By Aisling Byrne
The High Court has struck Cavan solicitor Ronan O'Brien off the Roll of Solicitors following findings of dishonesty, misappropriation of client funds and repeated breaches of solicitors' accounting rules.
O'Brien formerly practised as principal of Ronan O'Brien & Company Solicitors at 69 Church Street, Cavan. He had already been suspended from practice by the High Court in April 2024.
The disciplinary process followed a complaint by two clients and an investigation carried out by the Law Society at the request of the Legal Services Regulatory Authority. The Law Society applied for an inquiry in July 2024.
O'Brien attended the first Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal hearing in April 2025 and admitted most of the allegations against him. Among the findings was that €239,500 belonging to clients William and Lorraine Kehoe was misappropriated to help fund the acquisition of two Cavan properties, including 69 Church Street on O'Brien's behalf and 37 Connolly Street for another client company.
The Tribunal also found misconduct involving unauthorised payments that created deficits of €6,150, €239,500, €22,500 and €10,000 on different client ledgers or files. Other findings concerned a €105,750 transfer for which suitable supporting documentation was not produced, failures to maintain proper books and failures to document client risk assessments under anti-money-laundering regulations.
The Tribunal described the misconduct as being at the very upper end of seriousness and said it was dishonest, calculated and repeated. It also took account of previous disciplinary findings against O'Brien.
Mr Justice David Barniville, President of the High Court, independently reviewed the recommended sanction and held that strike-off was justified. He said dishonesty and wrongful taking of client funds almost invariably attract the profession's most serious sanction.
O'Brien was also ordered to pay €10,114.50 for the Tribunal inquiry and €3,978 for the High Court application.