Table of contents
Why choose us
Cases are continuously case-managed from entry to judgment to keep them on track and ensure that commercial disputes are resolved at the earliest opportunity. Key benefits include:
English-speaking common law jurisdiction
Ireland is the only EU Member State with an English-speaking, common-law court system operating under the doctrine of precedent, promoting certainty and consistency.
Experienced court and specialist lists
Established in 2004, the Commercial Court has developed significant expertise. A dedicated panel of judges (former senior counsel/solicitors) hear cases, with specialist lists for Competition, Arbitration, Strategic Infrastructure Developments, Insolvency, and (forthcoming) the Intellectual Property & Technology List.
Independent and impartial judiciary
Judicial independence is guaranteed by the Constitution. Courts administration is managed independently by the Courts Service, separate from Government.
Expeditious case handling
The Court is known for prompt case disposal. Robust directions and active case management keep matters moving.
Case management & strict timetables
Directions set clear steps and deadlines. Each party must nominate a solicitor to undertake compliance. Variations require a court order.
Independent Bar and legal expertise
Ireland has an independent referral Bar and a strong community of commercial litigators with extensive EU and multi-jurisdictional experience. Professions are regulated by the Bar Council, Law Society and the Legal Services Regulatory Authority.
Enforcement
Ireland has a long-standing regime for enforcing judgments. Irish judgments are enforceable across the EU under the Recast Brussels Regulation.
Practical access
EU citizens (including counsel/witnesses) do not require visas to attend. Evidence can be given by video link where appropriate.
Document handling
Discovery (often e-discovery) is closely managed. Paper-light/“paperless” trials are supported.
Commercial sensitivity
While hearings are generally in public, the Court can protect confidential information (e.g. by hearing parts in private or by redaction) where justified.
How the Commercial Court operates
Process overview
- Issue proceedings in the Central Office of the High Court.
- Apply for entry to the Commercial Court (by one or more parties).
- Entry decision: if granted, the entry application usually doubles as the initial directions hearing (directions may be on consent or ruled by the Court).
- Second directions hearing when pleadings are closed or nearly closed. The judge will normally fix a hearing date and set strict directions. Urgent cases may receive a date at the initial hearing.
- Callover (week before hearing): listed to confirm readiness and compliance with directions.
- Trial: the case is heard by an assigned Commercial Court judge.
Directions and compliance
The Court sets steps and deadlines for pleadings, discovery, and exchange of witness statements. Directions must be strictly observed. Each party nominates a solicitor to undertake compliance. Directions cannot be varied by agreement between parties; any change requires a court application.
Alternative dispute resolution (ADR)
The Court encourages and facilitates ADR, particularly mediation, reflecting its importance in the Irish legal system.
Judicial allocation
A dedicated panel of judges with extensive commercial and trial expertise is assigned to the list.
Rules and practice directions
See Practice Direction HC122 (Commercial Court List). The Commercial List is governed by Order 63A of the Rules of the Superior Courts.
Fees
Court fees are set by statutory fees orders. The party seeking entry to the Commercial Court must pay a fee of €5,000. See the Superior Courts Fees Order for details.
Calendar and listings
Hearings are published in the High Court Legal Diary (opens in a new tab) .
Judgments
Reserved (written) judgments of the Commercial Court are available on the Judgments page.
Commercial Court judges
Ms Justice Eileen Roberts
Ms Justice Eileen Roberts is the judge in charge of the High Court’s commercial list. She is a law graduate of Trinity College Dublin and of the Law Society of Ireland. Qualifying as a solicitor in 1991, she practiced as a commercial litigator, specialising in large scale corporate and commercial disputes, with a particular focus on corporate transactions, financial services, property, insurance and aviation. She was appointed to the High Court in July 2022, initially to the chancery division, and was transferred to the Commercial Court in October 2023. She is a Bencher of the King’s Inns, a CEDR-accredited mediator and a former committee member of both the Irish Commercial Mediation Association and the Commercial Litigation Association of Ireland (CLAI). She chaired the group who produced the initial CLAI discovery good-practice guide. She was appointed by the government as a Part-Time Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission for a five-year term commencing 1 February 2024.
Mr Justice Michael Quinn
Mr Justice Michael Quinn was appointed a judge of the High Court in 2018. He is assigned to the Commercial Division and to hear examinership, schemes of arrangement and insolvency matters under the Companies Act 2014. He is a Bencher of the King’s Inns. Prior to his appointment he practised as a solicitor specialising in corporate restructuring and insolvency and was a CEDR-accredited mediator. He is a Past President of INSOL Europe and Co-Chair of its Judicial Wing. He is a member of the International Insolvency Institute, the Judicial Insolvency Network and the Conference on European Restructuring and Insolvency Law.
Mr Justice Rory Mulcahy
Mr Justice Rory Mulcahy studied law in Trinity College Dublin, graduating in 1994. He obtained an LLM from Queen’s University Belfast in 1996. He attended the King’s Inns in Dublin, graduating in 1998, then began practice as a barrister. He took silk in 2014. He has a Diploma in Arbitration and was a CEDR-accredited mediator. In practice, he worked mostly in commercial and administrative law. He was appointed to the High Court in April 2023, initially sitting in the Chancery list. He was transferred to the Commercial Court in October 2025. He is also assigned to hear examinership matters and is the Admiralty Judge.
Mr Justice Cian Ferriter
Mr Justice Cian Ferriter was appointed to the High Court in October 2021. Prior to being transferred to the Commercial List, he worked in the Judicial Review/Non-Jury list. He worked for a number of years as a tax consultant before studying law in University College Dublin, from where he graduated with a BCL degree in 1993. He graduated from the King’s Inns and was called to the Bar in 1998. He took silk in 2011. He is a former editor of The Bar Review and a former Chairperson of the Irish Takeover Panel. While at the Bar, his practice was concentrated on commercial work, including in intellectual property (particularly patent litigation), regulatory, banking and insolvency matters. He is also assigned to hear examinership matters.
Ms Justice Nessa Cahill
Ms Justice Nessa Cahill graduated with an undergraduate law degree from Trinity College Dublin in 1996; a master’s degree in European law from the College of Europe in Bruges in 1997; and a degree of barrister-at-law from the Honorable Society of King’s Inns in 1999. She was admitted to practice at the Bar of the State of New York and, between 2000 and 2002, practiced as an attorney at a large New York law firm. She then commenced practice at the Bar of Ireland, becoming a member of the Inner Bar in 2020. Her practice as a barrister was primarily in the area of commercial and public law, with a focus on banking and intellectual property cases. During that time, she authored a textbook on Company Law Compliance and Enforcement (2008), was admitted to the Bar of Northern Ireland and became a CEDR-accredited mediator. She also chaired the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee of the Bar of Ireland and the mentoring programme for women at the Bar.
She was appointed to the High Court in October 2024 and sits as a judge of the Commercial Court. She also sits in the examinership list and presides over the personal insolvency list.
Contact
The Commercial Court is supported by the Central Office of the High Court.
Email: commercialcourt@courts.ie
For office details see: Find us (Central Office of the High Court).
