Biography

Liz Heffernan LL.B. (Dublin), LL.M. (Dalhousie), LL.M. & J.S.D. (Chicago), Barrister-at-Law, Attorney-at-Law.  Liz Heffernan graduated from Trinity College with an LL.B. degree and was subsequently awarded an LL.M. degree by Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia and LL.M. and  J.S.D. degrees by the University of Chicago.  A former law clerk at the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Chicago, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, she has taught at Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia and at University College Dublin.  Her current research interests include Evidence and Procedure.  A former joint editor of the Dublin University Law Journal, she is the co-author of Exidentiary Foundations: Irish Edition (2008) and Scientific Evidence: Fingerprints and DNA (2006) and Evidence: Cases and Materials (2005). She is Registrar of the School of Law.

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Professional Qualifications

• Admitted, United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (1998)
• Admitted, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1998)
• Admitted, New York State (1998)
• Barrister-at-Law, B.L. (1994)

 

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Representations

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Administrative Functions

• Registrar 2011-12
• Dissertation Co-ordinator, 2009-10

 

 

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Awards and Honours

• Fellow of Trinity College Dublin (2008)
• Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences Fellowship (2005-2006)

 

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Education Details

• Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.S.D.), University of Chicago (2001)
• Master of Laws (LL.M.), University of Chicago (1997)
• Barrister-at-Law (B.L.), Honorable Society of King’s Inns (1994)
• Master of Laws (LL.M.), Dalhousie University (1990)
• Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), University of Dublin, Trinity College (1988)

 

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Employment Details

• Lecturer in Law, University College Dublin (2001-2006)
• Law Clerk,United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1997-1998 and 2000-2001)
• Visiting Professor, Washington and Lee University School of Law, Lexington, Virginia (1995-1996 and 1999-2000)
• Legal Officer, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, Rome (1994 - 1995)

 

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Memberships /Associations

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Publications

Books

• I.C. Bacik and L. Heffernan, Criminal Law and Procedure: Current Issues and Emerging Trends, Dublin, First Law, 2009, 1-178.
• Evidentiary Foundations: Irish Edition (co-author with R. Ryan and E.J. Imwinkelried) (Tottel Publishing, Dublin, 2008
• Scientific Evidence: Fingerprints and DNA (FirstLaw, Dublin, 2006) Evidence: Cases and Materials (Thomson Round Hall, Dublin, 2005)

Articles

• M. Coen and L. Heffernan, "Juror Comprehension of Expert Evidence: A Reform Agenda, Criminal Law Review, 2010, 3, 2010, 195-211.
• L. Heffernan and M. Coen, "The Reliability of Expert Evidence: reflections on the Law Commission's Proposals for Reform", Journal of Criminal Law, 73, 2009, 488-507.
• "Evidence and National Security: Belief Evidence Before the Irish Special Criminal Court", Eurpoean Public Law, 15, 1, 2009, 65-87.
• "DNA and fingerprint data retention, S. and Marper v UK", European Law Review, 34, 3, 2009, 491-504
• "A DNA Database", Irish Criminal Law Journal, 18, 2008, 105, 111
• “The Law Reform Commission’s Proposed DNA Database: Issues of Scope” (2006) 12(2) M.L.J.I. 56
• “The Accused’s Constitutional Right to Introduce Critical, Demonstrably Reliable Exculpatory Evidence” (2005) 40 Irish Jurist (n.s.) 111
• “Gauging the Reliability of Scientific Evidence in Tort” (2006) 6 Judicial Studies Institute Journal 140
• “The Recording of Fingerprints: Legal Aspects” (2006) 28 Dublin University Law Journal
• “Effective Judicial Remedies: The Limits of Direct and Indirect Access to the European Community Courts” (2006) 5 Law and Practice of International Courts and Tribunals 1
• “The Taking of Forensic Samples: A Review of Proposed Reforms” (2006) 16 Irish Criminal Law Journal  2
• “The Vagaries of Accomplice Evidence” (2003) 38 Irish Jurist (n.s.) 369
• “Comparative Common Law Approaches to Multi-Party Litigation:  The American Class Action Procedure” (2003) 25 D.U.L.J. 15
• “External Relations in the Air Transport Sector:  The Court of Justice and the Open Skies Agreements” (2003) 28 Eur. L. Rev. 601
• “The Community Courts Post-Nice:  A European Certiorari Revisited” (2003) 52 International and Comparative Law Quarterly 907
• “The Treaty of Nice:  Arming the Courts to Defend a European Bill of Rights?” (2002) 65 Law & Contemporary Problems 189

Book Chapters

• "Rome II: Implications for Irish Tort Litigation", J. Ahern and W. Binchy, The Rome II Regulation Governing Non-Contractual Obligations, Leidin, Brill Publishers, 2009, 257-276.
• "Criminal Evidence", R. Byrne and W. Binchy, Annual Review of Irish Law 2008, Dublin, Round Hall, 2009, 245-272.
• The Retention of DNA and Fingerprint Data", I.C. Bacik and L. Heffernan, Criminal Law and Procedure: Current Issues and Emerging Trends, Dublin, First Law, 2009, 163-173.
• "The Duty to Preserve Evidence", I.C. Bacik and L. Heffernan, Criminal Law and Procedure: Current Issues and Emerging Trends, Dublin, First Law, 2009, 53-71
• " Evidence" in R. Byrne and W. Binchy Annual Review of Irish Law 2007, Dublin, Thomson Round Hall, 2008, 286-318.
• "Evidentiary Rights under Article 38.1: The Right to Fair Trial and Informer Privilege", E. Carolan and O'Doyle, The Irish Constitution: Governance and Values, Dublin Thomson, Round Hall, 2008, 279-292.
• “Expert Evidence in Medical Negligence Litigation” in C. Craven and W. Binchy eds., Medical Negligence Litigation: Emerging Issues (FirstLaw, Dublin, 2008)
• “A European Certiorari Revisited” in John Usher and Mads Andenas, eds., The Treaty of Nice (London: Hart Publishing, 2003) 387

Recent and Pending Conference Papers and Guest Lectures

• "Expert Evidence in Medical Negligence Litigation", Conference on Medical Negligence Developments, Trinity College Dublin 13 October 2007
• "Taking Liberties witih Limits on the Retention of DNA Samples and Profiles" Annual Conference of the Society of Legal Scholars, Durham, 11 September 2007
• "The Right to Fair Trial and Informer Privilege" Conference on the Constitution at 70, Trinity College Dublin, 8-9 June 2007
• "A DNA Database" Conference on Forensic Evidence, Trinity College Dublin, 20 June 2007

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Postgraduate Research Students

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Links

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