On 22 June 2022, the Department of the Taoiseach announced that the government has approved the granting of Patents of Precedence and the title of Senior Counsel to a total of 28 barristers and 6 solicitors.
The grant of a Patent of Precedence, in relation to a barrister, entitles him or her to be called to the Inner Bar and to use the title of Senior Counsel. In relation to a solicitor, it entitles him or her to use the title of Senior Counsel.
The Legal Services Regulatory Authority provides administrative and secretarial support to the independent Advisory Committee on the Patents of Precedence, which makes recommendations to Government.
The Advisory Committee was established in April 2020 under the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 and is chaired by the Chief Justice. The 2015 Act allowed solicitors for the first time to apply to be granted Patents of Precedence.
For the full list of names published by the Department of the Taoiseach on 22 June 2022, see: Patents of Precedence 2022
For further details on the annual Patents of Precedence application process, see Applications for Senior Counsel