Michael McCormack BL

Michael was called to the Bar in Michelmas Term 2010, having completed the King’s Inns Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Studies (he studied French and mathematics at undergraduate level) and the Barrister-at-Law Degree. He regularly appears in all Courts in Ireland and in other tribunals, including professional disciplinary / regulatory tribunals and statutory employment law tribunals.

He has a broad civil and criminal law practice, and has particular interest and experience in employment law, chancery matters, public law (including administrative / investigative / regulatory matters and constitutional law), judicial review, professional negligence matters, professional disciplinary matters, and criminal law.

He is a member of the Attorney General’s, the Central Bank of Ireland’s, and the Corporate Enforcement Authority’s panels of counsel and has extensive experience of State work (both court and advisory) for other bodies, including Fiosrú – Office of the Police Ombudsman (and its predecessor the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission), the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, Ministers and local authorities, the State Claims Agency, and the Data Protection Commission.

He is a member of the Professional, Regulatory and Disciplinary Bar Association of Ireland, the Employment Bar Association, the Financial Services Bar Association, the Media, Internet & Data Protection Bar Association and the Climate Bar Association.

He has a particular interest in courtroom advocacy (including litigation strategy) and witness handling, and he completed the Keble Advanced International Advocacy Course in 2019 and now contributes as a faculty member / trainer on the Bar of Ireland’s Advanced Advocacy training and Middle Temple’s advocacy training.

He also has particular interest and experience in the use of technology, including artificial intelligence, in legal practice (conscious always of the risks and limitations of such technology) and he has experience working with and digitally analysing voluminous material in complex civil and criminal cases.

He was called to the Bar of England and Wales by The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in 2018 and he is an Associate of the Irish Tax Institute (a qualified Chartered Tax Advisor).

Michael’s recent or significant cases and legal work include:

Employment matters

Holland v. Integrity360 Europe Limited (Workplace Relations Commission ADJ-00053379): Counsel for the respondent employer in ongoing complaints of age discrimination, breaches of part-time workers’ protections, non-payment of commission, and related matters. The matter involves a challenge to the jurisdiction of the Irish statutory workplace relations dispute resolution system over this employment relationship, and is currently under appeal to the Labour Court.

Karpicz v. Graham O’Sullivan Restaurants Limited (Dublin Circuit Court 2019 / 3175, High Court 2023 / 200 CA, [2024] IEHC 432): Sole counsel for the successful employee plaintiff in an action for pregnancy-related discrimination and dismissal pursuant to section 77(3) of the Employment Equality Act 1998 resulting in an award of over €50,000 plus costs in the Circuit Court, increased to over €66,000 plus costs on a de novo appeal hearing in the High Court (against senior and junior counsel).

Regularly acting for employee complainants and respondent employers in various employment rights matters before the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court, and in employment bullying and harassment claims in the form of personal injuries actions.

Chancery matters

Grimes v. Hernas & Ors (High Court H.P.2024.0005302): Sole counsel for a local authority defendant in an ongoing action seeking injunctions relating to a disputed property.

Graham O’Sullivan Restaurants Limited v. Karpicz (High Court H.P.2025.1434): Sole counsel for the defendant in an action seeking to vacate a judgment mortgage arising from an award of damages and costs in a employment equality action.

Moram v. Kerry County Council (High Court H.P.2024.3742): Sole counsel for a local authority defendant in an application for mandatory injunctions relating to alleged air quality and housing issues, refused ex tempore.

Public law / administrative / investigative / regulatory matters

Advising investigative and regulatory bodies, both in the context of litigation and in their statutory roles more generally.

Regularly advising and appearing (with and without senior counsel) for a statutory investigative / regulatory body in various matters, in particular:

• pre-litigation correspondence and other matters in threatened judicial reviews by complainants and parties under investigation;
• discovery and disclosure applications by and against it;
• its obligations regarding admissibility of complaints and communications with complainants and parties under investigation;
• the exercise of its investigative powers, including its powers to obtain evidence in non-criminal investigations;
• whether matters constitute an offence requiring referral to the DPP;
• the application of the Article 2 ECHR investigative obligation (i.e. the State’s obligation to investigate certain deaths) to a sensitive investigation involving a death; and
• on new legislation and the powers and procedures arising thereunder.

