Who we are

Legal Counsel is designed to facilitate members of the public and certain professionals in obtaining highly specialised legal advice and representation. The advice and representation is provided primarily by Mahmud Samad BL (subject to Mahmud's availability). Mahmud is one of Ireland's leading commercial barristers, specialising in the areas of law listed here. You can read his full profile here.

How we can help you

We know that finding the right professionals is not easy. On the one hand, consumers are spoiled for choice; on the other, it's hard to differentiate the flashy websites, fancy titles and lists of accolades. This is especially true of legal services where, very often, consumers may be unaware of what they need to be looking for. While most people know that the legal profession has two main branches (solicitors and barristers), it is also important to remember that those branches are themselves broken up into highly specialised areas. Complex legal questions can only be answered by lawyers with the relevant specialisations.

That's where we come in. By referring your work to Mahmud for initial assessment, we ensure that you get the very best in specialised legal advice. If the work falls into one of Mahmud's practice areas, he will be able to give you immediate initial comments about how to proceed. None of this costs you a penny - it is up to you whether you want to formally instruct Mahmud. If you do, you will need to do so through a solicitor. We may be able to recommend a solicitor who deals in that area of law if you do not already have one.

How it works

1. Have a look at Mahmud's practice areas to see if your query falls into one of them.
2. If you think we may be able to help then give us a call or fill out our application form and we will contact you shortly after assessing your details;
3. Mahmud will chat with you over the phone and ask you a few questions about your query.
4. He will offer some informal comments about your case. Since he is not formally retained at this stage, none of this will cost you anything and you will not be asked to submit any documentation relating to your case.
5. You will be provided a fee estimate for the work should you wish for Mahmud to proceed with it. This may be a fixed fee where the work involves providing legal advice about the merits of your case, or an estimate where the work involves representing you in litigation.
6. It is then up to you to decide whether or not you wish to instruct Mahmud to deal with your case. We will be able to provide you with further details, such as how long the work will take, whether it is necessary to arrange a face-to-face consultation and so on.

What we don't do

Because barristers are specialists, they necessarily only deal with certain areas of law but not others. For example, Mahmud does not practice in the areas of criminal law or family law, meaning that he cannot unfortunately assist with queries relating to those areas. As well as that, barristers do not normally carry out transactional work, such as buying a house or making a will. That is regarded as a solicitor's domain and most solicitors are happy to assist with it.

Have questions?

Click the link below for answers to some of your frequently asked questions about legal services in Ireland, as well as our services specifically.