analyst needs to compare an unidentified print with a known suspect’s print, which could potentially bias the analyst towards the ‘target’ suspect.

In situations like these, Dr Dror advocates using a technique called “Linear Sequential Unmasking” (LSU). This method provides analysts with the information they need, but does so as late in the process as possible. Ideally, the analyst will examine the unidentified print on its own, document the notable characteristics and features, and only then compare it to the suspect’s print. Same goes for DNA, firearms, handwriting and other forensic domains that require comparing evidence from the crime scene against a suspect.

There has been a remarkable change in forensic science over the past few years. After decades of ignoring the significance of the human element, this new area of cognitive forensics emerged. The realization that the human element plays a critical role in criminal justice has had profound implications across the forensic sciences. These advances will enhance forensic science and, by extension criminal justice. But like any change, they will require some rethinking and re-evaluating of current practices and beliefs. More information is available at: www.cci-hq.com

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Sun’s Out, Guns Out Sarah Burns, JS Law

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t the end of November, the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2015 will take place in Paris. The objective of the conference is to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate change. The detrimental effects of climate change are well known; melting icecaps, risk to wildlife and drought to name a few. The planet which we cherish is being pushed to its limits but what effect, if any, could this change have on criminal activity?

In November 2012, American economist Matthew Ranson published an influential paper in which he estimated the impact of climate change on the prevalence of criminal activity in the United States. Ranson gathered data on criminal activity from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports and merged this data with temperature and precipitation records from weather stations. between 2010 and study concluded that 2099 climate change The between 2010 and 2099 climate will cause an change will cause an additional 30,000 murders, 1.4 million additional 30,000 aggravated assaults and murders, 1.4 million 200,000 cases of rape in the US. aggravated assaults Throughout his paper Ranson makes reference to the work of and 200,000 Anderson and Bushman and cases of rape their paper “Hot Years and Serious Deadly Assault”. In this paper they explore the heat hypothesis – the idea that uncomfortably hot temperatures increase aggressive motives and behaviours. Their conclusions were similar to Ranson in that they noted that global warming may increase the annual serious and deadly assault rate by almost 43 incidents per 100,000 people in the US.

surface temperatures over the tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean) in drier and hotter countries, the probability of any country in the tropics engaging in a civil war doubles. He uses the analogy of a car accident, pointing out that the driver’s error causes the accident, however such accidents are more likely to occur on rainy days. Similarly, humans may choose to engage in violent, criminal activity for various reasons that simply become more likely when climatic conditions change.

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Solomon Hsiang, Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, has also conducted interesting studies in this field of research. In his study of the effect of climate change on human behaviours he observed that, during the El Nino Southern Oscillation (an irregularly periodical climate change caused by variations in sea

Indeed, it seems bizarre that something as simple as a change in temperature could result in a marked increase in the level of serious criminal activity. The aforementioned studies all refer to research carried out in the US. I was interested to see whether any correlation could be drawn between crime and weather reports in this jurisdiction. In 2013 Ireland experienced a heatwave during the summer months with temperatures reaching as high as 31 degrees Celsius in July. The mean temperatures recorded for July, August and September 2013 were higher when compared with the same months the following year. A Central Statistics Office report on crime rates during the same months indicates a correlation between high temperatures and crime rates. In 2013 during the period of July to September there were 27 homicide cases, 9,854 public order offences and 470 reported sexual offences. These figures were significantly higher when contrasted with crime figures during the cooler months of October to December. In the final quarter of the year there were over 1,000 less reported public order offences, 13 less homicides and 43 less cases of sexual assault.

Could heat be one possible reason for this marked increase in criminal activity?

This question is an interesting yet difficult one to answer.

Undoubtedly there are other factors at play when delinquents choose to act, yet the studies discussed above suggest that there has been a strong historical relationship between temperature and crime. The devastating effects of global warming will see temperatures rise over the coming years and so, can we expect to see a similar correlation in criminal activity?

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The Perverse Triangle: The Legal Positioning of Parental Alienation in Ireland Adam James ‘AJ’ Casey, LLM candidate

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arental alienation (PA) is a controversial, unsettled issue in Irish law that invokes strong opinions amongst academic commentators and legal experts. An emerging problem that faces families, social workers, mental health professionals and indeed judges – this topic is an interesting one which warrants further consideration.

PA is a negative consequence of high-conflict divorces. It is the deliberate, systematic denigration of one parent by the other, with the intent of alienating a child from that parent. Unlike the majority of domestic violence cases, (where the father is the abuser) PA may flow destructively in both directions. PA should not be confused with ‘parental estrangement’ where the targeted parent’s own bad behaviour causes a breakdown in relations. Rather PA is the denigration of a previously loved parent and the destruction of a once loving relationship, through no fault of the targeted parent.

The Irish position at present does not deter such behaviour.

Moreover, the development and support of the parent-child relationship remains at risk. Although they recognise it as a real problem, the Courts acknowledge that it is not within their mandate to order the guilty parent to desist from the practice with no legislation or guidelines. Therefore one submits that reform is required to enable the Irish courts to not only recognise PA, but to act upon it. This is imperative to ensure the suffering of targeted parents and children is minimised.

The UK courts have taken a similarly reserved approach to Ireland. However, in certain instances, British courts have taken positive action where there is a failure to encourage and maintain a happy relationship with both parents. However Tyrer J. in Re S (Contact: Children Views) [2002] stated the predominant view that “the message for this case in my judgment is not to come to court. The message for (the) Mediation could actively parent is to back off and give their children space...however difficult or worsen the problem, frustrating it is”.