Acting as sole counsel for Fiosrú (Office of the Police Ombudsman), formerly the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) in various non-party discovery matters.

Advising and representing (with and without senior counsel) GSOC / Fiosrú in court applications for disclosure (including by An Garda Síochána) of information or documents pursuant to section 96(8) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005.

GSOC v. Tiernan (Eastern Circuit, County of Louth, 2018 / 00536): Sole counsel for GSOC in the successful, first ever, court application pursuant to section 96(8) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005.

Advising a statutory regulator on a large inquiry into the Europe-wide activities of a large regulated entity and in particular on various interim / draft statements of fact and decisions in that inquiry, including a draft decision for review by European regulators (which included decisions on substantial administrative fines and other sanctions).

Member of the Corporate Enforcement Authority’s panel of counsel for the provision of legal services, including enforcement proceedings and prosecutions.

Member of the Central Bank of Ireland’s panel of counsel for the provision of legal advices and representation in relation to the Bank’s enforcement responsibilities.

Advising the a Government Minister on time-critical discovery matters relating to the O’Higgins Commission and the Charleton Tribunal, specifically the Department’s response to the order of the Tribunal of Inquiry into protected disclosures made under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and certain other matters (Charleton J) and further related orders.

Documentary counsel to the O’Higgins Commission (Commission of Investigation into Certain Matters Relative to the Cavan/Monaghan Division of the Garda Síochána).

Human rights / constitutional matters

Walsh v. The Courts Service (High Court 2023 / 221 P): Junior counsel for the plaintiff in an ongoing action arising from a data breach by the Courts Service, including claims of breach of the in camera rule and of constitutional and Convention rights relating to privacy, family life, and access to justice.

Hayes v. Commissioner of An Garda Síochána & Ors (High Court 2019 / 1800 P) (and four related actions): Junior counsel for a woman and her family in substantial actions against the State for historic malicious prosecution and related wrongs (including challenges to historic findings of a Tribunal of Inquiry), which were ultimately settled with the State consenting to an order regarding the Tribunal’s findings.

As a member of the State Claims Agency’s panel of counsel, I was instructed in personal injuries matters on behalf of the Irish Prison Service in in-cell sanitation (“slopping-out”) matters involving constitutional and Convention rights.

Other public law matters

Hanrahan v. Limerick City and County Council & Ors (Limerick District Court 2023/00499): Advising and representing two Government Ministers in securing their release from an action alleging noise pollution to which they were improperly joined as defendants.

Judicial review matters

Quinn v. GSOC (High Court H.JR.2024.805): Sole counsel for the respondent, GSOC / Fiosrú, in an ongoing application by a complainant to GSOC for judicial review relating an investigation pursuant to Part 4 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005.

Advising and appearing for clients in judicial reviews of statutory employment bodies, for example acting as sole counsel for the Notice Parties (complainant employees) in TA Hotels Limited v. The Labour Court (High Court 2018 / 808 JR).

Professional negligence matters

Fenlon & Anor v. EMK Design Limited & Ors. (High Court 2015/8677 P): Junior counsel for the plaintiffs in an ongoing action relating to a defective property.

O’Neill & Anor v. Heffernan (High Court 2023 / 2620 P): Sole counsel for the plaintiffs in a successful action to enforce a solicitor’s compliance with an undertaking regarding property deeds, for the payment of compensation or damages, and related matters.

Guildea v. Murphy (High Court 2012 / 9843 P) and Murphy v. Murphy (High Court 2012 / 9844 P): Junior counsel for the plaintiffs in ongoing related actions arising from a solicitor’s failure to ensure certain steps were taken before completing a conveyance and related matters.

Geoghegan v. O’Donnell (High Court 2019 / 2622 P): Junior counsel for the plaintiff in an action arising from the loss of a property deed by a solicitor and related matters.

Professional disciplinary matters

AB and XY Financial Consulting (2022 to 2023): Sole counsel for the Respondent accountant and firm in complaints before the Disciplinary Tribunal, and Appeal Panel, of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland (CPA Ireland). One complaint was dismissed at first instance and the remaining complaint was dismissed on appeal, leaving no complaints upheld against the clients.

