Trinity FLAC: 50 Years of FLAC – 21 March

When: 6:30 pm, Thurs 21 March

Where: Long Room Library of the Old Library at Trinity College Dublin

In 1968 four law students—David Byrne, Denis McCullough, Ian Candy and Vivian Lavan— attended a conference on legal education in Trinity College Dublin. They agreed that law students should gain practical experience of the law as a social reality, while helping their community by sharing their specialist knowledge with those who would otherwise be unable to afford it. To achieve this, they established the first Free Legal Advice Centre in 1969 in Mountjoy Square, Dublin.

Since then, FLAC has helped countless families and individuals with their legal difficulties. There are now 66 FLAC clinics around Ireland, mainly based in and facilitated by the Citizens Information Services and with the commitment of almost 600 volunteer lawyers. As well as providing free legal advice and information, FLAC continues to campaign on a wide range of social issues including social welfare, immigration law, and equality.

To celebrate 50 years of incredible work, Trinity FLAC is delighted to welcome the founders of FLAC back to Trinity to speak about their experience of setting up this vital organisation. It will be joined on the evening by:

• David Byrne SC, founder of FLAC. Mr Byrne served as Attorney General from 1997 to 1999 and then as European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection from 1999 to 2004.
• Ian Candy, founder of FLAC. Mr Candy worked with the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions before being appointed a magistrate in Hong Kong in 1985. He is currently a member of the Torture Claims Appeals Board in Hong Kong.
• Denis McCullough SC, founder of FLAC. Mr McCullough was called to the Bar of Ireland in 1971 and became a Senior Counsel in 1985. He currently works in the area of Tort and Personal Injury Law, specialising in the field of Medical Law.
• Eilis Barry, CEO of FLAC. Prior to joining FLAC, Ms Barry was a barrister specialising in all aspects of employment law, anti-discrimination and equality.

There will be a wine reception following guests’ remarks. If you would like to attend, please register by following this link: https://goo.gl/forms/4yv0ryavFDbFN9LG2

Click here for more information.