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PA has been referenced in numerous cases within the Irish courts but this recognition particularly if the has rarely been acted upon. Section 3 of the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 states impressionable child resides In instances of mild or minor symptoms of alienation, one would agree that the idea that the welfare of children should be “first with the seemingly-loving of mediation would be the correct route and paramount” in relation to custody to pursue in combatting PA. As opposed orders. It should be the primary objective offending parent. to litigation, these processes allow the of the family courts in Ireland to ensure that parties involved to deal with their issues children are protected. In reality, the Irish on their own accord and facilitate a courts have shown reluctance to intervene in cases pertaining to PA. Moreover, they have cited many speedy selection process. reasons for such unwillingness. These include the abundance of false allegations, as well as the judiciary’s lack of expertise in However, for hostile and severe alienation, such proceedings are unsatisfactory and should require court intervention. In mental health. these cases, the alienating parent is not interested in This is illustrated by comments made by Abbott J. in I v I [2011] compromise. He or she acts purposefully and vindictively to where he insisted that it is the “duty of the court to make ‘get one up’ on the targeted parent. Mediation could actively decisions on issues – not to provide therapy”. Similarly, worsen the problem, particularly if the impressionable child O’Flaherty J. in S v S [1992] considered it shocking that the resides with the seemingly-loving offending parent. Failure of parties engaged in “such lengthy, debilitating proceedings in the courts to intervene in such instances and take a stand the High Court” to resolve the issue. He believed these against obstructive parents who engage in PA, needs attention. problems could be suitably resolved without litigation. This Therefore, it is submitted that firm and decisive action is indicates that Irish judges feel they lack the expertise to deal necessary for the judiciary to right the wrong that has been with issues of child development and family dynamics. That done to both the child and the absent parent respectively. said, Henchy J. in MacD v MacD [1980] noted that instances of PA are “so fraught with deprivation for the children, that the One might look to Brazilian law in this regard. In 2010, the Brazilian Parliament ratified legislation against the perpetration risk it poses to their well–being cannot be discounted”.

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of PA, with immediate effect. Brazil became the first country in the world to enshrine this activity directly within its criminal code. The new act (Law No. 12,318 of 26 July 2010) defines PA as an “interference with the psychological formation of the child”. It goes on to list the instances that would constitute such abuse. It has established a non-exhaustive list of factors which ought to be taken into account when identifying PA and it outlines penalties for such behavior: including fines, the reversing of a residence order and, in extreme cases, terminating the parental rights of the alienating parent.

One asserts that by taking a more inclusive approach like that in Brazil, the courts will be enabled to tackle the issue of PA more effectively. This will subsequently facilitate the welfare of the child, society and future generations.

Under this new statute, judges should give preference in custody battles to the parent who strives to improve and maintain a child’s relationship with both parents after a marital breakdown. It is argued that the Brazilian approach is robust and curtails such abuse. Unlike the Irish approach, it enables the judges to take ardent measures in dealing with such instances rather than mere recommendations and suggestions.

Time to Pull the Trigger on America’s Gun Laws?

Maeve McDonough, JS Law & Political Science

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n October 2015, a student in Umpqua Community College in Oregon opened fire on campus, killing eight students and one teacher before taking his own life. While this was a tragic and shocking incident, it was by no means isolated. In the first nine months of this year alone, there have been 295 mass shootings in the United States. President Obama has aptly described such occurrences as “routine”. In the midst of these

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tragedies, the question must be asked whether the current gun laws are in need of change, and whether such a change is likely to come about.

The second amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

Much of the legislation surrounding this right is implemented

on a federal level, and therefore varies from state to state. While some states place tight restrictions on the right to own a gun, others are markedly less rigorous in their approach. A number of shocking statistics illustrate the relative ease with which a gun may be obtained in many states across the country. For example, seven states do not have an age requirement in place in order to purchase a gun, and thirty two states do not require a background check when a handgun is bought from a private purchaser. Only four states have laws in place which require guns to be kept either locked away or unloaded.

In recent years, these laws have been subject to increasing scrutiny and challenge. More and more people are beginning to see a link between the ready availability of guns and the high rates of gun violence. The argument is put forward that more stringent gun control laws would lead to less shootings.

National Rifle Association (NRA), an extremely powerful organisation that represents the interests of gun owners in the US. Even in light of the recent mass shootings, members of the organisation have continued to defend the right to own a gun.

Wayne LaPierre, the president of the organisation, put forward the argument that the shootings should be attributed to factors other than the ready availability of guns, such as the prevalence of violence in the media.

The NRA puts forward a number of arguments against a more rigorous system of gun control. In a recent speech, Wayne LaPierre argued that “the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun”. This viewpoint seems to be shared by many Americans; according to The NRA continues to have the NRA website, the organisation currently has close to 4.5 million a strong presence in the members. The NRA continues to have a American political system strong presence in the American political and plays an important role system and plays an important role in in mobilising both politicians mobilising both politicians and the to speak out against anti-gun and the public to speak out public lobbies.

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This viewpoint is supported by the case of Australia. In 1996, a mass shooter against anti-gun lobbies. opened fire in Port Arthur in Tasmania, In 2013, legislation was proposed which killing 35 people and injuring 23 others. would require almost all firearm The government responded swiftly with a complete overhaul of the country’s gun laws. Strict regulations transactions to be recorded. This was in response to the Sandy were put in place, including a requirement that all gun buyers Hook elementary school shooting in Newton, Connecticut in must take a safety course and provide evidence of a ‘genuine which 26 people were killed. The legislation was advocated by reason’ for needing a weapon. The first decade of these new Obama, and was supported by roughly 90% of the public. laws witnessed an impressive 59% decrease in gun homicides Despite this widespread support, the proposal was defeated in Congress, thus illustrating how difficult it can be to implement rates. meaningful change.

As shootings continue to dominate the headlines in the US, the question arises whether they ought to follow suit. The support The future of gun laws in the US therefore remains uncertain. for such a development has grown in recent years, with a recent Perhaps, if the number of voters in support of more rigorous poll showing that 55% of Americans want stricter laws laws continues to grow, the government will be forced to governing the sale of firearms. This viewpoint has been echoed respond accordingly. For now, however, mass shootings such at a higher level as well; in his speech addressing the recent as that which occurred in Umpqua Community College in shooting in Oregon, Obama stated that ‘we’re going to have to Oregon are likely to continue to dominate the headlines. change our laws’.

But how likely is significant change? Due to the Second Amendment, any attempt to ban guns outright would be unconstitutional. In the seminal case of District of Columbia v Heller, the Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment protects the individual’s right to possess a firearm. The law banning handgun possession in the District of Columbia was therefore declared unconstitutional and struck down.

Even attempts to tighten the existing laws have been met with strong opposition. Much of this opposition stems from the

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Rent Controls in Ireland Liam Roe, SS Law

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fter weeks of vacillation, the coalition released some details of its plan to alleviate the worst effects of eyewatering rent rises. As Ireland’s economic recovery shows tentative signs of entrenchment - and with an attendant return of net in-migration predicted - the price of housing has become a serious political issue with real economic and human consequences. Rents in Dublin are up 15% on last year and homelessness has increased across the country. The response of government has been a suite of measures to dampen residential rent increases, central to which is a doubling of the period between residential rent reviews.

of 100 square metres for three-bed apartments, 25% higher than required by the Department of Environment. While minimum standards may appear to have a veneer of welfare, such measures deprive tenants of choice. When councillors set the standards as to what is liveable, they substitute their own judgement for that of often lower-paid workers and students, deciding for them what is tolerable. It is welcome to see a recentralisation of planning standards under the new proposed measures.

