The appointments add further specialist expertise for clients dealing with sensitive statutory matters, particularly where legal advice may need to move quickly from case preparation to court. The Of Counsel role is reserved for senior lawyers with a proven track record in their area of practice.
Will Carmody, our Managing Partner, said:
Legal matters in child protection and healthcare are highly complex. Katie, Donnacha and Laura bring deep practical experience, grounded in years of court work and advocating for clients. They know how to navigate that complexity and give clear direction in circumstances of high sensitivity.
Brian Horkan, Partner and Head of Health & Prosecutions, added:
Our clients regularly require quick, clear advice often leading to urgent court applications. These appointments further strengthen our ability to support clients with early legal and evidential advice. That is where our team’s practical court experience makes a real difference."
Katie Bermingham-Thomas specialises in capacity law, the area of law that determines how decisions are made for people who cannot make them for themselves. She advises HSE clinical teams and hospitals on those decisions, with deep expertise in Assisted Decision-Making. She also acts in cases where the High Court exercises its own independent authority to protect people who fall outside existing statutory frameworks. Her caseload includes urgent High Court applications for anorexia patients requiring naso-gastric feeding, some of which extend to advice on end-of-life care.
Katie said:
The wardship system for adults in Ireland is rooted in legislation that is over 150 years old. The transition to the Assisted Decision-Making framework is the most fundamental change in this area in living memory. My role is helping clients understand what that shift means in practice, and ensuring decisions made for vulnerable people are legally sound under the new framework from the outset."
Donnacha Hennessy advises on child protection and complex regulatory prosecutions, with a focus on case preparation before matters reach court. He regularly acts for Tusla in child protection proceedings and for the HSE in Mental Health Act applications involving minors. He also advises State clients on mutual legal assistance requests in criminal proceedings. Donnacha works closely with investigators and authorised persons on the scope of their statutory powers, with particular expertise in planning and environmental prosecutions.
Donnacha commented:
For the agencies I work with, the decisions made before a case reaches court often matter most. In regulatory prosecutions, the investigation stage can shape the entire case. My focus is on helping clients get that process right from the start, particularly where statutory powers are being exercised and the evidential basis for a prosecution is being built."
Laura Warnock advises on child protection and prosecutions, with particular experience in District Court proceedings where children’s welfare and parental rights must be carefully weighed. She supports professionals working with children and families as they prepare for court and has particular expertise in criminal prosecutions for non-school attendance. Laura also lectures at Trinity College Dublin and delivers bespoke workshops for universities and schools on the legal duties involved in protecting children and vulnerable adults.
Laura said:
Bringing a child into care has a lasting effect on children and families and it is my role to ensure my client has met the evidentiary and statutory threshold before bringing a matter to court. I look forward to continuing my work with the excellent social workers in this field and ensuring they receive clear and consistent advice in this very important area.”
Our Health & Prosecutions team advises statutory authorities and healthcare providers across Ireland. It also runs legal training and workshops for professionals, drawing directly on its court experience.
