130 legal eagles gather in Tralee to discuss GDPR

CLOSE to 130 solicitors from across the county gathered in Tralee last Thursday for a major legal conference with a particular focus on GDPR.

The ‘ Essential Solicitors Update conference’ at the Ballygarry Hotel was organised by the Law Society Finuas Skillnet in partnership with Kerry Law Society and provided an opportunity for local solicitors to update their knowledge in key areas of Irish and EU law.

President of the Kerry Law Society Tralee Solicitor Pat Mann said the conference is a chance for local solicitors to upskill so they can provide the best possible advice to their clients.

“The legal landscape is continuously evolving. This year, we have had huge changes within the law, particularly in relation to data protection. These changes impact all industries in the Kerry region including farming and tourism,” he said.

“The conference was a chance to meet other local solicitors, share concerns and advice on behalf of local clients, and talk with experts about developments in the sector,” said Mr Mann.

Given Kerry’s economic reliance on tourism the potential impact of GDPR on tourist businesses was of particular interest, as Kerry Law Society Secretary John Galvin explained.

“The new data protection rules came into effect just before the summer and it is important that all businesses in Kerry stay compliant,” said Mr Galvin.

“Kerry has a great tourism industry, and one aspect of tourism is the collection of personal information. Local businesses and organisations should be aware of how they handle their customers’ personal data,” he said.

“Any organisation or business dealing with personal data, including many SMEs and tourist attractions, social groups, sport clubs and volunteer groups in our region need to be following these rules,” said Mr Galvin.

“The impact of changes to GDPR around key local industries such as tourism and farming can be complex and demanding. The fines for non-compliance could be damaging to a small business.”

All photos by Domnick Walsh. The Law Society of Ireland and the Kerry Branch of the Law Society held a conference this week in the Ballygarry House Hotel in Tralee.

Tim O’Leary and Greg Lanigan from Killarney pictured at the recent Law Society Conference which was held in the Ballygarry House Hotel.

Sarah Quill (Ballybunion) and Margurite Fitzgerald (Tralee) pictured enjoying themselves at the Law Society conference in the Ballygarry House Hotel last week.

All Photos by Domnick Walsh Members of the Kerry Branch of the Law Society of Ireland and the Law Society of Ireland pictured at a conference in Ballygarry House Hotel last week.

All photos by Domnick Walsh John Galvin (Kerry Branch President Law Society) and Michael Quinlan (President of the Law Society of Ireland) at a conference in the Ballygarry House Hotel.

Conor Miles and Lorna Larkin from Killarney pictured at a Kaw Society of Ireland and Kerry Branch of the Law Society conference in the Ballygarry House Hotel last week.

Yvonne Kelly (Tralee) and Michael Fitzpatrick from Listowel pictured at the Law Society conference in Ballygarry House Hotel last week.