The Fifth Court - DSBA Legal Podcast of the Year

Episode 96 The Fifth Court with Peter Leonard BL and Mark Tottenham BL.

On this episode, Judge Gráinne Malone, a former solicitor who also qualified as a barrister but who went on the bench after only six months at the bar, and who has now served thirteen years as a judge. She talks about the new Irish Courts Service Podcast, an initiative created to commemorate the centenary of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924 that established our modern Courts system. They discuss the various episodes and some curious judgements made in historic cases.

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Episode 94 Aisling Meehan, Agricultural Solicitor

It takes specialist knowledge and understanding to appreciate the problems farmers face today. Every decision is affected by legal, tax and practical considerations specific to farming business. 

As a qualified solicitor, tax consultant and young trained farmer, Aisling Meehan (ex William Fry) can combine all three aspects to ensure that every decision is in the best interests of the farming business as a whole. Rather than offer a broad range of legal services, the firm specialises solely in agricultural legal and tax matters. As well as operating a niche agricultural law and tax practice from offices located at the home farm, Aisling farms her own land in partnership with her husband. She also writes a weekly legal column for the Farmers Journal.

Her office is located in converted farm buildings, is easily accessible and informal in atmosphere. Due to the specialised nature of the work, Aisling Meehan Agricultural Solicitors have farming clients nationwide and is also regularly consulted by other professionals such as solicitors, accountants, auctioneers, bankers and agricultural advisors.

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• Recorded at the 2024 ELI (European Law Institute) Annual Conference held at the Kings Inns, Dublin, where Fifth Court presenters, Peter Leonard BL and Mark Tottenham BL, talk to ELI President, Professor Pascal Pichonnaz
• Professor Pichonnaz earned a Ph.D. that is in published form as ‘Habilitation’, a large book on the Law of Set-off.
• He teaches Contract Law, European Consumer Law, Roman Law and European Private Law at the University of Fribourg. He has been a visiting professor at the universities of Liège, Pisa, Glasgow, Clermont-Ferrand, Rome II, and Paris II, as well as at the Center for Transnational Legal Studies in London.
• He is admitted to practice law and completed his LL.M. at the University of California (Berkeley). He is also active as an arbitrator in international and national disputes.

Peter and Mark explain what has happened to the rundown on recent important cases. Listen to learn.

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Episode 92 The Fifth Court

Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice in England and Wales and ELI Vice-President who attended the European Law Institute (ELI) conference in Dublin.

Established in 2011, the ELI emulates the American Law Institute and focuses on advancing all areas of law across Europe and beyond. As the premier Institute of its kind in Europe, ELI brings together over 1,700 jurists – including academics, judges, and practitioners – to enhance legal systems through collaborative projects.

Sir Geoffrey Vos was appointed as Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice in England and Wales. In this office, he is President of the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) and leads the delivery and development of civil justice across the jurisdiction. He also has statutory responsibility in relation to the National Archives.

Until 10 January 2021, he was Chancellor of the High Court, in charge of the Business and Property Courts of England and Wales. Between 2015 and 2016, he was President of the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary and has been active for many years on behalf of the judiciary of England and Wales in international relations in Europe and beyond.

He is an Honorary Fellow of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge. He is Keeper of the Black Books at Lincoln’s Inn. He has had a lifelong interest in social mobility and was Chairman of the Social Mobility Foundation between 2008 and 2011.

He was Chairman of the Bar of England and Wales in 2007.

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Episode 91, The Fifth Court

A slightly longer than usual edition of Ireland's favourite podcast as our hosts delve into the light and shade of Arthur Mathews new book, 'Walled In By Hate: Kevin O’Higgins, His Friends and Enemies'.

Arthur is well known as co-creator of Father Ted so naturally the talk starts with a chat about the modern sitcom masterpiece, and everybody's favourite Fr. Ted moments.

However, more sombrely, the talk then turns to the subject matter of Arthur's latest book, former Minister for Justice, Kevin O'Higgins, who on July 1927, at just thirty-five years old, was assassinated on his way to Mass in Booterstown, Co. Dublin. A reviled figure for anti-Treaty republicans, O’Higgins became the target of particular venom for his vocal support of the Free State government’s execution policy during the Civil War, which saw seventy-seven IRA men executed, including the best man at his wedding, Rory O’Connor.

If you like this episode please make sure to pass it on to others, and of course, leave a five star review.

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E90 The Fifth Court - The Vacation Sittings

Continuing our series of law related interviews whilst regular presenters Peter Leonard BL and Mark Tottenham BL take a well-earned break.

Life after the law. On this episode, former Senior Counsel Jenny O'Connell along with her pals Louise O'Riordan and Aoife Matthews, have all given up high-powered 'real jobs' to take the entrepreneurial journey to sell their high-end women’s health supplement to the world. Developed solely with the female in mind, because women are not small men – is what they say. And, unbelievably, women were only included in clinical trials only from 1993 onward. And it wasn't until 2022 that complete female anatomy model was created (yes, we thought this was a mistake, but no, it's true.) They're raising funds with a view to expanding into the US (particularly interested in women investors), where they're also planning to manufacture their supplement.

This interview was first posted on our sister podcast That Great Business Show with Conall O Móráin.

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E89 The Fifth Court - The Vacation Sittings

This is the third of four vacation sittings of the Fifth Court.

On this episode we've teamed up with our sister podcast That Great Business Show again to bring you an interview with Colm O'Reilly, COO Business Post Group, Chairman Newsbrands Ireland, Board member Press Council of Ireland. Colm discusses the laws of defamation and copyright, how it impacts all newspapers and what is in store for the broader newspaper industry, an essential part of a functioning democracy.

There are 206 other episodes of That Great Business Show to choose from at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com - The Fifth Court will return after its vacation.

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E88 The Fifth Court - The Vacation Sittings

This is the second of four vacation sittings of the Fifth Court.

On this episode we hear our Fifth Court co-presenter turned guest, Mark Tottenham BL and an 'expert witness' expert (!) (he's written the books - plural) talk all about the importance of the 'expert witness', but we start with 'expert witnesses' gone bad. It's a long list. We also ask if it's possible to make a living by being an expert witness. This comes from an interview Mark did with the Fifth Court producer Conall O Morain, on Conall's own business podcast, That Great Business Show (find it on Spotify etc).

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E87 The Fifth Court

This is the first of four vacation sittings of the Fifth Court. On this episode we hear presenter turned guest, Peter Leonard BL and mediator, discuss the virtues of mediation versus litigation, in an interview Peter did recently with Fifth Court producer Conall O Morain, on Conall's own business podcast, That Great Business Show.

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