Biography
Liz Heffernan, LL.B. (Dublin), LL.M. (Dalhousie), LL.M. & J.S.D. (Chicago), M.Ed. (Dublin), Barrister-at-Law, Attorney-at-Law.
Liz Heffernan graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a Bachelor of Laws ( LL.B.) degree and was subsequently awarded a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree by Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree and a Doctor in Jurisprudence (J.S.D.) degree by the University of Chicago. She was awarded a Master in Education (M.Ed.) degree by Trinity College Dublin in 2018.
Dr. Heffernan previously worked as a legal researcher at the Law Reform Commission, Dublin, a legal officer at the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organisation, Rome, and a law clerk at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Chicago.
Dr. Heffernan taught at the Law School Trinity College Dublin from 1990 to 1994, at Washington & Lee University School of Law, Lexington, Virginia from 1995-1996 and 1999-2000, and at the Law School, University College Dublin from 2001-2007.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Liz Heffernan, Belief Evidence in the Special Criminal Court: The Dilemma Over Disclosure, Irish Criminal Law Journal, 35, (2), 2025, p27 - 30
Liz Heffernan, The Duty to Seek Out and Preserve Evidence: DPP v SQ, Irish Criminal Law Journal , 33, (3), 2023, p58 - 63
The European Court System and Its Role in Shaping European Criminal Law in, editor(s)Kai Ambos and Peter Rackow , The Cambridge Companion to European Criminal Law, Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press, 2023, pp30 - 58, [Liz Heffernan]
The Evolution of EU Law and Policy in Criminal Justice in, editor(s)Liz Heffernan , Criminal Law and Justice in the European Union, Dublin, Clarus Press, 2022, pp1 - 15, [Liz Heffernan]
Victim Participation in the Criminal Trial Process under the EU Victims' Rights Directive in, editor(s)Liz Heffernan , Criminal Law and Justice in the European Union, Dublin, Clarus Press, 2022, pp167 - 182, [Liz Heffernan]
Liz Heffernan, Criminal Law and Justice in the European Union, First, Dublin, Clarus Press, 2022, 1 - 182pp
Liz Heffernan, Surveillance, Statutory Compliance and the Admissibility of Evidence: DPP v Hannaway, Irish Supreme Court Review, 4, 2022, p101 - 118
Liz Heffernan, Legislating for Vulnerable Witnesses: Unpacking Part III of the Criminal Evidence Act 1992, Dublin University Law Journal, 43, (1), 2021, p103 - 106
Dublin University Law Journal, 43, 1, (2021), 1 - 158p, Liz Heffernan, [Guest Editor]
Vulnerability in the Irish Criminal Trial Process: The Situation of Giving Evidence in, editor(s)James Gallen and Tanya Ní Mhuirithile , Law, Responsibility and Vulnerability: State Accountability and Responsiveness, Abingdon-on-Thames, Routledge, 2021, pp51 - 63, [Liz Heffernan]
Threats to Security and Risks to Rights: 'Belief Evidence' under the Offences Against the State Act in, editor(s)Mark Coen , The Offences Against the State Act 1939 at 80: A Model Counter-Terrorism Act?, Oxford, UK, Hart Publishing, 2021, pp95 - 110, [Liz Heffernan and Eoin O'Connor]
Liz Heffernan, Oaths, Affirmations and Statements of Truth, Irish Law Times, 39, (11), 2021, p159 - 163
Undisclosed Evidence in Court Proceedings in Ireland in, editor(s)Benjamin Vogel , Secret Evidence in Criminal Proceedings, Berlin, Dunker & Humblot, 2021, pp218 - 247, [Liz Heffernan and Eoin O'Connor]
Liz Heffernan, Statutory Presumptions Affecting the Burden of Proof: DPP v Forsey [2018] IESC 55, Irish Supreme Court Review, 2, 2020, p101 - 115
Liz Heffernan, European Higher Education: The Legal Foundations of the Bologna Process, Irish Journal of European Law, 22, (1), 2020, p34 - 46
Liz Heffernan, Evidence in Criminal Trials, Second, Dublin, Bloomsbury Professional, 2020, 1 - 966pp
Liz Heffernan, Irish Criminal Trials and European Legal Culture: A Backdrop to Brexit, Journal of Criminal Law Online First, 2020, p1 - 14
