Statement on the death of Paul Anthony McDermott SC

10 December 2019

Paul Anthony was a skilled and knowledgeable advocate who represented his many clients with distinction.  A high level scholar, he was also a terrific advocate with an unrivalled ability to persuade. Paul was immensely generous in sharing his legal expertise, not only with colleagues seeking assistance, but also through his lecturing and media work.  He was a gifted teacher of the law in UCD who was hugely popular with his students. His ability to explain complex legal subjects and distil them for better public understanding was unparalleled. 

Paul had a distinguished 23 year career in the Law Library, taking the call to the Bar in 1996 and becoming a Senior Counsel in 2015. The author of several highly regarded textbooks, he was an expert in a range of legal fields including judicial review, criminal law, constitutional law and contract. Paul will be greatly missed by his many friends here.  I would like to extend our sympathies to Paul Anthony’s wife Annick, his children Harry and Andrew, his mother Margaret, his brother James and all of his wider family.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

Micheál P. O’Higgins SC
Chairman 
Council of The Bar of Ireland