Brian McGovern (judge)

McGovern attended Castleknock College and obtained a BCL from University College Dublin in 1971. He attended the King's Inns and was called to the Bar in 1972. He became a senior counsel in 1991.^[1] During his career as a barrister he frequently practiced in areas of both criminal and civil law. He served as President of the Irish Maritime Law Association.^[1] He represented Total S.A. in an inquiry into the Whiddy Island disaster.^[2]

He was appointed to the High Court in 2006.^[1] Soon after his appointment he heard a case regarding the right of access of a woman to frozen embryos against the wishes of her husband.^[3] He acted as the designated arbitration judge for Ireland until his appointment to the Court of Appeal.^[4] He was also the presiding judge in the specialist Commercial Court.^[5] In the Commercial Court, he was the trial judge for high-profile disputes involving Rory McIlroy, Gay Byrne and Mick Wallace.^[6][7][8]

McGovern was appointed to the Court of Appeal in June 2018.^[9] He retired as a judge in March 2020.^[3]

Following his retirement, he continues to serve in a judicial function as a member of the three-judge statutory tribunal into matters arising from the CervicalCheck cancer scandal with chairperson Ann Power and Tony O'Connor.^[10]