Adjudication Officers

Brian Kennedy is a senior counsel practising in general civil law, with a particular focus on commercial and public law, including European Union law. He is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin (LL.B.), the College of Europe, Bruges (LL.M.), and the King’s Inns. He has practised as a barrister, arbitrator, and mediator since 1997 and was called to the Inner Bar in 2012. He is a member of the Central Bank of Ireland’s Regulatory Decisions Panel. He currently serves as Chair of the Commercial Litigation Association of Ireland and is a former Chair of the EU Bar Association of Ireland. He is also a Fellow of both the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Susan Ahern is a senior counsel, practising barrister, international arbitrator, and mediator specialising in alternative dispute resolution, professional disciplinary regulation, sports law and governance. She currently serves in decision-making roles across tribunal and regulatory bodies in the EU, Ireland, and the UK, including at the European Patent Office, the British Horseracing Authority, the Approved Housing Regulatory Authority Appeals Panel, and the Bookmakers Appeal Committee. She is an Arbitrator Member of the European Commission Dispute Settlement Panel under trade agreements between the EU and third countries, serves as an Arbitrator for the Court of Arbitration for Sport and is a member of the ICSID Conciliator Panel.

Elaine Byrne is a practising barrister specialising in public law. She was recently appointed Chairperson of the Policing and Community Safety Authority of Ireland and currently serves as Acting Chair of the Health Committee of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.

She previously served as a Member and former Chairperson of the Policing Authority and acts as a Governance Consultant to the European Commission. Earlier in her career, she lectured in law at the Institute of Technology Carlow and in political science at Trinity College Dublin.

Elaine holds a Professional Diploma in Arbitration from University College Dublin, a Diploma in Regulation Law and Practice from the Law Society of Ireland, and a PhD in Governance and Political Science from the University of Limerick.

Barry Doherty is a senior counsel specialising in EU law and Irish administrative law. He has advised both public and private bodies in Ireland on competition and State aid matters. He is also a member of the panel of adjudicators at the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). Before commencing work as a barrister, he served as a Member of the European Commission’s Legal Service, working on major competition cases and mergers, and representing the Commission in significant litigation. In addition, he was previously senior legal adviser to ComReg and acted as a part-time Member of the Board of Appeal of the European Chemicals Agency based in Finland. Barry holds undergraduate law degree from Trinity College Dublin and also completed a Ph.D. entitled “Competition law in Ireland” there. He also obtained an LL.M from the College of Europe, Bruges and the degree of Barrister at Law from the King’s Inns, Dublin.

Lorna Gallagher is a practising barrister and former Tax Appeals Commissioner with extensive experience in litigation, adjudication and quasi-judicial decision-making. She practices in a broad range of civil law areas and in tax law.  As an experienced adjudicator she is proficient in tribunal and administrative law, fair procedures and judicial review. She is widely published, peer reviewed and regularly speaks at industry events and legal conferences. She is an Associate of the Irish Tax Institute, a committee member of the Tax Bar Association and a former Member of the International Association of Tax Judges. Lorna is a qualified Chartered Tax Adviser and holds a Barrister-at-Law Degree from the King’s Inns and a Bachelor of Civil Law from University College Dublin.

Isolde Goggin is the Chairperson of the Central Bank of Ireland’s Consumer Advisory Group, President of the International Institute of Communications, Non-Executive Director of the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation and Non-Executive Director of Trinity College Dublin. Prior to this, she served as the first Chairperson of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and also chaired one of its predecessor organisations, the Competition Authority. She is a former Member and Chairperson of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) and was recently appointed to its panel of adjudication officers for Regulatory Adjudication. Isolde is a Chartered Engineer and Honorary Life Fellow of Engineers Ireland, with further qualifications in Business Administration and Competition Law.

Frédéric Yves Jenny is an economist trained in microeconomics, market theory, and industrial organisation. He is Fernand Braudel Fellow at the European University Institute Department of Law, Co-Director of the George Washington University Competition and Innovation Lab and an Emeritus Professor of Economics at ESSEC Business School. He has held several senior positions within the French Government and Judiciary, including serving as Judge in the Commercial Economic and Financial Chamber of the French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation), and as Vice President and General Counsel of the French Competition Authority. He has also served as Non-Executive Director of the UK Office of Fair Trading, as Chairman of the WTO Working Group on Trade and Competition Policy, and as Chairman of the OECD Competition Committee. Frédéric holds an MSc and a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University and a Doctorate in Economics from the University of Paris.

Sarah Johnson is a former solicitor specialising in competition law and regulation. She serves on the Board of the National Treatment Purchase Fund and has also served on the Board of the Road Safety Authority. Prior to this, she was a partner in Philip Lee LLP, a firm specialising in EU and regulatory law, where she for many years advised private and public clients, including governmental bodies such as the Health Service Executive, on the application of EU and competition law. She also represented clients in regulatory litigation before the Irish courts. Sarah holds an LL.B from Trinity College Dublin, an LL.M in European Community Law from the College of Europe, Bruges, and a Diploma in Mediator Training from the Law Society of Ireland.

Johan Keetelaar is a Senior Adviser at Oxera LLP (Amsterdam, Brussels, UK) and has advised public and private clients on competition and regulatory cases. He was recently appointed to the panel of adjudication officers for Regulatory Adjudication at the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). Prior to this, he held senior leadership roles including Director for Economic Policy at Meta Platforms Inc. (EMEA), Director of Telecommunications, Transport and Post, and Director of Competition at the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) in the Netherlands. He also previously served in senior positions at OPTA (Independent Postal and Telecommunications Authority) and was responsible for adjudicating complex competition and regulatory cases at both OPTA and the ACM.  Johan holds a MSc in Econometrics from the University of Amsterdam.