Undergraduate Learning in Evidence: Complexities, Challenges and Opportunities in, editor(s)Y Daly, J Gans and PJ Schwikkard , Teaching Evidence Law: Contemporary Trends and Innovations, Abingdon, Oxon, UK, Routledge, 2020, pp97 - 108, [Liz Heffernan]
Liz Heffernan, The Corroboration Requirement for Confession Evidence, Irish Law Times, 38, (16), 2020, p244 - 248
Irish Journal of European Law, Dublin, Irish Society for European Law, [Archives Editor], 2020
Liz Heffernan, The Transition to the Undergraduate Study of Law: A Short Case Study, Irish Law Times, 37, (8), 2019, p116-120
Liz Heffernan, The View of the Crime Scene, Criminal Law and Practice Review, 2, (1), 2018, p19 - 27
Liz Heffernan and David Prendergast(ed.), Criminal Law: Recent Developments and Emerging Trends, Criminal Law and Practice Review, Trinity College Dublin, 2, (1), 19 April 2018, Clarus Press, 2018, 1-143 p
Liz Heffernan, Access to Justice as a Threshold Concept, Nottingham Law Journal, 27, (2), 2018, p8 - 16
Expert Evidence and Law Reform in Ireland in, editor(s)Paul Roberts and Michael Stockdale , Forensic Science Evidence and Expert Witness Testimony: Reliability Through Reform?, Cheltenham, UK, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018, pp247 - 274, [Liz Heffernan]
Liz Heffernan, The Participation of Victims in the Trial Process, Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly, 68, (4), 2017, p491 - 504
Liz Heffernan, The Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Special Measures for Victims who Give Evidence at Trial, Dublin University Law Journal, 40, (1), 2017, p37 - 61
Liz Heffernan and David Kenny, Legal Education: A Reflective, Collaborative Approach to Peer Observation of Teaching, Dublin University Law Journal, 40, (1), 2017, p205 - 216
International Journal of Evidence and Proof, London, Sage Publishing, [Editorial Board Member], 2016
Liz Heffernan, Calibrating the Right to Confrontation, The International Journal of Evidence and Proof, 20, (2), 2016, p103 - 111
Defamation and Privacy and the Rome II Regulation in, editor(s)P Stone & y Farah , Research Handbook on EU Private International Law, Cheltenham, UK, Edward Elgar, 2015, pp315 - 343, [David Kenny & Liz Heffernan]
Liz Heffernan, The Taking of Forensic Samples from Suspects under the Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Act 2014, Practice and Procedure Review, 1, (1), 2015, p1 - 17
Liz Heffernan (with U Ni Raifeartaigh), Evidence in Criminal Trials, First, Dublin, Bloomsbury Professional, 2014, 1 - 781pp
Liz Heffernan, The Statutory Retention of Fingerprints, Criminal Law and Practice Review, 1, (1), 2014, p143 - 148
Liz Heffernan, Hearsay in Criminal Trials: The Strasbourg Perspective, Irish Jurist, 49, (1), 2013, p132-
Heffernan, Liz, The Right to Legal Advice, Reasonable Access and the Remedy of Excluding Evidence, Criminal Law and Procedure Review, 1, (1), 2011, p111 - 129
Heffernan, Liz, Legal Professional Privilege, First, Dublin, Ireland, Bloomsbury Professional , 2011, 1 - 297pp
Liz Heffernan, The Fourth Amendment's Exclusionary Rule: Blurring the Line between Rule and Exception, International Commentary on Evidence, 9, (2), 2011
Heffernan, Liz, Police Accountability and the Irish Law of Evidence, Crime, Law and Social Change, 55, (2-3), 2011, p185 - 197
Criminal Law and Procedure Review, 1, 1, (2011), 1 - 157p, Bacik, Ivana and Heffernan, Liz, [eds.], Since 2011
M. Coen and L. Heffernan, Juror Comprehension of Expert Evidence: A Reform Agenda, Criminal Law Review, 2010, (3), 2010, p195 - 211
Liz Heffernan, "Evidence and National Security: Belief Evidence Before the Irish Special Criminal Court", European Public Law, 15, (1), 2009, p65 - 87
"Rome II: Implications for Irish Tort Litigation" in, editor(s)J. Ahern and W. Binchy , The Rome II Regulation Governing Non-Contractual Obligations, Leiden, Brill Publishers, 2009, pp257 - 276, [Liz Heffernan]
I.C. Bacik and L. Heffernan, Criminal Law and Procedure: Current Issues and Emerging Trends, Dublin, First Law, 2009, 1 - 178pp
Liz Heffernan, DNA and fingerprint data retention: S and Marper v UK, European Law Review, 34, (3), 2009, p491 - 504
