William Fry's Legal Podcast

Barry Scannell was joined by John O'Connor for the latest William Fry Lunchtime AI Series, taking place three days before the AI Act's Article 50 transparency obligations came into force on 2 August 2026. They discussed what the new rules mean in practice and how the AI Act has evolved to date.

In this episode of Lunchtime AI, Technology Partner Dr Barry Scannell is joined by leading Irish tech entrepreneur Sean Blanchfield, founder of Jentic, to explore the rapid shift from AI copilots to fully autonomous agentic AI systems.

Technology entrepreneur and media innovator Mark Little joins William Fry's Dr Barry Scannell for a wide‑ranging Lunchtime AI conversation on the future of the internet, artificial intelligence and democracy. Drawing on his experience as founder of Storyful, former Twitter executive and co‑founder of Kinzen, Mark explores how the open internet lost its way, why AI risks repeating the same mistakes, and what a new digital civil rights movement must deliver.

Ai expert and Technology Partner Dr. Barry Scannell sits down with Dr. Laura Caroli, former Senior Policy Advisor at the European Parliament and co‑rapporteur on the EU AI Act, for an insider's look at how the world's most ambitious AI regulation was negotiated, rewritten, challenged, and finally agreed. A must‑listen for anyone working in AI, tech policy, or digital regulation.

Join Barry Scannell as he goes through everything that happened in 2025 from an AI law and policy perspective.

This Lunchtime AI podcast from William Fry features a focused conversation between William Fry's Dr Barry Scannell and Professor Alan Smeaton, one of Ireland's most respected AI researchers. The discussion explains how memorisation in large models has moved to the centre of recent copyright rulings in Europe and the United States. It then examines the rapid emergence of agentic AI and what these systems mean for governance, risk management and real use in professional settings.

In Episode 3 of our Planning Ahead podcast series, Michelle Martin, Partner in the Environment & Planning team at William Fry LLP, is joined once again by Senior Counsel David Browne SC to explore one of the most talked about aspects of the Planning and Development Act 2024 — the reform of judicial review procedures

Michelle Martin, a partner in the Environment & Planning team at William Fry is joined by planning consultant Luke Wymer to discuss the planning policy reforms proposed by the 2024 Act, particularly the emphasis on a plan-led approach. and the evolving hierarchy of national, regional and local plans.

Episode 2 is available below

If you're a developer navigating Ireland's planning landscape, this mini-series if for you.

Michelle Martin, a partner in the Environment & Planning team at William Fry, hosts David Browne, Senior Counsel and Gavin Lawlor, planning consultant and the current President of the Irish Planning Institute, to discuss the Planning and Development Act 2024, which represents the most comprehensive overhaul of planning law in two decades.

Technology Department Consultant Susan Walsh and Morgan Flanagan-Creagh explore the critical topic of supply chain security under the NIS2 Directive. Understand the importance of managing risks in your supply chain, establishing security policies, and ensuring compliance with cybersecurity standards and contractual protections. A must-listen for anyone involved in legal, procurement and vendor management.