Genevieve Lynch, Chair, Frank McNamara, past Chair Michelle Cross, Junior Vice-Chair, and Siobhán Masterson, Secretary

The Younger Members Committee is a vibrant committee with 19 members who represent and advocate for members of the profession with 0-7 years’ PQE. 2025 was an action-packed year, with many memorable highlights.

In January 2025, members represented the committee on panels at the ‘Future of Legal Practice Summit’ and, in April, the committee hosted its first networking event. Here, Keith Walsh SC welcomed a packed house for our Family Law Networking Nexus/Breakfast Briefing, where the event focused on coercive control and civil restraining orders, and provided an opportunity for early-career solicitors to network.

Work/life balance and workplace culture is a consistent and recurring theme for our members. In May, the YMC hosted Calcutta Run Yoga, while a committee representative participated at the Psychology of Workplace Culture event in early September – a talk for the new PPC cohort that addresses the importance of positive workplace culture.

During the same month, we were also excited to have our first Cork networking event. The focus was on how young solicitors can optimise their wellbeing and enhance their career potential, all while meeting and networking with colleagues from across Cork and the Munster region.

In early October, the Younger Members Committee Annual Conference looked at the theme of the ‘Business of law’, focusing on career supports, AI, and regulation. The fully subscribed conference brought together legal practitioners from various stages of professional development – from new partners to established management partners, and in-house counsel, who shared their expertise and experience.

A major committee focus is our international connections with early-stage lawyers from across Europe and beyond. Members of our committee attended European Young Bar Association conferences, sending representatives to the spring, summer, and autumn conferences. We also continued to engage with other young professional groups, such as the Southern Law Association Younger Members’ Committee, the Young Bar, the Chartered Accountants Ireland Young Professionals, and the Northern Ireland Young Solicitors’ Association.

Serving as Chair of the committee for 2025/2026 has been a wonderful privilege. All committee members play an integral role, and their commitment during a very busy and challenging period of their careers is commendable. In particular, I would like to thank immediate past-Chair Frank McNamara, Sarah McNulty (Senior Vice-Chair), Michelle Cross (Junior Vice-Chair), and Secretary Siobhán Masterson for their unwavering support.