The Fifth Court - DSBA Legal Podcast of the Year

E110 The Fifth CourtDSBA Podcast of the YearBrendan Slattery, Head of Environment and Planning, McCann FitzGerald solrs. talks to our interlocutors, Peter Leonard, BL, and Mark Tottenham, BL, about the new Planning Act (all 900 pages of it). As Peter says, what Brendan doesn't know about planning law isn't worth knowing. And, as always, there's a back story. He was once a goat farmer.You'll also hear about Elvis Presley's connections with Wicklow.His choice of book is The World for Sale by Javier Blas & Jack Farchy and for a movie he recommends A Complete Unknown, the movie about Bob Dylan.

A bonus episode, from The Fifth Court team.Episode No.8 The Fifth Court UNPRECEDENTED - recent interesting cases taken from the Decisis.ie Law Reports casebook introduced by Mark Tottenham, BL, and Peter Leonard, BL.Brought to you thanks to Charlton's Solicitors and Collaborative Practitioners, of George's Street,

E109 The Fifth CourtA most amusing encounter.Hosts Peter Leonard and Mark Tottenham talk to retired judge Bernard Barton, a fabulous raconteur, about his life and times, including his career as a used car salesman!Bernard Barton is a retired Irish judge who served on the High Court from 2014 until his retirement in March 2021. During his tenure, he was known for his opposition to certain judicial reforms, notably the controversial guidelines proposed by the Judicial Council's Personal Injuries Guidelines Committee. These guidelines aimed to standardise awards in personal injury cases, a move Barton and several of his colleagues resisted. He remains actively engaged in legal discourse, particularly concerning defamation law. He has been a vocal critic of government proposals to abolish juries in High Court defamation cases, arguing that such a move would undermine the role of juries in the judicial process. Beyond this he has expressed concerns about the composition of the High Court bench, suggesting it does not adequately represent a fair cross-section of society. He has also advocated for the utilisation of retired judges to alleviate pressures within the court system, proposing that experienced former judges could be called upon to assist as needed. He recommends a number of movies, including Laurence of Arabia, Gandhi and A Man for All Seasons.His choice of book is 'A sparrow's flight : the memoirs of Lord Hailsham of St. Marylebone'

E108 The Fifth Court Dr Thom Mohr on Hugh Kennedy, first Attorney General of the Irish Free State and law reformer who had some radical ideas in his time. This is a most entertaining episode, including details of little known attempts by Hugh Kennedy to disrobe judges and re robe them in the Brehon Law style (or what was his interpretation of such)Thomas Mohr is a distinguished legal scholar and educator based in Ireland. He serves as a faculty member at the School of Law, University College Dublin (UCD), where he teaches jurisprudence, evidence law, and the history of public law. His research primarily focuses on legal history, and he has contributed extensively to the field through various publications. Dr. Mohr is an active member of the Irish Legal History Society, having held positions such as Honorary Secretary from 2009 to 2017 and Vice President since 2018.His cultural recommendation is a book, 'A century of courts, The Courts of Justice Act, 1924'Niamh Howlin, editor (Four Courts Press)

E107 The Law Reform Commission, 50 years oldModernising the law. How we change the law to update it.The programme for work is laid out in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General.Next year they'll be canvassing the public to find other areas of legislation that might do with some updating.The Irish Law Reform Commission is an independent statutory body responsible for reviewing and recommending reforms to Irish law. Its goal is to ensure that the law is fair, modern, and accessible. The LRC Conducts research and publishes reports on areas of law that may need reform.Consults with legal experts, policymakers, and the public on proposed changes.Recommends legislative reforms to the government to improve clarity, fairness, and efficiency in the legal system.Codifies and consolidates laws to make them easier to understand and apply.The Commission covers a wide range of legal areas, including criminal law, civil law, family law, constitutional issues, and digital law.While its recommendations are not legally binding, they often influence government policy and lead to new legislation.When it comes to cultural recommendations with a legal theme Siobhan recommends the movie 'The Motorcycle Diaries' while Caoilin recommends a book, 'Unlawful Killings', by Wendy Joseph, KC.

A bonus episode, from The Fifth Court team.Episode No.7 The Fifth Court UNPRECEDENTED - recent interesting cases taken from the Decisis.ie Law Reports casebook introduced by Mark Tottenham, BL, and Peter Leonard, BL.Brought to you thanks to Charlton's Solicitors and Collaborative Practitioners, of George's Street,

E106 The Fifth CourtDSBA 'Podcast of the Year'The Fifth Court LIVE! Part II.Presenters Mark Tottenham BL and Peter Leonard BL are joined live at the Law Society by Rachel Stanton, Country Head for Ireland, Simmons & Simmons as well as by James Duggan, Managing Partner, Flynn O'Driscoll Solicitors. They discuss whether a legal Big Bang is currently unfolding at larger law firms in Ireland.Listen back to Episode 105 for Part I - essential listening for anyone in law.

A bonus episode, from The Fifth Court team.Episode No.6 The Fifth Court UNPRECEDENTED - recent interesting cases taken from the Decisis.ie Law Reports casebook introduced by Mark Tottenham, BL, and Peter Leonard, BL.Brought to you thanks to Charlton's Solicitors and Collaborative Practitioners, of George's Street,

E105 The Fifth Court DSBA 'Podcast of the Year'The Fifth Court LIVE! Part I.Presenters Mark Tottenham BL and Peter Leonard BL are joined live at the Law Society by Rachel Stanton, Country Head for Ireland, Simmons & Simmons as well as by James Duggan, Managing Partner, Flynn O'Driscoll Solicitors. They discuss whether a legal Big Bang is currently unfolding at larger law firms in Ireland.Part II on Episode 106.