Biography
Laura is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Law, University of Limerick.
She is a first class honours graduate of UCC (BCL (Law and French) 2007, LLM (by Research) 2008, PhD 2012, PGCTHLE 2013).
She was awarded the title of 'College Scholar' twice during her undergraduate studies and spent her third year studying in the Université Robert Schumann, Strasbourg and working part time as a Research Assistant in the European Parliament. Her Research Masters examined the topic of disciplining judges and her PhD, for which she was awarded an IRCHSS Government of Ireland Scholarship, considered the drafting of the 1922 Irish Free State Constitution.
Laura undertook a Post Doctoral Fellowship in UCC and held lectureships in UCC and DCU before joining the School of Law at UL. Her research interests lie in the areas of Constitutional Law, Legal History, Judicial Politics and Comparative Law and she has published nationally and internationally in these areas. Her monograph on the 1922 Constitution was published by Manchester University Press in 2016.
She is a frequent contributor to the media on legal and constitutional issues and has advised the Oireachtas on law reform on a number of occasions. Her work has been cited several times in the Dáil and the Seanad and also by the Irish superior Courts. She is editor-in-chief of the Irish Judicial Studies Journal.
Professional Activities
Award
- 2014 - Book Completion Grant
- 2013 - Arthur Cox Foundation Grant
- 2009 - Faculty of Law Scholarship
- 2009 - IRCHSS Government of Ireland Scholar
- 2007 - College Scholar
- 2005 - College Scholar
Association
- member, American Society of Legal History
- member, Irish Legal History Society
- Member, Irish Society of Comparative Law
- Founder, Constitution Project
Publications
Book
Byrne and McCutcheon on the Irish Legal System
Raymond Byrne, Paul McCutcheon, Laura Cahillane and Emma Roche-Cagney
Constitutional Law in Ireland - second edition
Laura Cahillane and Seán Ó Conaill
Constitutional Law: Ireland
Laura Cahillane, Seán Ó Conaill
Drafting the Irish Free State Constitution
Laura Cahillane
Book Chapter
Researching the Irish Free State Constitution: Combining Law and History
Laura Cahillane
Case Studies in Legal Research Methodologies: Reflections on Theory and Practice
Case Studies in Legal Research Methodologies: Reflections on Theory and Practice
Laura Cahillane and Jennifer Schweppe
Introducing the Case Studies Approach
Researching Law and Legal Research: Introducing the Case Studies Approach
Laura Cahillane
Case Studies in Legal Research Methodologies: Reflections on Theory and Practice
The Treaty: An Historical and Legal Interpretation
Laura Cahillane and Paul Murray
The Anglo-Irish Treaty Debates of 1921
The Fifteenth Amendment of the Irish Constitution Act 1995
Laura Cahillane
Women's Legal Landmarks: Celebrating 100 years of Women in Law in the UK and Ireland
Judicial Appointments in Ireland: The Potential for Reform
Laura Cahillane
Judges, Politics and the Irish Constitution
Methods and Methodologies in Legal Research: Framing the Context
Laura Cahillane, Jennifer Schweppe
Legal Research Methods: Principles and Practicalities
The Use of History in Law: avoiding the pitfalls
Laura Cahillane
Legal Research Methods: Principles and Practicalities
Conference Contribution
Sovereignty, Populism and Constitutional Politics
Laura Cahillane
In dialogue with the Supreme Court
Laura Cahillane
Irish Supreme Court Review Conference
Laura Cahillane
Supreme Court Visit to Limerick
Laura Cahillane
The Constitution at 80
Laura Cahillane
The Constitution at 80
Laura Cahillane
Mr Justice Humphreys Guest Lecture
Laura Cahillane
Research Methodologies Workshop
Laura Cahillane
Women's Legal Landmarks Workshop
Laura Cahillane
Law, Revolution, and Sovereignty
Laura Cahillane
Lady Hale Agenda Setting Lecture
Laura Cahillane
Irish Society of Comparative Law Conference
Laura Cahillane
Brehon Law Conference
Laura Cahillane
Judges, Politics, and the Irish Constitution
Laura Cahillane
Research Methodologies Conference
Laura Cahillane
Judges, Politics and the Irish Constitution
Laura Cahillane
Justice Henchy Memorial Lecture
Laura Cahillane
Constitution Project Event on Seanad Referendum
Laura Cahillane
North South Criminology Conference
Laura Cahillane
British Legal History Conference
Laura Cahillane
CCJHR Postgraduate Conference
Laura Cahillane
Constitution Project Event on the Referendum Process
Laura Cahillane
The Burren Law School
Laura Cahillane
Constitution Project Event on Children Referendum
Laura Cahillane
Constitution Project Event on 1922 Constitution
Laura Cahillane
Meeting of the National Women's Council of Ireland
Laura Cahillane
ISCL Conference
Laura Cahillane
90th Anniversary of the 1922 Constitution
Laura Cahillane
ISCL Conference
Laura Cahillane
Irish Jurisprudence Society Symposium
Laura Cahillane
CCJHR Postgraduate Conference
Laura Cahillane
Edited Book
Other Publication
As a judge, should Séamus Woulfe have been anywhere near the golf dinner?
