Katharine Kelleher

Katharine is a leading partner in our Healthcare and Child Law departments. She has particular expertise in the area of wardship, mental health, adoption and inherent jurisdiction applications involving sensitive and complex health care issues.

Katharine deals with cases of a sensitive nature and in 2020 was a key player in highlighting to the courts the challenges with wards of court as lockdown resulting from Covid-19 was imminent. Katharine worked with the general solicitor for wards of courts to ensure a plan was implemented to reduce hearings, minimise court attendances and free up medical personnel to deal with Covid-19 whilst at all times maintaining the rights of the wards.

Katharine is frequently requested to speak at annual conferences and events on the topic of the Mental Health Act and most recently spoke on the topic of wardship at a seminar addressed by The Hon. Ms. Justice Mary Irvine. Her particular area of expertise is Section 25 of the Mental Health Act covering the involuntary admission of children.

Katharine is a CEDR accredited mediator and a trained collaborative law practitioner. She is a committee member of the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association (DSBA) Mental Health Capacity Committee and Irish Family Lawyers. She is a member of the Mental Health Law and Capacity Task Force of the Law Society of Ireland. Katharine has acted on the instructions of the HSE and Tusla – The Child and Family Agency consistently since 1996.  She is known for her passion in keeping the rights of children to the forefront at all times