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, p488 - 507
"Expert Evidence in Medical Negligence Litigation" in, editor(s)C. Craven and W. Binchy , Medical Negligence Litigation: Emerging Issues, Dublin, First Law, 2008, pp110 - 138, [Liz Heffernan]
"Evidentiary Rights under Article 38.1: The Right to Fair Trial and Informer Privilege" in, editor(s)E. Carolan and O. Doyle , The Irish Constitution: Governance and Values, Dublin, Thomson Round Hall, 2008, pp279 - 292, [Liz Heffernan]
Liz Heffernan, "A DNA Database", Irish Criminal Law Journal, 18, 2008, p105 - 111
L. Heffernan, R. Ryan and E.J. Imwinkelried, Evidentiary Foundations: Irish Edition, Dublin, Tottel Publishing, 2008, i - 244pp
Liz Heffernan, "The Recording of Fingerprints: Legal Aspects", Dublin University Law Journal, 28, 2006, p201 - 220
L. Heffernan, Scientific Evidence: Fingerprints and DNA, Dublin, First Law, 2006, i - 279pp
Liz Heffernan, "The Taking of Forensic Samples: A Review of Proposed Reforms", Irish Criminal Law Journal, 16, 2006, p2 - 9
Liz Heffernan, "Gauging the Reliability of Scientific Evidence in Tort", Judicial Studies Institute Journal, 6, 2006, p140 - 170
Liz Heffernan, "The Law Reform Commission's Proposed DNA Database: Issues of Scope", Medical Legal Journal of Ireland, 12, (2), 2006, p56 - 64
Liz Heffernan, "Effective Judicial Remedies: The Limits of Direct and Indirect Access to the European Community Courts", Law and Practice of International Courts and Tribunals, 5, 2006, p285 - 304
L. Heffernan and E.j. Imwinkelried, "The Accused's Constitutional Right to Introduce Critical, Demonstrably Reliable Exculpatory Evidence", Irish Jurist, 40, 2005, p111 - 137
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Liz Heffernan, Belief Evidence in the SCC: Privilege and the Dilemma over Disclosure, Lunchtime Research Seminar Series, Trinity College Dublin Law School, 16 February 2025, 2025
David Fennelly and Liz Heffernan, EU Criminal Law: The Evolving Role of the Court of Justice, Irish Association of Law Teachers Annual Conference 2023, DCU, Dublin, 10-11 November 2023, 2023
Liz Heffernan, Expert Evidence in Civil Proceedings: The Independence of the Witness and the Reliability of their Evidence, Irish Law Times, 41, (14), 2023, p193 - 197
Liz Heffernan, EU Criminal Law, EU Criminal Law: Cooperation and Mutual Trust post-Brexit, Trinity College Dublin, 9 December 2022, edited by Liz Heffernan , 2022
Liz Heffernan, Legislating for Vulnerable Witnesses, The Criminal Evidence Act 1992, Law School, Trinity College Dublin, 3 September 2021, edited by Liz Heffernan , 2021
Liz Heffernan, The Irish Common Law Trial and European Legal Culture, Common Law and Prisoner Transfer in a Post-Brexit Europe, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK, 12 November 2020, 2020
Liz Heffernan, Recent Adjustments to the Adversarial Law of Evidence, ICJA Conference Report, Sexual Offences: The Challenge of Balancing Rights in the Criminal Justice System, Dublin Castle, Dublin, 4 June 2019, 2019
Liz Heffernan, Improperly Obtained Evidence in Anglo-American and Continental Law, Review of Improperly Obtained Evidence in Anglo-American and Continental Law, by Dimitrios Giannoupopoulos , Dublin University Law Journal, 42, (1), 2019, p223-225
Liz Heffernan, Legal Education:Threshold Concepts and Access to Justice, Irish Association of Law Teachers, Athlone, 23-25 November 2018, 2018
Liz Heffernan, Book Review: David Burrows, Children's Views and Evidence, Review of Children's Views and Evidence, by David Burrows , Irish Jurist, 18, (1), 2018, p156-157
Liz Heffernan, Victim Participation in Common Law Trials: An Irish Perspective, Anglo-American Criminal Law and Justice Lecture Series, University of Gottingen, Germany, 25 April 2017, 2017, Institute for Criminal Law and Justice
Liz Heffernan, Confrontation in the Courtroom, Doctoral Seminar Series, University of Gottingen, Germany, 25 April 2017, 2017, Institute for Criminal Law and Justice
