Former Supreme Court Judge joins Senior Counsel to host six-part series analysing recent divorce and judicial separation cases
The Bar of Ireland is pleased to announce an upcoming podcast series that will examine the evolving landscape of family law through the lens of compelling real-life cases.
In each episode of the Family Law Podcast Series, Judge Baker and Claire Collins SC will open the book on some interesting cases and examine the issues at play, the legislation applied, and offer their unique insights on how and why decisions were reached.
Topics explored include the legal and societal forces that shaped Ireland’s divorce laws, evolving approaches to asset division and spousal maintenance, key trends in family law appeals, and the scope of court jurisdiction in family matters.
Speaking ahead of the podcast launch, Ms. Justice Baker said:
Our aim with this series is to offer more than just case summaries – we want to highlight the complexity of family law and shed light on how nuanced decisions are made in consideration of the deeply personal relationships at the core of these cases.
Claire and I are delighted to present this series of six episodes, which we hope will resonate not just with legal practitioners and students but with a wider audience who may be curious about how the law intersects with the lived experience of families.
Ms. Justice Baker was a Judge of the Supreme Court until her retirement in April 2024. Before being appointed to the superior courts, she specialised in family law amongst a number of other areas during her career as a barrister. She is currently Chairperson of An Coimisiún Toghcháin, the Electoral Commission of Ireland.
Claire Collins SC is a senior practicing barrister specialising in family law since the introduction of the Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996. She has an LLM in Child and Family Law from University College Cork. She is an accredited mediator.
The episodes will be released weekly under “The Bar of Ireland Podcasts” on all major podcast platforms. The first episode will be made available on Thursday 18 September.
Episode Schedule & Topics
| Thursday 18th September | Episode 1: The Long and Winding Road to Divorce Legislation |
| Thursday 25th September | Episode 2: Proper Provision: A Constitutional Imperative |
| Thursday 3rd October | Episode 3: Proper Provision: Limited Term Maintenance |
| Thursday 9th October | Episode 4: Evidence and Test for Maintenance Applications |
| Thursday 16th October | Episode 5: Loaves and Fishes: Appeals from the Circuit Court |
| Thursday 23rd October | Episode 6: Odds and Ends, Jurisdiction and Enforcement |
Subscribe today to ensure you do not miss the first episode.