Practice Areas

The legal environment surrounding public bodies is increasing in complexity, as pressures for efficiency and value have to be reconciled with requirements of transparency, accountability and procedural fairness. Officials have a duty to run their organisations and processes fairly and lawfully. Private sector organisations, such as charitable, religious and voluntary organisations, although not public sector bodies, often view themselves as being required to act with similar standards of transparency, accountability and fairness.

In advising both public and private sector organisations, Mason Hayes & Curran has developed what it believes to be one of the premier administrative and public law practices in Ireland in terms of client base, experience, expertise and quality of service.

The administrative and public law unit acts for a wide range of clients, including central and local government, statutory and chartered bodies, regulators, disciplinary bodies, charitable, religious and voluntary organisations and public bodies generally across the whole area of administrative and public sector law and governance. The firm also acts for persons dealing with such bodies. We offer each side of the equation our experience and understanding of administrative and public law and the key drivers that shape the strategies and motivations of the other.

Team members advise and assist, often in collaboration with other units and departments in the firm, in relation to constitutional and governance issues, statutory interpretation, decision-making processes, procedural and substantive issues of administrative, freedom of information, public procurement, planning and data protection law. The unit has also advised in relation to matters arising under the Ombudsman, investment intermediaries and standards in public office legislation and in relation to professional and educational regulation.

Through our work for public sector bodies, we have an understanding of the way they function and the legal and financial constraints under which they operate. We are very familiar with the particular concerns of public bodies such as vires, requirements for transparency of process, being subject to public scrutiny and the need to engage with stakeholders. We then bring this experience to bear in delivering practical and focused advice to private sector organisations interacting with public bodies.

In relation to contentious work, whether you are a public body facing a legal challenge or the organisation bringing it, we can offer a number of lawyers experienced in both sides of public law challenges. We can also assist you in avoiding legal challenge and achieve objectives without resorting to the courts.

Recommendations:

Legal 500, 2011
The ‘excellent’ team at Mason Hayes & Curran is widely praised by clients with Catherine Allen picked out for her ‘practical’ and ‘professional approach’; she has ‘an innate ability to cut to the chase’.

Legal 500, 2010
Mason Hayes & Curran provides a ‘comprehensive and consistently reliable service’ and fields a dedicated administrative and public law unit headed by the ‘excellent’ Niall Michel. 


Should you wish to find out more about how we can assist you and your business please contact one of the team members listed.

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Our People

• Edward Gleeson
  Head of Department
  
• Catherine Allen
  Partner
• Niall Michel
  Partner
• Brian Horkan
  Partner
• James Bardon
  Partner