Paul Gallagher (barrister) facts for kids

Paul Gallagher is an important Irish lawyer. He was the Attorney General of Ireland two times. This job means he was the main legal advisor to the Irish government.

His first time as Attorney General was from 2007 to 2011. This was a difficult time for Ireland's economy. He gave advice on big plans like helping banks and setting up a special agency for property loans. He also advised on a financial support program from international groups.

He also had a very successful career as a barrister. A barrister is a lawyer who argues cases in court. He often worked on cases about business and the country's laws.

Early Life and School

Paul Gallagher was born in Tralee, a town in County Kerry, Ireland, in 1955. He grew up there and went to local schools.

He studied law at University College Dublin (UCD) and the King's Inns. He also earned a degree in history and economics from UCD. Later, he got another law degree from the University of Cambridge in England.

Starting His Law Career

Paul Gallagher became a barrister in 1979. This means he was officially allowed to practice law in courts. He became a Senior Counsel in 1991. This is a special title for experienced barristers.

He was also a leader in the legal community. He served as vice-chairman of the Bar Council, which represents barristers. He worked on many different types of cases. These included cases about public law, European Union law, and business law.

Important Court Cases

Before becoming Attorney General, he worked on many important cases. He represented the Irish government in a case about recognizing a marriage for tax reasons. He also represented companies in challenges against government decisions.

He worked for big companies like Microsoft and Eircom. He also represented famous people in legal disputes.

In 1996, he helped the government in a case about allowing divorce in Ireland. He also argued against a new planning law in 2000. This was after the President asked the Supreme Court to review it.

He also worked on cases about defamation. This is when someone says or writes something false that harms another person's reputation. He represented newspapers and a former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) in these types of cases.

He represented a company called Fyffes in a big case about unfair stock dealing. This case lasted for many days in court. He continued to work on the appeal for Fyffes even after he became Attorney General.

Attorney General (2007–2011)

Paul Gallagher was chosen to be the Attorney General by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in 2007. He was chosen again by Brian Cowen in 2008. It was unusual because he wasn't a politician from the ruling parties.

His job was to give legal advice to the government. He also helped make sure new laws were written correctly. He attended important government meetings. People said he worked very long hours.

Advising During Economic Challenges

His first time as Attorney General happened during a big economic crisis in Ireland. He was there when the government decided to guarantee the money in Ireland's biggest banks. This was a huge decision to help the country's economy.

He also gave legal advice on setting up the National Asset Management Agency. This agency was created to manage difficult property loans. He also advised the government when Ireland needed financial help from international groups.

He told a special inquiry in 2015 that he advised the government they could legally avoid paying some bonds. However, the government decided not to do this because it was not acceptable to international partners.

Between Government Roles

After his first term as Attorney General ended in 2011, Paul Gallagher went back to being a barrister. He worked on many cases for the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation. This was a state-owned bank that took over from Anglo Irish Bank.

He also represented the Irish Parliament in court cases. He worked on a case for the State about keeping phone data. This case involved a man convicted of a crime.

He also appeared in the European Court of Justice. This is a very important court in Europe. He represented Facebook in a data protection case. He also represented Ireland in a case about taxes involving Apple.

He is also a professor at UCD and a member of some international legal groups.

Attorney General (2020–2022)

Paul Gallagher was nominated to be Attorney General again in 2020. This happened after the 2020 Irish general election when a new government was formed. Micheál Martin nominated him for the position.

He started his second term on June 27, 2020. He announced in November 2022 that he would step down. His second term ended on December 17, 2022.

Personal Life

Paul Gallagher is married to Bláthna Ruane, who is also a barrister. They live in Ballsbridge, Dublin. They have three sons, and all of them also studied law.