Susan Ahern SC

Susan is a Senior Counsel, barrister, international arbitrator, Fellow of the CIArb and AMINZ and CEDR accredited mediator. Her legal practice is in sports law (commercial and regulatory), Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), regulation and investigations. She is called to the Bar of Northern Ireland.

Susan is a member of the ICSID Panel of Conciliators, an arbitrator member of the European Commission Disputes Settlement Pool and she is Vice President of Arbitration Ireland. She is a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration & ADR and The Bar of Ireland Arbitration & ADR Committee.

As a Court of Arbitration for Sport arbitrator, she was appointed to the CAS Anti-Doping Division at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 and is past Chair of the Sports Law Bar Association.

Susan regularly sits as an arbitrator in ad hoc and institutional arbitrations including the ICC, CAS, SDSI, Sports Resolutions and as a member of the Law Society of Ireland Arbitration Panel.

Susan is the first Independent Judicial Chair of World Wheelchair Rugby, the Independent Deputy Chair of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Authority Appeals Board and a member of the British Horseracing Authority Judicial Panel Appeal Pool. She was appointed in 2017 by the European Commission as an EU Expert (Sport).

She was formerly the Head of Legal Affairs and Disciplinary Officer of World Rugby and holds independent directorships across the media & broadcasting, sport, major events, and ADR sectors.

www.linkedin.com/in/susan-ahern-fciarb-90927ba3  

• ‘The impact and importance of human engagement in the arbitral process – through the lens of sports arbitration’ – Wolters Kluwer, ICCA Congress Series No.22 (Publication pending)
• ‘Law Library | International Arbitration – 4 Tips for Building a Practice – Viewpoints, The Bar of Ireland (19/1//24) (Co-Authored)
• ‘Arbitration and World Rugby in Context’ – Charles Kaplan, Charles Nairac (eds.), Les Cahiers de l’Arbitrage / the Partis Journal of International Arbitration 2024/1 – ISBN: 978-2-275-15060-4
• ‘International Rugby Justice: The World Rugby Judicial System’, Chapter – INTERNATIONAL SPORTS JUSTICE, Massimo Coccia – Michele Colucci (eds.), International Sports Law and Policy Bulletin 1/2024, January 2024 (Co-Authored) – ISBN: 978-88-943373-4-1; ISSN 2039-0413
• ‘Getting the Most Out of Expedited Sports Arbitration’ – Lexis Nexis / The MENA Business Law Review – Q2 2021 (Co-Authored)
• ‘The Unforgiveable ADR Error‘ – The MENA Business Law Review – Q2 2020 (Co-Authored)
• ‘Trade Mark Protection – A New Approach?’ – Sports Law Administration & Practice October 2017 Vol.24 No.5
• ‘International Rugby Justice: A Précis of the Judicial System of the International Rugby Board’ Chapter – INTERNATIONAL AND COMPARATIVE SPORTS JUSTICE, European Sports Law & Policy Bulletin 1-2013.

2024:

‘The Future of Construction Law’ – SCL Conference Dublin, 21 November

‘Fireside Chat with Susan Ahern SC’ – Young Arbitration Ireland Committee Conference, 21 November

‘EU Law and Football, a Game Changer? Dublin’s New Role in CAS Arbitration’, The Bar of Ireland ADR Committee, Arbitration Ireland Seminar 30 October – Moderator

‘How other sports tackle integrity issues’, 58^th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities, Paris, 7 October

‘Dispute Resolution in an Uncertain World – the impact of AI on ADR’ – Dublin International Disputes Week (DIDW) 2024, The Law Society of Ireland

‘ABC of Sports Arbitration – from anti-doping to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)’’ CIArb, Singapore Branch, 18 July

‘International Construction Arbitration, Is Case Management the Answer?’, Construction Bar Association Conference, Dublin 14 June

‘Procedures and Behaviours, The impact and importance of human engagement in the arbitral process’ – ICCA Conference Hong Kong, 7 May

‘Arbitration of sports-related disputes outside CAS’ – Arbitration & the Olympic Games Symposium, Sorbonne Arbitrage et Paris Place d’Arbitrage, Paris 29 February

‘Six Nations Breakfast Briefing‘, Dublin Solicitors Bar Association – Chair, 24 February

Susan is the current Vice President of Arbitration Ireland, the entity which promotes International Arbitration in Ireland and by Irish practitioners internationally. She has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2017. Profile: https://arbitrationireland.com/executive-committee/

Susan is a director of the Dublin Disputes Resolution Centre Limited.

Trinity College High Level Task Force for Sport – appointed as an Independent Expert in 2015 and remained involved for the development and implementation of two Strategies for Sport.

Susan is a current sitting member of the following Tribunals & Regulatory Bodies

• Approved Housing Regulatory Authority Appeals Panel
• Institute and Faculty of Actuaries UK – Disciplinary Panel Member & Chair Panel
• Insurance Ireland Membership Appeal Panel
• National Childcare Scheme (POBAL) – Independent Appeals Officer
• Health & Social Care Professionals Council (CORU) Professional Conduct Committee – Vice-Chair
• Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) – Decision Maker
• Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) Professional Practice Committee – Vice Chair
• Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) Appeals Body
• British Horseracing Authority – Judicial Panel Member, Appeals Pool
• Bookmakers Appeal Committee

Susan is appointed to:

The Arbitration & ADR Committee of The Bar of Ireland

The ICC International Court of Arbitration (ICC) Arbitration & ADR Committee Member, as a member for Ireland.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport, since 2018. She is a member of the Anti-Doping Division and the Panel of Presidents, sitting as Chair, Sole Arbitrator and Co-arbitrator. She was appointed by ICAS to the CAS Anti-Doping Division of the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020

The Law Society of Ireland Panel of Arbitrators

European Commission DG TRADE – Arbitrator Member of the Disputes Settlement Panel under trade agreements between the EU and third countries     

Sports Dispute Solutions Ireland (SDSI) Arbitration & Mediation Panels. The 2025 version of the SDSI Arbitration Rules and Mediation Rules were drafted by Susan.

Sports Resolutions UK Mediation Panel