Judge Síofra O’Leary becomes an Honorary Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn
Judge Síofra O’Leary has been published as an Honorary Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn. The Treasurer introduced her to Hall at lunchtime on 7 November 2024.
About Judge Síofra O’Leary
Dr. Síofra O’Leary is an Irish jurist who served as the Judge elected in respect of Ireland at the European Court of Human Rights between 2015 and 2024. In 2022 she was elected as President of the Court, having previously served as Vice-President.
Prior to joining the ECHR, Judge O’Leary worked for almost two decades at the Court of Justice of the European Union.
In parallel to her judicial roles, Dr. O’Leary engaged in academic work as a Visiting Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges, on the Editorial and Advisory Boards of the Common Market Law Review and as a Vice-President of the Irish Centre for European Law. She is also an Honorary Bencher of the Honorable Society of King’s Inns, Dublin.
A graduate of University College Dublin (BCL) and a postgraduate of the European University Institute (PhD), Dr. O’Leary was the Assistant Director for the Centre of European Legal Studies at the University of Cambridge, a Fellow of Emmanuel College and a Visiting Fellow at the Faculty of Law, University College Dublin. In 2024, the University of Edinburgh conferred on her the title of Honorary Doctor of Laws.
She has written two books and numerous articles and legal monographs on the protection of fundamental rights in EU law and under the ECHR, EU employment law, the free movement of persons and services and EU citizenship generally.