The Fifth Court - DSBA Legal Podcast of the Year

The Fifth Court – Part 1: Ireland and the European Court of Human RightsPart 1 of a two-part Fifth Court interview with two of Ireland’s most distinguished jurists on the international stage.Síofra O’Leary, former President of the European Court of Human Rights, and Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, Ireland’s current judge at the Court, discuss judicial life in Strasbourg, multilingual decision-making, and the reality of adjudicating across Europe’s legal systems. Plus hosts Mark Tottenham BL and Peter Leonard BL discuss three more cases from the Decisis Casebook Three recent Irish decisions are discussed, includingEnforcement of a Danish arbitral award, with late-stage objections refusedJudicial review refused of a decision not to transfer a prisoner to an open prisonSecurity for costs refused where the plaintiff’s lack of means was linked to the defendant’s alleged wrongdoing regarding a property resale The Decisis Casebook sponsor is Charltons Solicitors and Collaborative Practitioners of Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. We thank them for their support. Part 2 follows next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Courts, Climate & Common Sense – Austria’s Supreme Court President Georg Kodek on Why the Law Can’t Save the PlanetIn this compelling episode, The Fifth Court hosts Peter Leonard BL and Mark Tottenham BL sit down with Georg Kodek, President of the Austrian Supreme Court, during the European Law Institute Conference in Vienna.He explains why courts can’t be expected to fix climate change – and why real solutions must come from politics and public conviction, not litigation.From a Peruvian farmer’s lawsuit against German power plants to how TikTok might be used by the Austrian Supreme Court, Kodek discusses the limits of law in global challenges – and why judges must learn to speak to the public again.But first, three fascinating Decisis.ie cases:DPP v Clark – Repeat firearm offender sees sentence increased from 6 to 7½ years.DPP v BK – Conviction of a mother set aside after court finds statements in a safeguarding assessment unreliable.Harford v Commissioner of An Garda Síochána – Judicial review dismissed where a criminal trial was deemed an adequate remedy.Sponsored by Charltons Solicitors & Collaborative Practitioners, specialising in Family Law, Civil Litigation, Property, Wills and Probate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Fifth Court — Episode 133 Presented by barristers Mark Tottenham and Peter Leonard.This episode opens with Josepha Madigan — solicitor, former cabinet minister and family-law mediator — on why mediation is gaining ground, what makes it work, and how practice culture is changing for clients and lawyers alike.Then Mark and Peter review three recent Decisis cases (case-note segment sponsored by Charltons Solicitors & Collaborative Practitioners):A Court of Appeal judgment on alleged ineffective legal representation.A High Court ruling that quashed a same-day trial conviction on fair-trial grounds.A further decision testing procedural fairness and preparation time in summary proceedings.Clear takeaways — and the practical implications for practitioners and clients. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LCJ Keegan on the modern courtroom — AI, experts and leadershipOn Episode 132, The Fifth Court hosts Peter Leonard and Mark Tottenham have rare access to Dame Siobhán Keegan, the Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, to discuss evaluating expert evidence in an age of AI and complex fact-finding, leadership on the bench, and the realities of administering justice in Belfast’s Royal Courts. The episode is recorded with her in the Royal Courts of Justice, LCJ Keegan flags her Macfadyen Lecture on evaluating the expert witness in the modern legal landscape—a timely frame for how courts should approach AI-assisted and technical testimony (provenance, transparency, methodology, limits).Her cultural choice 'Is a River Alive?' by Robert Macfarlane, published by Hamish HamiltonPlus, our case-law segment, drawn from the Decisis.ie casebook, covers a failed attempt to register a New York multi-billion judgment against Argentina in Ireland without locating Irish-sited assets, and the Court of Appeal’s approach to frivolous and vexatious challenges to demolition orders.Sponsored by Charltons Solicitors and Collaborative Practitioners of Dublin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

E131 The Fifth CourtCo-host of the Fifth Court, Peter Leonard, BL, met with Kirk Offel at the Dublin Tech Summit, promoter of the 5th Industrial Revolution.'Data centres are the most important things to be manufactured in the world'. That's Kirk's view and that's just the beginning of this terrific chat about all things AI and Data Centres.Kirk is not your typical tech CEO. From a military family, a former US Navy submariner, nuclear-trained engineer, cancer survivor, and now founder of Overwatch Mission Critical, he brings a mix of discipline, resilience, and purpose to the fast-changing world of digital infrastructure. His company designs and delivers the data centres that make the cloud, AI, and mission-critical systems possible — what he likes to call “the sky for the cloud.”You'll also learn everything you ever wondered about life in a submarine under the ocean...though some of what he's done he can't talk about.Before that, Peter and Mark Tottenham, BL, examine notable recent court decisions featured on Decisis.ie including:A 'Proceeds of Crime' case and whether it should be reopened with new material comes to light?A case full of energy, including a windfarm, a hydrogen plant and turf-cutting.Another planning case, this one regarding an old paint factory that was being used to house migrants. It turned out to be a moot case.Whether you're in practice or just passionate about the law, this episode is a must-listen for its clarity, depth, and practical relevance.Sponsored by Charltons Solicitors and Collaborative Practitioners – family law with a collaborative approach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.