About
The London Irish Lawyers Association (‘LILA’) is a professional organisation for lawyers based in London with an affinity to the island of Ireland. LILA is built on this affinity within an apolitical and non-denominational context. Our members are lawyers, students and academics.
LILA aims to provide a resource for its members at all stages of their careers as well as to provide opportunities for those newly qualified or newly entitled to practise in England and Wales to engage with more senior solicitors and barristers. It aims to encourage relationships by organising lectures, social events and workshops and to represent members by contributing to debate on issues of professional or legal significance.
Please note LILA is not a legal services provider and is unable to assist with legal enquiries or advice.
Membership is free and can be obtained by completing a form in the ‘Join LILA’ section of this website.
Executive Committee
Kerri McGuigan
Senior Associate, Peters & Peters
Co-Chair
India Fahy
Senior Associate, Hogan Lovells
Co-Chair
Tomas McGarvey
Barrister, 2 Bedford Row
Treasurer
Jonathan Lyness
Senior Associate, Withers LLP
Secretary
Darren Dunn
Senior Director, GXO Logistics
Member
Michael Walker
Associate, Carter Ruck Solicitors
Member
Gerald Byrne
Partner, Philip Lee
Member
Megan Millar
Barrister, 6KBW
Member
Jack Heron
Associate, Lewis Silkin
Member
Victoria Sterritt
Legal Director, Davidson McDonnell
Member
Matthew Nuding
Associate,
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Member
Alicia Nash
Trade Mark Attorney
Kilburn & Strode
Member
Advisory Board
Conor Gearty KC (Hon)
(1957-2025)
Sadly missed: Professor of human rights law, London School of Economics and was a founding member of Matrix Chambers.
Conor Gearty KC Fund
Members may recall that Professor Conor Gearty KC, a valued member of LILA's advisory board and the broader LILA community, sadly died on 11 September 2025. With his widow Aoife’s blessing, the Law School at the LSE (where he was the Professor of Human Rights Law) has set up a fund in his memory for the purpose of ‘The promotion or furtherance of study or training in human rights law or practice.’ Conor joined LSE as founding Director of the Centre for Human Rights in 2002, a position he held until he became Professor of Human Rights in the Law School in 2009. A charismatic and devoted teacher, Conor brought tremendous learning and energy to his courses in civil liberties, human rights and anti-terrorism law. His interests were reflected in an important body of scholarship, notably his Hamlyn Lectures, Can Human Rights Survive? (2006); Principles of Human Rights Adjudication (2004); and On Fantasy Island. Britain, Europe, and Human Rights (2016). Conor was brilliant as a teacher, scholar and public intellectual, combining extraordinary energy, curiosity and vitality with humour, kindness and warmth. He made an indelible contribution to the LSE and the Law School in particular, although his influence was felt far beyond that.
Amongst other things, the intention is to:
fund students wishing to study human rights law at the Law School and help students to take up professional development opportunities in the field of human rights;
fund conferences and lectures on human rights law and practice at the Law School; and
fund the work of students involved in the LSE Legal Advice Centre, as it relates to human rights, such as work on public protest and domestic violence.
Please use this link if you would like to contribute.
Mary Heaney
Editorial director of Global City Media, publisher of The Global Legal Post
Gráinne Mellon
Former LILA Chair and Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Will Glover
Former LILA Chair. Partner (Barrister) Fieldfisher
Patron
Lord Kerr of Tonaghmore (1948-2020)
Brian Francis Kerr, Baron Kerr of Tonaghmore, was a longstanding friend of LILA and we are extremely proud that he was our Patron.
His distinguished legal and judicial careers speak for themselves. Many have spoken of his contribution in Northern Ireland as a barrister, High Court Judge and eventually as Lord Chief Justice. Others have spoken of his remarkable contribution to the Supreme Court, including as the longest serving judge in the history of court and the first to come from Northern Ireland.
We echo those tributes but we also recall Lord Kerr's kindness, his generosity and the extent to which he was always willing to give of his time to support others.
We recall his warm and witty reflections at our events in the Irish Embassy, and in a joint event with former Chief Justice Ronan Keane. We recall the personal tour of the Supreme Court he gave to many of our members- and the care and interest he took in everyone who attended.
The legal community- both in the UK and in Ireland has lost a leading voice, an excellent role model and a remarkable person.