Senior Counsel - Ireland

Ireland

The Irish Free State became independent in 1922 as a Dominion of the British Crown. Shortly after the Courts of Justice Act 1924 came into effect, Chief Justice Hugh Kennedy in conjunction with the Bar Council of Ireland modified the procedure for issuing patents of precedence. From July 1924, "King's Counsel" was replaced by "Senior Counsel" on patents; these were issued by the Chief Justice, although the "privilege of patent" continued to fall within the royal prerogative until transferred to the Executive Council (government) by the Executive Powers (Consequential Provisions) Act 1937. The title "KC" continued to be used by many senior counsel, both those created before July 1924 and those after. In 1949, shortly before the coming into force of the Republic of Ireland Act broke the final link with the crown, Frank Aiken asked John A. Costello during Taoiseach's questions "whether, in view of the fact that certain members of the Inner Bar who received their patents as senior counsel continue to describe themselves as king's counsel, he will introduce a Bill entitled an Act to declare that the description of a senior counsel shall be senior counsel"; Costello said he had "no intention of wasting public time and money" on the idea. As late as the 1960s, R.G.L. Leonard was described in the official Irish law reports as "queen’s counsel", reflecting the British change from King to Queen in 1952.