The new restrictions raise the question of landlords’ property rights. Articles 40.3 and 43 of the Constitution allow the Oireachtas to impose restrictions on property rights for the As it currently stands, section 20 of the Residential Tenancies Act common good. But the courts will protect citizens from “unjust attack” on their right to property, and has in the 2004 permits periodical rent reviews every 12 past struck down laws regulating rent, albeit in months, once 12 months have elapsed from the more oppressive forms than anything being beginning of a tenancy. The new rules will proposed. The courts are wary of legislation include a doubling of this period to 24 months which imposes the cost of achieving a public with 90 days of notice required before a rent Characterising the good on one section of the community. In Blake increase. In effect, it seems that anyone who problem as a large v Attorney General rent on certain dwellings was had a rent raise this summer will not have another until 2017 under the new rules. This number of often-small controlled under the Rent Restrictions Acts, but the legislation gave no rationale for its measure will be in place for at least 4 years. landlords colluding to discriminatory application as between dwellings.

While the moratorium on rent rises may come as a relief to existing tenants, it does little to assist rip off tenants misses The legislation also failed to establish a “social necessity”. Seemingly from Blake, a restriction those struggling to find accommodation, and the root issue, which is on rent must take account of the means of the may in fact lead to a reduction in the number of tenant and the hardship caused to a landlord, one of demand far rented properties. Some landlords may simply be non-arbitrary in application, establish a social find it more profitable to sell than to rent, and exceeding supply. necessity and be limited in duration i.e. for will do so at the conclusion of their current temporary or emergency situations. The Blake tenancies. A departure of landlords from the rental market without a corresponding reduction in the number court was also loath to uphold a law lacking “any power to review looking to rent would inevitably lead to rent increases, with the such rents” when set. The pertinent question today is whether, possibility that the most vulnerable in our society will be priced and where, a tipping point lies in relation to rent review periods.

This, coupled with the “absence of any provision for out of the market of remaining properties. compensating the owners” constituted an inevitable “injustice” The knife cuts both ways. Lengthening the period between for the Blake court. reviews also exposes tenants to the risk of becoming stuck with artificially high rents. This would occur in the event of the Once some social necessity is invoked, the courts will be slow to economy taking another nosedive, possibly due to some sharp look into what constitutes the common good (Shirley v external shock. Although this does not seem likely, landlords who O’Gorman). Restrictions on property rights must undergo a place too much store in a robust economic recovery when proportionality test as laid down in Heaney v Ireland. The new making their calculations for the next two years (and it’s in their rent review rules have the potential to create an arbitrariness in interests to do so) may come to a rental figure which application as between different groups of landlords. If existing overestimates future inflation among other things. Finally, one-year rent agreements are extended to two years by law, landlords who feel squeezed may put off fulfilling their landlords who “locked in” rents on a one-year basis prior to the maintenance duties in order to offset the loss of income, leading announcement of the new rules will be financially disadvantaged as compared with landlords yet to enter into reviews with their to a deterioration in the quality of rented accommodation. tenants. Does this not involve some ex post facto abrogation of Characterising the problem as a large number of often-small one group of landlords’ property rights? The group yet to enter landlords colluding to rip off tenants misses the root issue, which into a review this year would be able to legitimately agree a is one of demand far exceeding supply. Supply has been curtailed higher average two-year rent to compensate for their predicted by years of virtually no construction and by some drastic changes loss of earnings from a longer rent freeze. to local authorities’ building regulations. However well-intentioned these higher standards may have been, they have had the effect The measures are of at least questionable constitutionality. It is also of increasing building costs and rendering some of the existing likely they will have a negligible economic effect, and may actually housing stock un-rentable. Dublin City Council is a case in point. exacerbate the situation by sending out a signal that investment in In the wake of the crash, the Council introduced a minimum size rental housing might not be as safe as once thought.

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The Law is Only Going to Get More Complex, Unless…

John Nolan, JS Law

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uman society, or more precisely, the way in which we interact with each other, is becoming ever more complex. For most things you want there are a least a dozen different entities claiming they can provide it. From furniture to transport to dating, every material good and most human cravings seem to be on sale 24/7. Fragmentation is increasing in terms of the social, economic and technical units that operate in our world. Developments in biotechnology, cloud technology and IVF services to name a few have the potential to outstrip the boundaries of the current law and to create significant divergences between different legal systems.

Such divergences are not new. After all, there has been a longstanding disagreement between the European Union and the United States over the appropriate regulation of genetically modified food, as demonstrated by the Beef Hormone dispute.

Yet the scale and increasing rapidity of change makes the problem of such divergence ever more pressing.

This problem, which will only be exacerbated going forward, could also be intensified by the fact that our legal system is a common law one where judges are allotted a great deal of discretion in applying the standards set by the legislature. To properly exercise this discretion, judges place a strong emphasis on previous decisions. Yet the small nature of our jurisdiction means that for niche or new legal issues there will be few relevant precedents and little to no legislative guidance.

For many issues in criminal and contract law, ordinary people and even judges and lawyers often guess or interpret what the law is by instinct, based on a conventional sense of what is just and fair. In technical areas like e-commerce or energy regulation however, there is no ‘instinctive’ answer, as what is just or even moral will seem almost entirely subjective and dependent on policy perspective. In other words, the legal dilemma hasn’t been around long enough for our society to develop a conventional and understood answer to it, acceptable to the majority of society and our legal tradition.

Therefore, an outwardly credible solution is to rely more on EU law which, embodying the civil law tradition, is used to lay down

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very detailed and technical regulation. The EU courts have considerable experience in dealing with complex and difficult legal issues such as the recent ‘Safe Harbour’ case which concerned the transfer of data outside the EU by multinational companies. This could be accompanied by an increased emphasis on individual rights in regard to substantive legal questions of the type recommended by instruments such as the Convention of Human Rights. Yet this would mean cutting off national legislatures, courts and ordinary citizens even more from the ability to make, interpret and understand the law.

