Leading Human Rights Solicitor "Shut Down” by Law Society

by Keith Harris - Newsmedianews Fri Jan 14, 2005 14:53 news at newsmedianews dot com 00353 61 316657

Statement by the Law Society, Northern Ireland
Law Society claims Ms Drinan has a "substantial history of complaints going back a number of years."
In a statement regarding its action against Northern Ireland solicitor Padraigin Drinan, the Northern Ireland Law Society's spokesman Don Anderson said: "Ms Drinan has a substantial history of complaints going back a number of years. These have led to a series of decisions by the Law Society to bring proceedings against Ms Drinan before the Disciplinary Tribunal, established for this purpose by the Solicitors (NI) Order 1976, as amended. The Disciplinary Tribunal operates independently of the Law Society.

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by Bright Eyes Fri Jan 14, 2005 15:03

Such a lengthy statement, and we still are not clear what the complaints were.
Jaysus! They're worse than the bloody mafia

by confussed Fri Jan 14, 2005 16:38

The nature of the complaints will probably not be revealed unless the solicitor involved wants them to be revealed and does the revealing, it is not the place of the law society to go revealing such things which may impugn the good name of the solicitor. As a general rule such things are not made public for the good of the solicitor involved not as part of some labryinthine conspiracy to hoodwink us in a maze of words. Surely those making the complaint about the law society and the solicitor in question know the nature of the complaints against the solicitor. If on the other hand the solicitor does not know what the complaints and reasonings are then that is another story entirely. To point a finger at a law society for not revealing such private information is not useful or very productive, questioning their motives and reasoning is not served with such a move.

by Eileen Calder - Rape crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre NI Sun Jan 16, 2005 21:07 eileencalder at hotmail dot com 29 Donegall St Belfast 02890329002

Padraigin has spent her life representing those who other solicitors have had no interest in defending. Either because there was no money in it for them or they were too afraid to do the type of work which resulted in the murder of Rosemary Nelson. I have re ferred hundereds of clients over the last eighteen years to Padraigin, much of this work was not legally -aided and she was unpaid, however she was one of the few solicitors in Northern Ireland whose priority was with the rights and welfare of her clients and not filling out the green form. No other solicitor in NI did so much work for survivors of rape and sexual abuse, both in individual cases and in campaigning to have archaic and mysognyst laws changed, Padraigin also led the field in working with the human rights issues of immigrants and refugees. I don't need to talk about her work with the Garvaghy Road and Ormeau residents groups as it is known throughout the world. Padraigin has also been involved in cases which involved financial corruption involving highly placed individuals within the legal profession. I have never had a client complain about her and the Law Society has told different stories to every voluntary group, journalist and individual who has rang them about this. They have persecuted Padraigin and are a Parcel o' rogues who are failed lawyers themselves.

by Barry Mon Jan 17, 2005 04:25

Padrigin has stood shoulder to shoulder with the poor and oppressed. The establishment have a serious problem with those solicitors who stick up for human rights in the north - they had Pat Finucane and Rose Nelson murdered. Now another one is put out of action.

A disgrace.

by John Meehan Mon Jan 17, 2005 21:51

A useful report by Suzanne Breen (taken from Sunday Tribune, January 16) can be accessed at this link to the "Newshound" site, which carries articles about the Six County Statelet :

http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/Sunday_Tribune/arts2005/jan16_human-rights_lawyer_fights_to_stay_open__SBreen.php

by Gerry Rice - The Human Race. Mon Jan 17, 2005 23:43 gerrice at btopenworld dot com 02897562773

May I say that Padraigin is in excellent company. Nelson Mandela states the following on page 327 of "Long Walk to Freedom", quote, "I have chosen this course which is more difficult and which entails more risk and hardship than sitting in gaol. I have had to separate myself from my dear wife and children, from my mother and sisters, to live as an outlaw in my own land. I have had to close my business, to abandon my profession and live in poverty, as many of my people are doing...I shall fight the government side by side with you, inch by inch, and mile by mile, until victory is won. What are you going to do? Will you come along with us, or are you going to co-operate with the Government in its efforts to suppress the claims and aspirations of your own people? Are you going to remain silent and neutral in a matter of life and death to my people, to our people?"

I asked my local Council for help 28 years ago and received, not help, but injury to my children, my health, loss of my home, a criminal record and bankruptcy - all with the professional assistance of our out-of-control legal profession. See www.gerryrice.net

Gerry Rice.