French Ambassador, H.E. Céline Place, and guests attend our Soirée du droit 2025
The UCD Sutherland School of Law hosted the third edition of the Soirée du droit on Monday 6th October 2025. The event was organised by Dr. Marie-Luce Paris, Academic Director of the UCD Law and Language Programme (including French Law Programmes), in collaboration with the Embassy of France in Ireland.
The event opened with welcoming words from Professor Imelda Maher, Dean of Law, and was introduced by H.E. Céline Place, Ambassador of France in Ireland.
This was followed by an exceptional panel of speakers who focused on the theme of “Ethics in Public Life in France and in Ireland.” Professor Jean-François Kerléo (University of Aix Marseille) explored ethics in public life in France, particularly the issue of conflicts of interest in politics and the role of the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life. Lana Fitzsimons, Advisory Counsel at the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers, provided an insightful overview of ethics in Ireland's public service through the Ethics Acts, illustrated with key examples and definitions. Dr. John O’Dowd and Dr. Emer Hunt, both of UCD Sutherland School of Law, each delivered engaging presentations (in French!), respectively on parliamentary ethics and on ethics in the legal profession and how ethics shapes the professional identity of lawyers balancing business and professional obligations. Concluding, Dr. Derval Conroy, Head of French and Francophone Studies, UCD School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, offered a fascinating reflection on how transparency has been understood throughout French history, notably Justus Lipsius’s approach who favoured a certain degree of strategic dissimulation as a way to navigate social and political dynamics.
Moderated by Dr. Marie-Luce Paris, the evening featured lively bilingual exchanges and a vibrant Q&A session with over 60 students, alumni, and guests.