Bank of Ireland recently announced it was significantly cutting back on the services provided to customers which involve actual human bank employees. Businesses can argue that such an impersonalised approach provides greater efficiency and ultimately benefits the customer. Perhaps it does. But is such an approach really the way we want our legal system to function? Does the growing complexity of law require we sacrifice subjective discretion and judgment that comes with human involvement in place of clear but inflexible standards. I think it does, unless there is a limit to the complexity that we must automatically accept.

The harmonisation of technical standards prompted by EU law will obviously help make the administration of law less complex.

But on the substantive issues of the law- determining obligations and duties- such complexity can only really be solved in two ways. One is that rules and standards should be conditioned by an overwhelming emphasis on accommodating individual freedom and autonomy which would significantly curb discretion within the justice system (after all, a discretion to allow something is also a discretion to disallow something). The other is that strong standards and rules can be introduced to restrict such freedom and autonomy as long as these standards and rules are subject to strong external review and that exceptions to these rules are the legal dilemma allowed in particular circumstances. hasn’t been around Neither solution is without long enough for our complexity but the difference is that society to develop a the complexity for the first conventional and approach is imposed by the requirements of the individual, understood answer whereas for the second approach to it, acceptable to the complexity comes from the the majority of legal system, as created by society and our legislation and external precedents legal tradition. like the Constitution. The second approach is the one currently practised and it should remain so.

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One can clearly conceive of the infinite complexity the first approach would bring. The idea that human society should allow the individual extensive freedom or even that society owes the individual certain things is one few would dispute, at least in countries such as Ireland. Yet with seven billion people and counting that means there are a lot of people demanding a lot of different things. Who deserves to have their demands recognised, to have their preferences accommodated? The more stretched the legal system becomes, the more narrow its focus may become, and ideals like justice could slip out of that focus.

Overall, the idea I am trying to convey is that if the purpose of law is to increasingly focus on catering to our individualistic needs, desires and enterprises, then it will be increasingly difficult for

general principles to be devised or laid down. The codifying element of EU law may alleviate this problem, as could procedural reforms. But the only real long term alternative to the law becoming a complex minefield devised by technocrats is to set down strong but appropriately flexible standards. These standards should recognise and protect individual freedom. But they should also allow lawmakers to lay down legal norms indicating and even implementing social and political preferences as to what is permissible behaviour, or the degrees of entitlement in terms of specific resources. Such an approach would not fail to recognise increasing social and economic complexity but would ensure that there remains a simple coherent core at the heart of law and at the heart of society, a proposition more attuned to the human experience than a laissez-faire approach.

An Insight into Life in a Commercial Law Firm Nicola Dunleavy is a partner in Matheson’s Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department. She graduated from the Law School in 1992. She speaks to Maeve Lowry and Liam Roe about life at Matheson and current legal developments in her practice area.

What are your fondest memories of your time in Trinity?

The people and the amount of time we had. Compared to life in commercial practice, it's just fabulous to have that amount of time to explore ideas, the law and pursue extracurricular activities too, such as take up a sport. I really enjoyed the study of law but it was those things that I think are really precious and of course, you don’t appreciate them until you no longer have them.

What are the most challenging aspects of working in an international law firm like Matheson?

Working across countries and managing cultural differences can be challenging. For example in Ireland the process of “discovery” is where you have to show the other side your documents. Explaining to continental European clients from civil law countries that they have to give their documents to the other side to help the other side build a case against them is an interesting conversation.

What is your favourite thing about working in an international firm?

Developing innovative strategies and trying to make a case for something that has never been done before is also challenging but exciting. Very often our trainees undertake a piece of research that there simply isn't an answer to and they might come back to me and say "We can't find, in any English

language country, that anyone has ever looked at this question before."

Then you have to go back to first principles and on a principled level or even a constitutional, charter of fundamental rights, ECHR level and the question is can we make this case in Ireland?

Is there any scope for solicitors in a full-service law firm to develop a general practice across several areas or do they tend to develop their career within a niche area?

From my experience in litigation, businesses can have a dispute about almost anything and require the assistance of dispute resolution experts to grow or defend their business.

It could be a distribution agreement with a distributor in China or an investigation by a regulator, for example. There are many different things that we do as general commercial litigators and therefore the opportunity to gain broad experience in a commercial law firm is available. However that being said Matheson has developed specialist expertise across the Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution department. Our healthcare and life sciences team deal specifically with the issues that arise for our pharmaceutical clients. We have areas of expertise built within a sort of general commercial litigation framework which we believe serves our clients best in my view life in a large commercial firm is not narrowing, it's expanding because you get to see how the law is interpreted and how business is transacted across jurisdictions.

How do you think Matheson compares with other top tier Irish law firms in terms of culture?

Matheson’s culture is quite distinctive and what makes us unique is our people. That's been a theme throughout my career, from Trinity through my Masters qualification up to now. The people you work with in a team both inside the firm with colleagues and outside with clients, make each day interesting and enjoyable.

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A trainee shares an office with me and as a result he/she works quite closely with me. Our policy is to rotate our trainees through our practice areas and we find that this works best in terms of their development and learning. As a result there are no barriers or hierarchy of having to knock on the door. It's very open and fluid which allows ideas come up, as well as go down. The culture is collaborative and the firm fosters an entrepreneurial spirit and encourages the sharing of ideas and if you have a good idea, you can express it.

We also have an outstanding training programme which differentiates us. We realise that life in practice is quite different to the study of law in university and we focus on developing the exact skills you need for life in practice. Our training does not end when you qualify, programmes are run at every level across the firm and I believe that is also what makes Matheson quite unique.

I saw recently that the Irish economy has been dubbed ‘the Celtic Phoenix’. Does the current level of optimism worry you?

From our experience our clients are experiencing an up-turn and I don’t believe that it is overly optimistic. What we have seen are signs of well-founded and well-rounded growth. The number of jobs available in Ireland is increasing; our clients are hiring which is a big positive for current students.

Do you have a particular preference between Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and litigation? If so, why?

Litigation has become more sophisticated since I started in 1992. Arbitration, mediation and expert determination have

all become more sophisticated too and if done correctly can deliver fast results. We are very much in favour of exploring mediation as it is the swiftest and least costly medium.

Arbitration has the benefit of confidentiality and it is a one stop process with no appeal.

ADR has a lot going for it. The courts have a lot going for them too where we now have specialist courts with Judges developing expertise in particular areas, but ADR can also deliver technical expertise. The use of ADR has increased significantly in the London market, in particular arbitration.