Laura Cahillane, David Kenny
Politicians may have grounds to impeach Seamus Woulfe but it's a tricky business
Laura Cahillane, David Kenny
Woulfe crisis shows that sorry is sometimes the hardest word
Laura Cahillane,
'Golfgate' shows that we need an independent body to investigate complaints against judges
Laura Cahillane, David Kenny
New proposal on appointing judges silent regarding transparency
Laura Cahillane, David Kenny
Woulfe controversy: How wide should the gap be between politicians and the judiciary?
Laura Cahillane, David Kenny
Why Judicial Appointments Reform is Necessary
Laura Cahillane
Why reform of Seanad Éireann should start with the electorate
Laura Cahillane
Update on Judicial Appointments Row
Laura Cahillane
Judges and Sentencing Policies
Laura Cahillane
The Irish Constitution has served us well for the most part
Laura Cahillane
We need to talk about the Women in the Home Provision
Laura Cahillane
The Judicial Appointments Saga
Laura Cahillane
Parliamentary Privilege - the Irish Independent
Laura Cahillane
Understanding the Constitution
Laura Cahillane
The Demise of the One Judgment Rule
Laura Cahillane
Cameras in Court Rooms
Laura Cahillane
Judicial Appointments
Laura Cahillane
Preferendum on the Seanad
Laura Cahillane
Judicial Independence and the Current Controversy
Laura Cahillane
Looking to the Past in Order to Move Forward
Laura Cahillane
Debate on Proposed Court Reform Now Required
Laura Cahillane
Article 46 and Amendment of the Constitution
Laura Cahillane
Q&A on Supreme Court Referendum Campaign Ruling
Laura Cahillane
An Sainchumas in Éirinn
Laura Cahillane
Thoughts on the Irish Free State Constitution 90 Years On
Laura Cahillane
The Legacy of the Irish Free State Constitution
Laura Cahillane
Reforming the Constitution
Laura Cahillane
The Judicial Pay Referendum is a Waste of Public Funds
Laura Cahillane
The Irish Free State Constitution: Genesis, Drafting and Legacy
Laura Cahillane
Judicial Pay Referendum Much Ado about Nothing
Laura Cahillane
Disciplining Judges in Ireland
Laura Cahillane
Peer Reviewed Journal
Ireland as a Learning Experience for the Scottish Citizens' Assembly
Laura Cahillane
Edinburgh Law Review
Principles, policies and fair procedures after O'Sullivan v Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and Crayden Fishing Company Ltd v Sea Fisheries Protection Authority
Laura Cahillane
Irish Supreme Court Review
Revisiting Article 41.2
Laura Cahillane
Dublin University Law Journal
Judicial Diversity in Ireland
Laura Cahillane
Irish Journal of Legal Studies
Ireland's System for Disciplining and Removing Judges
Laura Cahillane
Dublin University Law Journal
An Insight into the Irish Free State Constitution
Laura Cahillane
American Journal of Legal History
Review of Gerard Hogan's The Origins of the Irish Constitution
Cahillane, L.
Irish Journal of Legal Studies
Review of Eoin Carolan's The Constitution of Ireland: Perspectives and Prospects
Laura Cahillane
Irish Jurist
Need for Sentencing Guidelines in Ireland?
Laura Cahillane
Irish Criminal Law Journal
Application of the Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003
Laura Cahillane
Irish Employment Law Journal
Anti-Party Politics and the Irish Free State Constitution
Laura Cahillane
Dublin University Law Journal
The Influence of the Post War European Constitutions on the Constitution of the Irish Free State
Laura Cahillane
European Journal of Comparative Law and Governance
The Prerogative and its Survival in Ireland: Dusty Antique or Positively Useful?
Laura Cahillane
Irish Journal of Legal Studies
Disciplining Judges: The Special Position of District Court Judges
Laura Cahillane
Irish Law Review
Judicial Discipline: Where do we Stand? A Consideration of the Curtin Case
Laura Cahillane
Irish Law Times
Ireland's Forgotten Constitutions
Laura Cahillane
Irish Law Times
Some Comparative Aspects of Common and Civil Law
Laura Cahillane
Irish Law Times
Eire, Ireland or the Republic; What's in a Name?
Laura Cahillane
Irish Law Times