Rachel is an experienced litigator with particular expertise in planning, environment and public law. She also advises public and private sector clients on non-contentious issues in these areas.
Rachel has handled the defence of numerous judicial reviews of decisions relating to the planning and licensing of development including strategic transport, waste and energy infrastructure.
She has extensive enforcement experience including criminal prosecutions in the District Court for breaches of environmental licences and planning law, injunction proceedings in the High Court seeking the remediation of unlawful waste disposal sites and general advisory work on the exercise of enforcement functions.
Through her work for public authorities, Rachel has acquired in-depth knowledge of public and administrative law and the principles applicable to sound public body decision making, the conduct of investigations and appeals and the provision of access to information under FOI and AIE. She regularly advises in these areas.
Rachel was appointed Senior Counsel in 2021 and is listed as a Leading Individual in Legal 500, 2024 in the area of planning and environment.
She is Chairperson of the Law Society Environmental and Planning Law Practice Committee and a Council member of the Irish Environmental Law Association.
Rachel is regularly invited to speak at conferences and seminars held by organisations including UCC, UCD, the Irish Centre for European Law and the Irish Planning Institute. She lectures on environmental and planning law for the Law Society and the King’s Inns Advanced Diploma on Planning and Environmental Law.