In Ireland, we are still in a scenario where litigation is the ‘goto’ solution, but who knows what the future might hold. At Matheson we focus on devising the dispute resolution strategy to meet our client’s objectives.

Academics aside, what qualities make a great lawyer?

Communication is key. Communication is not just how you express yourself but also how you listen. You really have to listen to the unsaid as well as the said when it comes to clients.

Analytical ability is also important. You can learn a lot through academics but the ability to analyse and understand, rather than knowing the story of a law is far more important.

You absolutely must be a team player and at Matheson we encourage that from early on. Finally, you need to be able to understand the environment under which a client is operating.

That can be difficult at times but really, you just need an enquiring mind to understand the issues that might affect a client.

A Year Abroad Benn Hogan is a JS Law & Business student. He describes his Erasmus year in Brisbane, Australia

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still remember receiving the email from Trinity’s Study Abroad and Exchange Office. “Congratulations, your application to study at the University of Queensland has been accepted”. I looked at my housemate in disbelief, and realised I hadn’t even told my parents I’d applied!

you have the makings of something truly special. Having a multicultural set of friends is fascinating, and while I lament the lack of understanding for Irish sarcasm and wit, it opens you up to a different way of looking at the world.

Fast forward a few months and in early July I set off for Australia with Ruth O’Sullivan (JS Law & Politics) and, by serendipitous encounter, two students from UCD. 4 months in, and with our first semester finished, we’re on our summer holidays! It’s been an incredible whirlwind since we landed in Brisbane – a city none of us really knew much about.

Brisbane is a very livable city. When we arrived mid-winter, temperatures were a cool 20 degrees Celsius. Though not by the sea, the river and its CityCat ferries do give the city a unique feel. I’ve spent many days by the lagoon at Southbank, the city’s cultural quarter, or sipping a flat white in West End, a quirky suburb. The Australian’s do coffee well. Starbucks has been a failure in Australia, and there’s a myriad of independent cafés all around the city to sample.

It turns out Brisbane, a city of 2 million people, is the perfect place to spend a year abroad. The University is a vibrant multicultural hub of over 50,000 students, with Australians from all parts of the continent joined by large numbers of Asians who come to Australia to study through English. Add to this the droves of exchange students, from all corners of the globe, and

On my first day in the Law Library of the TC Beirne School of Law, my eye was drawn to a luxurious mahogany writing desk, upon which was a map of Ireland. On closer inspection, the map singled out specific Connacht towns and townlands, such as Ballinasloe and Ballymacurly, Co Roscommon. Entirely

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confused, I read the attached display: turned out the desk belonged to Mr TC Beirne, an Irish emigrant, successful merchant and draper who had financed the building of the law school! You’re never too far from Ireland, even when you’re 10,000 miles away!

House and a road trip along the East Coast have also been highlights of my first term.

Choosing to come to Queensland was undoubtedly a great decision for me. Now on my summer holidays, I look forward to exploring some more of the big red continent!

Further, an article on the TC Beirne website pays homage to its transformational Dean, Professor Hyman Tarlo, himself a graduate and Scholar of Trinity’s Law School and a former auditor of DU Law Society. Before I departed Trinity last May I had the privilege to meet his widow, Mrs Ruth Tarlo, who last year established a LLM scholarship at TCD in his honour.

Studying at UQ, I’ve been lucky enough to take some fascinating modules. I studied Public International Law and a module examining the interplay between Advertising and Consumer Culture. One of the great benefits of an exchange is the opportunity to study unique courses which may not be on offer at home.

Travel, of course, has also been a highlight of my Australian adventure so far. We’ve snorkeled in the Great Barrier Reef, experienced the beach life at the iconic Byron Bay, and sailed the Whitsundays. Taking in an opera at the Sydney Opera

Clinical Legal Education Review Caitriona Lavelle, SS Law

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arlier this year, I had the opportunity to undertake a threeweek internship in the Public Interest Law Alliance (PILA) as part of the Clinical Legal Education module.

PILA operates as an NGO which seeks to engage the legal community and civil society in using the law to advance social change in Ireland. The organisation undertakes a vast amount of beneficial work which includes operating a “pro bono referral” scheme which connects the Irish community and nongovernmental organisations with free legal expertise.

My experience working with PILA was something which I really enjoyed. I gained a valuable insight and understanding of pro bono and the type of work it entails. The work I was involved in varied significantly; writing pro bono referrals, conducting and updating legal research on current public interest law issues in Ireland, writing articles for the PILA Bulletin and attending seminars. However, the most intriguing work I was involved in was a pro bono litigation case concerning the right to a secret ballot. As per the Constitution, everyone in Ireland has the right to a secret ballot. However, for those who are visually impaired, no provisions or mechanisms are currently in place to exercise this right and voting remains inaccessible for thousands. As the law stands, for those who suffer from visual impairment or are blind, they must use the “trusted friend” system whereby their vote is cast by a returning officer or a sighted companion.

My placement made me realise that there is more to law than corporate transactions and multi-million settlements. As a law student, I feel that the corporate spectrum of law is one which had been instilled in me from my first day in college. Through sponsorship of Law Society events, constant presentations and endless freebies, one is almost hypnotised into believing that the commercial side of law is the only area of law worth pursuing. My placement in PILA demonstrated that this is not the only worthwhile option. The law can be used to bring about social change, to ensure justice and to promote human rights and equality. It is not only about money, profits or business – the law can be used to promote your social conscience and advance what you truly believe in.

This change of outlook for me was the most beneficial part of my experience working for PILA. Placement based modules are rare when considering law courses in colleges and universities throughout Ireland. In Trinity, while they offer the module, it is limited to fourth year students only. Considering it is such a useful module in terms of obtaining experience on your CV and helping you decide what area of law you’d like to pursue in the future, it is disappointing that the module is not available to more law students. Furthermore, being worth 10 credits results in one less exam at the end of the year! Consequently I am glad I undertook this placement and feel it was very worthwhile.

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Copyright in Academic Journals: Time for Reform?

Denis Flynn, SS Law

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ver the past few weeks, scientists on Twitter have started rebelling against copyright in academic journals. Academics are using the hashtag #icanhazpdf to tweet links to journal articles which are under copyright. In an article on qz.com entitled ‘BREAKING THE RULES: Academics have found a way to access insanely expensive research papers—for free’, Aamna Mohdin quotes Andrea Kuszewski (the founder of the hashtag): “many people are becoming increasingly frustrated with a business model—where work is produced by academics, edited by their peers, and often funded by the taxpayer—is hidden behind a paywall. If someone doesn’t want to pay the subscription price on, say, the New York Times, they often can go read the news elsewhere, but this isn’t the case for academic papers behind a paywall because that’s the only place to find the full work.”

