Alumni News
Congratulations to former pupil Denise Kiley KC (Class of 2003), who started her two-year long term as Chair of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland from 1 September 2026.
Denise has spoken of her “great privilege” at becoming the new Chair of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland. She served as Vice-Chair of the Bar Council during the previous two legal years and sat on various committees including the Member Services Committee. An experienced public law barrister, Denise was called to the Bar in 2008 and appointed King’s Counsel in 2024. She practices mainly in judicial review, public inquiries and inquests. “It is a great privilege to have been elected as Chair of the Bar Council alongside Martin Wolfe KC as Vice-Chair. The Bar Council is the representative and regulatory body of the barrister profession and plays a vital role in advancing and protecting the rule of law and enabling access to justice for all citizens. A priority for the new Bar Council will be to continue engagement with policy and decision makers to ensure the sustainability of the provision of publicly funded legal services across our jurisdiction. These services are an essential part of the welfare state and should be recognised as such. Everyone is entitled to access to justice, irrespective of their socio-economic status. An independent Bar plays a crucial role in this system. To sustain the system, we must sustain the suppliers of legal services and ensure that they continue to better reflect the society we serve. The Bar Council will continue to advocate for greater investment in the justice system and for fair remuneration for barristers. The work of a barrister is rewarding and demanding in equal measures and shifting social, economic and technological conditions pose new challenges and opportunities for the profession. In this context, the Bar Council will deliver measures aimed at retaining our skilled and expert practitioners, through practice and health and well-being support initiatives. The Bar Council will continue its efforts to attract the most talented individuals towards a career at the Bar, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. It is committed to building upon the important work of previous Bar Councils in enhancing socio-economic diversity and equality at the Bar
