Michael O’Doherty BL

Michael is a full-time barrister based in Dublin. He practices in general civil litigation, with a particular expertise in the law of the internet and social media. He is the author of the first Irish title to cover this subject, Internet Law, which was published by Bloomsbury Professional in 2020, and is available here. Michael has had several articles published and has given lectures and presentations in this area of law, including lecturing in the Kings Inns Advanced Diploma on Media and Social Media Law.

Michael is the co-founder and chairperson of MIDBA – the Media, Internet and Data Protection Bar Association – which was launched on 30 March 2023.

As well as being involved in ongoing litigation concerning social media law, privacy and data protection, Michael has represented several clients in employment cases at the WRC. He also volunteers once a month for FLAC as an expert in employment law.

Michael is also the founder and former Managing Director of VIP Publishing, Ireland’s largest magazine publishing group, and as a result  has a uniquely in-depth and practical knowledge of media and employment law.

• Author of “Internet Law” (2020), Bloomsbury Professional
• “Online Anonymity” (Spring 2022) The Parchment
• “Norwich Pharmacal Relief and the Identification of Anonymous Online Users” (July 2021, Vol 26 Issue 4) The Bar Review
• “Reviewing the Situation: the law concerning online reviews” (May 2020), Law Society Gazette
• “Social Media, Privacy and Evidence” (February 2020, Vol 25 Issue 1) The Bar Review
• “Data Hosts and obligations under data protection legislation” (April 2018, Vol 23 Issue 2), The Bar Review

• “Defamation law and AI “, Dublin Solicitors Bar Association webinar, April 2024.
• “The Law of Cyberbullying” – Kings Inns Advanced Diploma in Law and Education, January 2024.
• “Social Media and the Law” – contributor and consultant on this online course run by the Law Society of Ireland, June 2023.
• “Cyberbullying – what can be done?” – seminar for the Bar of Ireland, June 2023.
• “New Legislation to deal with Online Behaviour,” Dublin Solicitors Bar Association webinar, May 2022.
• “Law on Trial” podcast, April 2022.
• “The Use of Social Media Evidence in Personal Injuries Proceedings”, Dublin Solicitors Bar Association conference, April 2022.
• “The Law of Online Anonymity”, Dublin Solicitors Bar Association seminar, March 2022.
• Host of The Bar of Ireland’s Justice Week podcast “Misinformation, Deepfakes, Big Data and the Law”,  February 2022.
• Internet Law and Regulation”, UCD Sutherland School of Law, September 2021 onwards. Michael created and lectures this 12-week module for a class of over 90 undergraduate students in the School of Law.
• “Social Media Posts as Grounds for Dismissal,” Employment Bar Association Breakfast Briefing, Online, May 2021
• “Online Safety: the regulatory and legal framework in Ireland,” Kings Inns Advanced Diploma in Social Media Law, February 2021 and 2022.
• “Data Protection Claims: law and practice” (co-author with Claire Hogan BL), Employment Bar Association Annual Conference, Online, November 2020
• “Online Hate Speech,” Bloomsbury Professional ‘Obiter Dicta’ Podcast, July 2020
• “Social Media and the Workplace,” La Touche Consulting conference on Social Media Law, June 2020
• “Defamation and Harassment via Social Media,” National Solicitors Alliance briefing, June 2020

Michael has been a volunteer for the Free Legal Advice Centre in Lucan, Co. Dublin, since 2018. He provides monthly clinics on all legal issues, with a particular specialisation in employment law issues.

Michael won first prize in the inaugural Bar of Ireland Article Competition 2021 for his article entitled “Norwich Pharmacal Relief and the Identification of Anonymous Online Users”, which was published in the July 2021 issue of The Bar Review.

Michael launched his own personal website in June 2021, which features all his published works, as well as regular updates on the developing law in respect of the internet, social media, data protection, privacy and employment.

Michael is the chairperson of MIDBA – the Media, Internet and Data Protection Bar Association – which was launched on 30 March 2023.

www.michaelodohertybl.com

Michael is the author of  Internet Law, which was published by Bloomsbury Professional in 2020, and is available here. The book runs to over 1100 pages, and is the first Irish title to deal with such issues as online harassment and defamation, anonymity and social media law. The book also provides detailed analysis of the current law concerning data protection, privacy, employment and intellectual property.

Updates concerning all the areas of law covered in Internet Law are provided on Michael’s website, www.michaelodohertybl.com