While this is unlikely to have a major effect on the business model at present, it does raise some profound questions about how accessible research and information should be in the digitised world.

The main purpose of intellectual property law is to protect information which is the result or basis of the creator’s work. It does this by granting a monopoly right over the information in question to the author/inventor etc. Copyright, the intellectual property right that protects written and visual works, is an unregistered right which subsists automatically without any need for positive steps. The effect of this right in academic journals is that copyright arises automatically; to access an article in a journal, a reader generally must pay for the privilege.

Mohdin notes that these are expensive and are often $30 or more to access one article.

The impact of this copyright right is more apparent in scientific journals than it is in the law journal context. In the opinions of law journal writers, recommendations for and evaluations of areas of law are widely prevalent but in scientific journals there is a greater emphasis on fact and conclusions reached from research methods. It seems unfair that all of the results be protected by copyright as information should arguably be free.

As Kuszewski notes, these results may not be available anywhere else. It follows that if scientific progress is to be considered good for society, then research which reaches definitive conclusions of fact should not be protected by copyright. However, analyses of such results in such a copyright regime would be protected. In the law journal context, it appears fairer that an evaluation of an area of law or a critical case note should be afforded greater protection as it reflects the author’s opinion rather than simply stating facts and results.

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The #icanhazpdf campaign is not the first online campaign to protest against copyright law in the United States. Following the suicide of Aaron Schwartz, a Reddit campaign gained traction and resulted in the mass uploading of copyrighted research articles onto online forums like Twitter. Aaron Schwartz was a prominent hacktivist who had set up a computer program for a mass illegal download of academic papers from the JSTOR database on the MIT network. The federal prosecution that followed was described by commentators as overzealous, disproportionate and an instance of overcharging. Despite being offered a mere six months in prison if he was to plead guilty to thirteen charges, Schwartz refused as he wanted the federal government to justify its prosecution of him in court.

Notably, the two victims, MIT and JSTOR, declined to pursue a civil case against him. Schwartz committed suicide two months before his trial was due to begin. The prosecution was widely considered to be the catalyst for his suicide.

There is an unquestionable appetite for reform of copyright law.

There are numerous books, articles and opinion editorials devoted to the subject. Many companies’ business, particularly those in the technology sector, is reliant on liberal interpretations of copyright law and they lobby governments for reform. A prime example of this is Google whose business is based on providing access to and hosting copyrighted works.

With regard to academic journals, it seems clear that the time for change is approaching. While it remains important that the standards of the journals are maintained, allowing an exception to the copyright rule for information (as opposed to opinion) in peer-reviewed journals would be a welcome first step. It would result in little detriment to authors of academic articles and would (hopefully) entice publishers to introduce fairer and cheaper paywall methods.

Summer Internship Programme Objective of the programme:

How to apply:

The Matheson Summer Internship Programme is designed to give interns an insight into the firm - our work, our people and our culture. Participating interns experience the reality of working in Matheson, a law firm focused on serving the Irish legal needs of international companies and financial institutions doing business in and through Ireland.

Applications for the Matheson Summer Internship Programme open in January 2016 and will close in February 2016. Our application will be available to download from our website and if your application form is successful, you will be invited to attend our offices for interview. Keep an eye on our Facebook page, Careers at Matheson, for an updates on when the application process opens.

Another objective of the Matheson Summer Internship Programme is to select candidates for traineeship who best fit the firm's values and have demonstrated the potential to develop as lawyers in Matheson. In order to facilitate the fulfilment of this objective we have designed a thorough and innovative training and development programme. Matheson is committed to providing excellent training to all employees and this commitment extends to our interns. Our comprehensive approach to intern development focuses on their technical, professional and personal skills through a combination of on-the-job learning, formal training and departmental seminars in conjunction with regular feedback and evaluation.

Structure of the programme: The Matheson Summer Internship takes place in June and July of each year. Interns spend four weeks working as part of the team in one of our main departments: Corporate, Banking and Financial Services, Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Commercial Property, and Tax. The work of an intern is challenging, varied and interesting. Interns frequently have the opportunity to attend client and board meetings, attend court, draft letters and emails, liaise with other departments within the firm to progress tasks and as the placement progresses interns become a valued member of their respective teams.

Developing expertise: During the Matheson Summer Internship Programme, interns work with lawyers and trainees in our practice areas on real transactions and projects. Before interns join their assigned practice groups, they spend some time settling in and getting to know other interns by attending induction and training sessions. This gives interns a great introduction to the firm, its structure, main practice areas and activities, and helps interns to familiarise themselves with our systems and procedures. It is also a great opportunity to get a sense of our culture and focus on team based working.

The internship programme is structured to maximise the learning potential for interns. Interns share an office with a partner, as we believe this facilitates the assimilation of knowledge through on-the-job learning and observation. By exposing interns to client calls and partner interactions we aim to maximise their understanding of what life as a lawyer is like in a leading law firm and further to the development of their communication and technical skills.

The Matheson Summer Internship is not “all work and no play”.

During the four-week placement, interns are invited to participate in tag rugby, soccer and golf trips. Additionally, there are weekly events planned for the interns, such as dinners with our partners, scavenger hunts across the city, murder mysteries and old-school sports days. These social events are an opportunity for interns to further get to know each other and toCaption??? network with our trainees and partners. Also, these events are an opportunity for the firm to thank each intern for their hard work over the duration of the internship.

We host a welcome reception on the evening before the interviews take place. During this reception, candidates have an opportunity to meet with current Matheson trainees and interviewing partners. It is also an opportunity for you to network with peers and visit our offices.

What makes a great application form: The purpose of the application form is to give us a sense of who the applicant is, both academically and as a person. Many of the questions have been designed to show us various aspects of you as a person – your interests, your achievements both academic and personal and your perception of Matheson. You should view the application form as an opportunity to show us who you are and why we should select you for interview.

It is important that time is taken in completing the application form. It can take a couple of hours to get it right but the effort will be worth it if an interview is secured. The questions asked by different firms may look similar, but it is unlikely that you will be able to use exactly the same answer each time. We always advise applicants to get someone they trust to review their application form before submitting it and ensure their form is free of spelling and grammatical errors – attention to detail is an important skill for a lawyer to have. Also, it is imperative that all contact details on the application form are correct as these are the contact details we will use to notify applicants if have been successful or not.

