Dr Siofra O’Leary

Síofra O'Leary is a former Judge and President of the European Court of Human Rights (2015 – 2024), where she dealt with cases ranging from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, to climate change, data protection or freedom of expression. Prior to joining the European Court of Human Rights, she worked for almost two decades at the Court of Justice of the European Union in both judicial and administrative capacities.

In 2025-2026, she will attend New York University (NYU) as a Hauser/Remarque Global Fellow. She is also an Adjunct Full Professor at University College Dublin (UCD) as well as a Visiting Professor at the College of Europe (Bruges) and the IE Business School (Madrid). She is currently presiding the International Advisory Board of a large European research consortium on judicial independence and in 2026 she will participate on an international panel of experts to review Taiwan’s act to implement the ICCPR.

Parallel to her work in the two European courts, Dr. O’Leary has published extensively on the protection of fundamental rights in EU law and under the ECHR, EU employment law, the free movement of persons and services in the internal market and EU citizenship. She is a Honorary Bencher of the King’s Inn, Dublin and of Lincoln’s Inn, London and in 2024 was awarded the Ulysses Medal by her alma mater, UCD.