Bailieboro man to chair Bar council

Bailieborough's Séamus Clarke SC has been elected as the new Chair of the Council of The Bar of Ireland.

Séamus Clarke SC is based at the Law Library in Dublin and practises mainly in public law, including criminal, constitutional and administrative law, as well as employment law. He is an arbitrator and mediator and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb), and will assume the role from September 14, 2026.

He has also held a number of senior leadership positions within The Bar of Ireland, including Vice-Chair and Treasurer of the Council.

A native of Bailieborough, Mr Clarke was educated at St Patrick’s College and studied law at University College Dublin and DePaul University, Chicago, before completing a Masters in European and Comparative Law at the University of Oxford. He qualified as a barrister at the Honourable Society of King’s Inns and was called to the Bar in 2000. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2017.

Mr Clarke described it as a "great honour" to be elected as Chair of the Council of The Bar of Ireland.

"The representative body plays a vital role in promoting and advocating for the rule of law, the protection of constitutional and human rights and access to justice for all.

“One of my key priorities as Chair will be to continue the Council’s engagement with Government and policymakers on the future sustainability of criminal legal aid and the urgent need for reform of the civil legal aid system. It is essential that legal aid schemes are properly resourced and capable of meeting the needs of those who rely on them today, and into the future."

As a Director of the Dublin Disputes Resolution Centre (DDRC) up to 2025, he also voiced his commitment to promoting the use of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including mediation and arbitration as "timely, cost-effective and efficient" pathways in resolving certain disputes.

“As the profession navigates significant technological, economic and societal change, it is important that we embrace innovation and modernisation while remaining firmly committed to our core values of independence, integrity, excellence and service that underpin the administration of justice."

He expressed his sincere gratitude to Seán Guerin SC for his "outstanding leadership and dedication" over the past two years.