Advice for preparing for interview: An interview can be a daunting experience however, with sufficient preparation you might find the process enjoyable. We recommend the following pieces of advice in preparation for a Matheson Summer Internship interview:  In advance of your interview it is important that you do your homework and read your application form, visit our website and read recent business media.  Formulate your thoughts: be prepared to explain why you chose to interview with Matheson and why you are a good fit for us.  Look the part: always wear proper business attire and greet your interviewer with a smile and a firm handshake.  Be positive, enthusiastic and project a good attitude, show your interviewers that you are interested in participating in the Matheson Summer Internship programme.  Listen to the questions asked by the interviewers and answer the questions clearly and concisely. Refer to a mix of academic experience, work experience and extra-curricular activities during the interview.  Relax! This can often be easier said than done however, by taking a moment to take a breath can help you to control your nerves. Remember, nerves can be a positive thing – they show you really want it!

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Social The new academic year has been a busy one beyond the walls of the lecture theatre for the Law community.

Kick starting the year was the annual Law Walk to Howth Hill. It was a memorable day for those who reached the top (baby and dog included).

FLAC have been particularly active this semester. Paul Carey and Caoilfhionn Sheil bring us up to speed on their talks on alternative careers and digital data protection respectively. Both talks were well attended and greatly enjoyed by all present.

The TCLR have hosted their annual Authors’ Night and continued their Distinguished Speaker Series as the editorial board builds towards the publication of Volume XIX. Veronika Widmann shines a light on these two events.

The Law School recently hosted a talk on studying in the USA. Peter Marshall reports on the advice offered by Professors David Kenny, David Fennelly and Rachael Walsh. All three recounted their experiences of Harvard and NYU. The unquestionable social highlights of the semester were of course MasqueRave and Swing Ball. Turn to page 26 for MasqueRave pictures and more.

Finally, the Eagle would like to acknowledge the vast contribution made by the recently graduated Class of 2015 to the Trinity Law community. In doing so we extend a warm welcome to this year’s Freshers who have already started to make their mark.

Eoin Hennessy, Social Editor

We hear from Colum Holland on ELSA’s panel discussion of the Syrian refugee crisis in conjunction with FLAC.

TCLR Authors’ Night: “It’s all about getting started” If one had to sum up the evening in just one sentence it would probably be this: Just get on with it! Not to be scared to get started was a point that was stressed by all of the three brilliant speakers at this year’s Authors’ Night hosted by the Trinity College Law Review: Dr. Thomas Courtney of Arthur Cox, Professor Ursula Kilkelly of University College Cork and Dr. Des Ryan of the Law School. All are experienced writers and provided helpful insights on how to write an article for submission to a legal journal covering everything from how to find a topic to how not to be disappointed if one’s piece gets rejected. ‘I just tell myself it probably wasn’t the right journal’, said Ursula Kilkelly with a smile.

Des Ryan drew attention to the originality of a text. ‘Don’t be like the fish monger who puts up a sign that says “Fresh Fish sold daily”’, he said. ‘Of course it’s fresh, of course it’s fish, of course it’s being sold, and of course it’s sold daily. Tell me something new!’

The Authors’ Night was followed by a lavish reception in The Hist Conversation Room with sandwiches, wine and of course the opportunity to mingle with the speakers.

Veronika Widmann

The Universality of Human Rights: a Controversial Issue The protection of Human Rights is something that practically every European lawyer would subscribe to but when it comes to actually vindicating them there is a broad range of opinions and strategies on how to do it. This range was reflected very well by the panel of speakers at this year’s Distinguished Speaker Series hosted by the Trinity College Law Review in association with Trinity FLAC.

Thomas Courtney pointed out that no one has to reinvent jurisprudence with their first article. A case note might be a good starting point, he suggested, as the scope of the article is quite clear from the beginning. He also advised students to pay attention to precise and succinct language.

Professor William Binchy focused his speech on the debate about the protection of socioeconomic rights in Irish constitutional law. While Irish courts have taken the stance that the separation of powers demands that the legislature tackle this issue, Professor Binchy expressed the view that judges could do a lot more to vindicate socioeconomic rights.

Anne PowerForde SC, a former judge at the European Court of Human Rights, then provided the audience with a practitioner’s account. ‘A lot of lip service is paid to absolute and universal Human Rights’, she said. ‘But in practice that may look very

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different in different countries.’ She then talked about recent cases and issues the Court has been dealing with, for example the deportation of HIVpatients from the UK to their home countries where the chance of receiving medication was small.

The protection of Human Rights is something that practically every European lawyer would subscribe to but when it comes to actually vindicating them there is a broad range of opinions and strategies on how to do it. This range was reflected very well by the panel of speakers at this year’s Distinguished Speaker Series hosted by the Trinity College Law Review in association with Trinity FLAC. Professor William Binchy focused his speech on the debate about the protection of socioeconomic rights in Irish constitutional law. While Irish courts have taken the stance that the separation of powers demands that the legislature tackle this issue, Professor Binchy expressed the view that judges could do a lot more to vindicate socioeconomic rights.

Centres Manager of National FLAC), Gareth Noble (Partner in KOD Lyons), Maeve Regan, (managing solicitor of Mercy Law Resource Centre), Barra Lysaght (Legal Officer with the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission), Owen Wilson, (Assistant Chief State Solicitor and Head of Asylum and Legal Services Division) and Liz Heffernan (Lecturer at Trinity College Dublin). Each of the speakers gave an insight into their chosen careers and discussed the different routes they had taken in their education and early working life. There was much discussion on the distinction between working as a solicitor and as a barrister and the different challenges one can expect to face in each field. By coincidence, the Legal Services Regulation Bill was being voted on in the Seanad that evening and this sparked further discussion about the potential merging of the two professions. Following the talk, there was a generous wine reception during which students were afforded the opportunity to network with the guests.

Paul Carey

Panel Discussion on the Syrian Refugee Crisis ELSA Trinity organises events focusing on current topics affecting European students. The Association recently hosted a panel discussion on the current Syrian Refugee Crisis.

Anne PowerForde SC, a former judge at the European Court of Human Rights, then provided the audience with a practitioner’s account. ‘A lot of lip service is paid to absolute and universal Human Rights’, she said. ‘But in practice that may look very different in different countries.’ She then talked about recent cases and issues the Court has been dealing with, for example the deportation of HIVpatients from the UK to their home countries where the chance of receiving medication was small.

