Brehon Law Society Marks 44 Years and Counting

The Brehon Law Society was founded March 17, 1976 in Philadelphia. Its purpose was to foster intellectual fellowship, collegiality, and scholarship among Philadelphia lawyers and judges. A further aim was to assist and promote Brehon lawyers who wished to go on to high public office, especially the Bench.
Among its founders were: Attorneys Thomas White, Michael J. Stack, Jr.; Stephen P. Gallagher; Francis Moran; Michael McAllister; Joseph Murphy; Eugene Maier; Ronald Castile; Charles Cunningham; James Murray Lynn; and Judges James Cavanaugh; Joseph McCabe; Edward J. Blake; and President Judge Edward Bradley. Brehon founders White, Maier, Lynn and Cunningham rose to the Bench. Many other Brehons who came after the founders have also become judges. Ronald Castille became the District Attorney of Philadelphia, a Republican candidate for Mayor and Chief Justice of Pennsylvania.
Brehon Dennis O’Brien became Speaker of the House of Pennsylvania and Michael Stack, III became the Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania. The Brehon Law Society produced leaders of all three branches of the government of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
One of the Brehon Law Society’s greatest achievements was the formation of the Brehon Symposium on Trade and Investment between Ireland and Philadelphia. These symposia from 2011 through 2013 were supported at the highest levels of the Irish Government. An Taoiseach (The Prime Minister) Enda Kenny attended all three symposia in Ireland and Philadelphia. Panels included Supreme Court Justices from Ireland; many High Court judges; the Chief Justice of Ohio; Philadelphia judges and many local and national ministers of government; business leaders and investors. It was a tremendous success. Businesses coalesced in laying the ground work for investment in both the United States and Ireland. Issues of law, taxation, and commerce were the focus of most of the discussions.
The Brehon Law Society instituted an Intern program with the Law School at Griffith College, Ireland. For the past six years, Griffith Law students have come to the Philadelphia courts to learn about the American system of Justice. Approximately 35 students have benefited from this program. In the summer of 2020, the society are expecting seven more students.
Throughout every year since its inception the Brehon Law Society has created scion societies in our local law schools. We invite prominent speakers to our general meetings and are a certified program for continuing education. Our meetings are collegial and our fellowship is based on conviviality. You can read that as: fun. We are of Irish ancestry. That means anyone from any background who can trace their lineage to Ireland is welcome. We have classes of membership for non-lawyers, too. Please join us.
Judge James Murray Lynn
BrehonLawSociety.org
(also Linkedin & Facebook Brehon Law Society)

   Send article as PDF