Liz Heffernan, A Foundation for Access to Justice: Unlocking the First Year Curriculum, Legal Education and Access to Justice, Nottingham Trent University, UK, 19 June 2015, 2015
Liz Heffernan, Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Act 2014 Annotation, Irish Current Law Statutes Annotated, 11-01-11-310, 2014
Heffernan, Liz, DNA and the ECHR: Rights, Rules and Technicalities, Databases, Surveillance and Crime Control, Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, 8 December 2009, 2010
Criminal Evidence in, editor(s)R. Byrne and W. Binchy , Annual Review of Irish Law 2008, Dublin, Round Hall, 2009, pp245 - 272, [Liz Heffernan]
The Duty to Preserve Evidence in, editor(s)I.C. Bacik and L. Heffernan , Criminal Law and Procedure: Current Issues and Emerging Trends, Dublin, First Law, 2009, pp53 - 71, [Liz Heffernan]
The Retention of DNA and Fingerprint Data in, editor(s)I.C. Bacik and L. Heffernan , Criminal Law and Procedure: Current Issues and Emerging Trends , Dublin, First Law, 2009, pp163 - 173, [Liz Heffernan]
"Evidence" in, editor(s)R. Byrne and W. Binchy , Annual Review of Irish Law 2007, Dublin, Thomson Round Hall, 2008, pp286 - 318, [Liz Heffernan]
L. Heffernan, Evidence: Cases and Materials, Dublin, Thomson Round Hall, 2005, i - 687pp
Liz Heffernan, Education and Training of Judges, Lawyers and the Police: ENFSI Project Forjust, International Conference on Forensic Issues, Riga, Latvia, 25 September 2008
Liz Heffernan, Adjudication on the Law of Evidence in the Irish Court of Criminal Appeal, SLS Annual Conference, University of Nottingham, 9 September 2014, edited by SLS
Liz Heffernan, A DNA Database, Conference on Forensic Science, Trinity College Dublin, 20 June 2007
Liz Heffernan, Police Accountability and the Law of Evidence, Police Governance and Accountability: Developments, Challenges and Outlook, Centre for Criminal Justice, Limerick, 3-4 December 2009
Liz Heffernan, Evidence Update: The Duty to Preserve and Developments Relating to Disclosure, Developments in Criminal Law and Procedure, Trinity College Dublin, 6 December 2008
Liz Heffernan, DNA and the ECHR: Rights, Rules and Technicalities, Databases, Surveillance and Crime Control, Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, 8 December 2009
Liz Heffernan, Taking Liberties with Limits on the Retention of DNA Samples and Profiles, Society of Legal Scholars Annual Conference, University of Durham, UK, 11 September 2007
Liz Heffernan, The ECHR in the Irish Law of Evidence, Society of Legal Scholars Annual Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland, 5 September 2013
Liz Heffernan, Criminal Disclosure, Disclosure and Discovery in Criminal Cases, Distillery Building, Dublin, 21 May 2014, edited by Law Reform Commission
Liz Heffernan, A Foundation for Access to Justice: Unlocking the First Year Curriculum, Legal Education and Access to Justice, Nottingham Trent University, UK, 19 June 2015
Liz Heffernan, A DNA Database, 4th Annual North-South Criminology Conference, DIT, Dublin, 24 June 2008
Liz Heffernan, Rome II: Implications for Irish Tort Litigation, Rome II Regulation on Law Applicable to Non-Contractual Obligations, Trinity College Dublin, 21 June 2008
Liz Heffernan, Expert Evidence in Medical Negligence Litigation, Medical Negligence: Recent Developments, Trinity College Dublin, 13 October 2007
Liz Heffernan, The Right to Fair Trial and Informer Privilege, The Constitution at 70, Trinity College Dublin, 8-9 June 2007
Liz Heffernan, Scientific Evidence and Criminal Justice: Anglo-American Perspectives, Society of Legal Scholars Annual Conference, LSE, London, 17 September 2008
Liz Heffernan, Thinking About Hearsay, Irish Jurisprudence Society Workshop, Trinity College Dublin, 3 April 2014
Recognition
Awards and Honours
Trinity Excellence in Teaching Award
Shortlisted for Trinity Excellence in Teaching Award
Finalist for Law Book of the Year at Irish Law Awards
Universal Design in Teaching and Learning Badge (National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education)