Padraic Brennan

Padraic is a Partner, practising in the firm’s Dispute Resolution team with an emphasis on medical negligence defence litigation, healthcare law and administrative law. He has represented the (former) Western Health Board/Health Service Executive on healthcare, medico-legal/ethical, child protection, disability and special needs issues. Padraic also represented the interests of the (former) WHB at the Lindsay Tribunal and the Organ Retention Inquiry.

He has twenty three years experience in defending medical negligence claims on behalf of the State Claims Agency, Irish Public Bodies and St Paul’s/Travelers. He has acted in a large number of cases including catastrophic birth injury cases, cases involving alleged misdiagnosis of cancer and acquired brain injuries. He has represented various healthcare institutions at coroners inquests, frequently without the assistance of counsel.

Padraic also has significant experience gained over a long number of years in representing healthcare institutions on medico-legal matters including the refusal to accept blood transfusions, the right to die, the right to refuse medical treatment, consent/informed consent issues, capacity to make informed decisions on healthcare options, and the care of patients with eating disorders refusing treatment.

Padraic has been a legal adviser to NUI Galway for over twenty years, in particular, in the areas of employment law, administrative law, freedom of information, data protection, and corporate governance.

He also serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the School of Law in NUI Galway.