Catarina Marvão is an Assistant Professor in the UCD Michael Smurfit School of Business, Banking and Finance, and an Affiliated Professor in the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance at T.U. Dublin. She is also Affiliated Faculty at Stockholm School of Economics. She is the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s (CCPC) non-governmental adviser to the International Competition Network and a research affiliate at the Central Bank of Ireland. Prior to this, she worked in the Economics Department of the Portuguese Water and Residuals and Regulation Institute and has also held a research position at the Italian Competition Authority. Catarina holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Trinity College Dublin and an MSc in Economics from Uni Catholique de Louvain; Católica Lisbon.

Laura McGovern is a solicitor specialising in advising on competition law and enforcement. She was recently appointed to the panel of adjudication officers for Regulatory Adjudication at the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), having previously served as Legal Adviser in its Wholesale Division. She has also worked in senior legal roles in the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). She previously served as a Senior Associate Solicitor in the EU Competition and Trade Department at Baker McKenzie, London, and as Associate Solicitor of the Antitrust Competition & Trade Department at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, London. Laura holds a Bachelor of Laws LL.B from the University of Bristol and a Diploma in Judicial Skills and Decision-Making from the Law Society of Ireland.

John McInnes is a solicitor in England and Wales specialising in EU and UK competition law. He most recently held senior roles at the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), including as Senior Legal Director, Litigation Director and Legal Director. In these positions, he advised decision-makers on competition investigations and represented the CMA in defending its decisions before the courts. Prior to this, he worked at leading global law firms, advising on cartel and antitrust investigations conducted by various international competition authorities. He also served as Legal Adviser to Oftel/Ofcom, where he advised on several competition enforcement investigations. John holds an LL.M in European Community Law from the College of Europe, Bruges.

Dermot Nolan is an economist and currently serves as Senior Adviser at Fingleton, a strategic consultancy that advises companies on complex competition and regulatory issues. He previously worked as manager of the mergers division of the Competition Authority, a predecessor organisation to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), producing reasoned decisions on high profile and complex investigations. He is a former Director of the Retail Division and Senior Economic Adviser at the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) and was recently appointed to its panel of adjudication officers for Regulatory Adjudication. He also served as Commissioner and Chairperson at the Commission for Energy Regulation, now the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU), and as CEO of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem). Dermot holds a B.A. (Mod) in Economics from Trinity College Dublin and a Ph.D. in Economics from Yale University.

Muiris Ó Céidigh is a solicitor and notary public, and the current Chief Executive of the National Milk Agency, a position he has held since 1995. He is a Member of the Property Services Appeal Board, a Governor of Belfast Metropolitan College, and a former Acting Chair and Board Member of the Audit and Risk Committee for the Northern Ireland Assembly. Prior to this, he was the Chair and Director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, a Member of Council for the Veterinary Council of Ireland, and Non-Executive Director of the Economic Research Institute of Northern Ireland. Muiris holds a Doctorate in Governance from Queen’s University Belfast, an Advanced Diploma in Judicial and Decision-Making Skills from the Law Society of Ireland, and an MSc in Economics (Public Policy) from Trinity College Dublin.

Eoin Ó Cuilleanáin is a practising barrister specialising in EU and Irish competition, regulatory, and public law. He has worked in the competition and regulatory departments of leading Irish law firms, advising Irish companies on the application of EU and domestic competition law.  Eoin holds a Barrister-at-Law Degree from the King’s Inns, Dublin, a Post-Graduate Diploma in EU Competition Law from King’s College London, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Law from Dublin Institute of Technology, an MSc in Economics from University College London, and a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Trinity College Dublin.

Julianne O’Leary is a solicitor qualified in both the UK and Ireland, having originally trained as a barrister in Ireland. She specialises in competition law and has previously served as Senior Competition Counsel at CRH plc. Prior to this, she was a Partner at Stephenson Harwood LLP (London), where she advised on all areas of competition law. She also served as a Senior Associate in the EU Competition Practice at Clifford Chance LLP (London and Brussels), advising on global investigations and merger filings, and on secondment as Antitrust Counsel at Shell International Limited. She previously lectured in EC competition law and public law of the EC at the University of Exeter. Julianne holds a Barrister-at-Law Degree from the King’s Inns, Dublin, and an LL.B from the National University of Ireland.

Francis O’Toole is a lecturer in the Department of Economics at Trinity College Dublin, a position he has held since 1991. He has also served as Head of the Department of Economics and Director of the Business, Economics and Social Studies (‘BESS’) Programme and BESS Course Office at Trinity College Dublin. He has served as a consultant on competition policy and regulation and has worked with many public sector and private sector entities in Ireland and abroad (e.g. Charles River Associates in California). Francis holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in EC Competition Law from King’s College London and a Ph.D. in Economics from Georgetown University, Washington D.C., USA.

Andrew Taylor is a member of the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal, the UK’s specialist court for competition and regulatory matters, and chairs the NHS Independent Panel on Patient Choice and Procurement. Previously, he was co-founder and partner at Aldwych Partners, a boutique consultancy that advised on competition and antitrust issues, the former head of the NHS competition regulator, and a former Senior Director at the UK Competition Commission. He started his career as an economist in the Treasury Department of the Australian Government, followed by a spell as a special adviser to an Australian Cabinet Minister. Andrew holds a degree in Economics from the University of Adelaide and a Masters in Regulation from the London School of Economics.