Northern Ireland

Newry human rights lawyer Darragh Mackin up for award

Belfast lawyer Darragh Mackin has been nominated for a Legal Aid Practitioner Group Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Award
Belfast lawyer Darragh Mackin has been nominated for a Legal Aid Practitioner Group Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Award Belfast lawyer Darragh Mackin has been nominated for a Legal Aid Practitioner Group Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Award

A WELL-KNOWN Belfast-based human rights lawyer has been nominated for a prestigious award.

Darragh Mackin has been nominated in the Legal Aid Newcomer category at the Legal Aid Practitioner Group Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards which take place next Thursday in London.

He is the first from the north to be nominated for the coveted award.

The awards are for firms that work on behalf of those who receive legal aid.

The Newry native, who is an associate at KRW Law, has established a strong reputation in both criminal defence and legacy litigation.

He represents the Hooded Men, 14 Catholics who say they were tortured by the security forces during internment in 1971, and has helped get their case referred back to the European courts.

He also represents Irish national Ibrahim Halawa, currently on remand in an Egyptian prison.

Kevin Winters, a co-founder of KRW Law, said Mr Mackin has a "terrier-like tenacity in chasing down complex legal issues".

"There are no limits whatsoever on what Darragh is capable of achieving I am delighted he has been shortlisted. Given this is a first time nomination for someone from Ireland I think the people of Newry should feel justifiably proud on this achievement," he said.

Meanwhile, KRW Law has been nominated in the Legal Aid Firm of the Year category.

In recent years, it has been involved in many high profile criminal and civil cases.