Acting for solicitor clients before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

Criminal matters

DPP v. TC (Bill Number CC0143/24): Junior counsel for accused in a murder case listed for trial in the Central Criminal Court in October 2025.

DPP v. [An Accused]: Junior counsel for accused in a rape case listed for trial in the Central Criminal Court in June 2025.

DPP v. SC (Bill numbers KYDP0085/2023 & KYDP0029/2024): Sole counsel for accused charged with possession of drugs for unlawful sale or supply and with money-laundering offences and listed for sentence in the Circuit Court in 2025.

DPP v. JMcC (Bill Number KYDP0057/2020): Sole counsel for one accused in a six-party violent disorder case in the Circuit Court in 2025, resulting in a fully suspended sentence on a guilty plea.

DPP v. DD (Bill Number CCDP0076/2023): Junior counsel for one co-accused in a complex five-party murder case in the Central Criminal Court in 2024.

DPP v. CD (Bill Number CC0067/21): Junior counsel for accused in a rape case in the Central Criminal Court in 2024, resulting in an acquittal on all but a minor assault charge.

Representing clients in various drink driving and road traffic cases in the District Court and on appeal.

Advising a juvenile suspect in a rape matter on the consequences of engaging with the Garda Diversion Programme pursuant to section 23(1) of the Children Act 2001, including on the admissibility of any “acceptance of responsibility” in any subsequent criminal proceedings.

Advising on the effects of protected disclosures legislation on a particular criminal investigation.

Advising on whether matters constitute an offence requiring referral to the DPP.

Advising certain clients on matters involving or related to criminal law, for example advices to Fiosrú / GSOC and other State bodies.

Advising and representing clients in relation to civil matters with underlying criminal law features, including for example, Yushchenko v. Sky Ireland Limited (High Court H.P.2024.1744) and Modulartech Ltd v. Commissioner of An Garda Síochána & Ors (High Court 2020 / 6741 P) (referred to below).

Commercial matters

Yushchenko v. Sky Ireland Limited (High Court H.P.2024.1744): Sole counsel for a large television broadcaster in defending an ongoing action arising from the seizure of certain devices from another party by An Garda Síochána.

Modulartech Ltd T/A Satworld v. Commissioner of An Garda Síochána & Ors (High Court 2020 / 6741 P, [2022] IEHC 186): Sole counsel for a large television broadcaster (Sky Ireland Limited) in defending an action arising from the seizure of certain devices from another party by An Garda Síochána (which involved issues about the procedural and substantive legality of such seizure and other questions relating to State body’s powers), including an application to dismiss the claim as against the broadcaster (Stack J, unreported, 21st March 2022) and which ultimately resulted in the State defendants indemnifying the non-State defendants.

Defamation matters

Reilly v. Drunken Fish Limited (Dublin Circuit Court 4239 / 2020): Sole counsel for the successful defendant in a defamation action.

Data protection matters

Walsh v. The Courts Service (High Court 2023 / 221 P): Junior counsel for the plaintiff in an ongoing action arising from a data breach by the Courts Service, involving issues of non-material damage, the requirement for PIAB/PIRB authorisation, and the reliance on in camera material in a different court in an action for breach of the rule protecting such material from disclosure.

(Please note that a barrister is prohibited from charging costs in the particular circumstances contained in section 149 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015.)

Health and Social Care Professionals Council (CORU)
Since 2023, Michael has been a public interest member of the Appeals Committee of the Health and Social Care Professionals Council (CORU) and sits as a member and chairperson hearing appeals of registration and recognition decisions by the Registration Boards for various health and social care professions (such as physiotherapy).

Maritime Institute of Ireland
From 2020 to 2024, Michael was a charity trustee / director and member of Finance and Governance Committee of the Maritime Institute of Ireland, a registered charity which operates the National Maritime Museum of Ireland in Dun Laoghaire.

Council of the Honorable Society of King’s Inns
From 2018 to 2020 Michael was an elected member of the practising barristers’ panel of the Council of the Honorable Society of King’s Inns.

Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project
In 2014 Michael was a visiting lawyer / investigator with MAIP, a US organisation which investigates and litigates potential wrongful conviction cases in DC, Maryland and Virginia.