Lord Hoffmann replied to PowerForde, taking a very critical position towards the ECHR: why, he asked, should judges from Andorra or Liechtenstein have any say in what the UK does in its own territory? ‘Human Rights express general principles. But every country has its own background and therefore interprets them differently.’ In the subsequent discussion he even concluded that the UK’s signing of the European Declaration of Human Rights had been a mistake.

The panel, organised in conjunction with Trinity FLAC, aimed to provide differing perspectives and opinions on the current crisis. The panel featured Susan Mc Monagle of the UN Refugee Agency, Maria Hennessy of the Irish Refugee Council and Syrian lawyer, Gandhi Mallak.

The event was an unrivalled success, packing the Davis Theatre and presenting an intriguing discussion, focusing not only on our domestic reaction and the international significance of the crisis, but the personal struggle of those fleeing. Very often it is easy to forget about this individual aspect to the crisis, and the words of Mr. Mallak brought this into sharp focus.

The consensus of the discussion was also clear; more needs to be done. While Ireland and other nations have attempted to alleviate the crisis, efforts thus far can only be described as a drop in the ocean. The event is long over but the needs and rights of refugees are still not being met. The situation may possibly worsen following the attacks in Paris which saw the crisis take centre stage once again.

Colum Holland

The Distinguished Speaker Series was followed by a generous reception in The Phil Conversation Room.

Veronika Widmann

Trinity FLAC Alternative Careers in Law Talk On the 18th of November, Trinity FLAC hosted the annual Alternative Careers in Law Talk. The committee were delighted to be joined by Sen Prof Ivana Bacik (Senator for Trinity College Dublin and Reid Professor of Law), Zsé Varga (Volunteers and

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Data Protection and Digital Privacy in the 21st Century: A Panel discussion.

On the 20th of October Trinity FLAC in association with DU Pirate party held a panel discussion on the topic of data protection and digital privacy. The event was prompted by the recent Safe Harbour decision which has potentially major implications for many internet giants including Facebook. The speakers for the event included Professor Eoin O’Dell of the Law School, Paul Lambert, a solicitor and author of the book ’Social Networking: Law, Rights and Policy’, Sadbh McCarthy, Director and co-founder of the centre for Irish and European security and Fergal Crehan, a barrister with expertise in Privacy and Data Protection Law and Managing Director of Privacy Consultants, The Hit Team.

Professor O’Dell spoke first and gave an excellent presentation on what exactly happened in the case of Schrems and the implications of the Snowden revelations on the case. He described clearly the implications the case would have for the Irish Data Protection Commissioner. The panel also spoke on the right to be forgotten and the recent case brought in Spain

by Mario Costeja González against Google which has forced it to comply with right to be forgotten requests. Sadbh Mc Carthy discussed her research in the use of profiling for counter terrorism with a particular focus on social media. The event was held in the Law School and attracted a large number of students studying computer science as well as those studying law. FLAC would like to thank the excellent speakers as well as the Law School for allowing the event to be held in House 39.

Caoilfhionn Sheil

Study in the USA Talk This semester, members of the Law School teaching faculty hosted a lunchtime information session to give students advice on applications for postgraduate study in the United States.

Professors David Kenny, David Fennelly and Rachael Walsh who obtained Master of Laws (LL.M) degrees from Harvard, NYU and Harvard respectively spoke about their experiences.

David Kenny began the talk by saying his time at Harvard was “great fun.” He studied a lot. Not because he felt major pressure to, but because he wanted to make the most of the “intellectually stimulating” curriculum Harvard Law School had to offer.

Rachael Walsh went on to discuss the finer details of the application process. Most law schools require applicants to write a brief “personal statement.” But for some applicants, there can be confusion about exactly how to approach this statement. The general outline is a description of the applicant's academic/professional background, areas of interest, and reasons for pursuing an LL.M.

She said that, due to the fact that LL.M programs don’t have an interview process, rather than fear the personal statement, applicants should consider this an opportunity to describe themselves and their aspirations in a way that their resumé cannot.

Using the statement only to describe the past doesn't add much value to an application. What law schools don't know is the applicants’ motivation for applying. To this end, Rachael suggests applicants would benefit from describing their short and long-term career goals, and discuss why an LL.M from the law school they are applying to will help them get there. The best personal statements neatly bridge past accomplishments with future ambitions.

David Fennelly concluded the talk by saying that a personal statement is most effective if applicants can tell the law school what aspects of the specific school or program appeal to them - a certain module, internship opportunity, or research focus, for example. This demonstrates that this applicant has done their research and really wants to be accepted onto the program.

Peter Marshall

Law Soc Careers Fair On October 6th, TCD Law Soc, in association with the Careers Advisory Service and the Law School, launched the Law Careers Fair. Representatives from over 27 firms met in the Atrium for the three hour event, which offered students an opportunity to meet prospective employers from the legal sector. The Fair, which was sponsored by McCann Fitzgerald, was the largest and best attended since it was first launched several years ago.

The firms present included each of London’s magic circle law firms (as well as a number of other London based firms), Ireland’s leading commercial law firms and a number of smaller firms working in more alternative fields. Barristers were also represented at the Fair by the Honourably Society of the Kings Inn. The Institute of Company Secretaries and Administrators were also present at the event, highlighting the Fair’s focus on representing as many different legal career paths as possible.

For those who missed the Fair, Law Soc will once again be providing the opportunity for students to meet with employers when it launches its Careers Evening on 21 January 2016. This evening will allow students to meet with representatives from numerous firms in an informal environment, to discuss their concerns and seek advice on internship applications and interview processes. More information will be released in the coming weeks.

Conor O’Brien

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LawSoc Freshers Week Comedy Debate

Alastair Campbell speaks to LawSoc

Alex Salmond speaks to LawSoc

(L-R) Cian Henry, Lucy Murray, Ruairi Roantree, Greg Mangan

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Freshers week with FLAC (L-R Zoe Dipple, Kate Heffernan, Paul Carey)

(L-R) Orlaith O’Higgins, Caoimhe Gordon, Conor Kelly

(L-R) Edwina Hilton, Darragh Larkin, Eilísh Ní Bhraonáin

(L-R) Rebecca Murphy, Maya Uwakwe-Kelly

(L-R) Darragh Murray, Pavel Rozman

(L-R) David Brazil, Hilary Hogan

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