Maura Derivan elected as the 152nd president of Law Society of Ireland

Maura Derivan elected as the 152nd president of Law Society of Ireland

Maura Derivan succeeds Michelle N Longáin as the sixth woman to hold the position.

Maura Derivan has been elected as the 152nd president of the Law Society of Ireland, making her the sixth woman to serve in that capacity.

As Michelle N Longáin, a partner at ByrneWallace specializing in employment law steps down as President and is succeeded by Derivan, this marks only the second time in history that a woman has succeeded another woman in this role. With effect from today, Derivan, the managing partner of the Tipperary Company Derivan Sexton & Company, will hold a one-year term. According to Derivan, one of her main areas of emphasis during her administration will be access to justice.

"The Law Society has always advocated for prioritizing access to justice for all members of society," she stated. The necessity for immediate resources and people investments in the justice system has been stressed. Although we have advocated for greater public funding and availability of legal aid, there is still much room for advancement in the areas of civil law where it matters most to the public.

Derivan's practice areas include medical malpractice, personal injury, and judicial review. First working with Mason Hayes & Curran, she later joined Orpen Franks, where she focused on litigation.

Since 2006, she has been an active member of the Law Society's Council, where she has participated in the Council's Coordination and Finance Committees, among others. It was in large part due to her efforts that the Law Society in 2018 established a task force dedicated to issues of gender parity, diversity, and inclusion.

"As I begin my time as president of the Law Society, I will support, encourage, and cultivate the collegiality and synergies between the legal professionals, clients, and stakeholders," Derivan stated. She also pledged to expand the organization's efforts to promote diversity in order to better serve the public and advance the cause of equal justice under the law.

There are about 23,000 solicitors listed with the Law Society of Ireland.

Lubna Shuja made headlines a month ago when she was elected president of the Law Society of England and Wales, becoming the first person of Asian descent and the first person of the Muslim faith to hold such a position.