Our Team
Rebecca McKinney
Rebecca brings with her a wealth of experience within the legal and not-for-profit sectors in Ireland and in the Asia-Pacific region. Rebecca recently returned from her time in New Zealand and Australia, where she acted in her most recent role as a Paralegal working within not-for-profit law in Melbourne, before returning to Ireland this year.
Rebecca obtained a first-class honours degree result in the International Human Rights Law (LLM) postgraduate course from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB). Rebecca was also awarded the Stephen Livingstone Scholarship Award to undertake these studies. Prior to this, she completed the four-year Bachelor of Arts (BA) with Human Rights undergraduate degree at the prestigious Irish Centre for Human Rights at the University of Galway.
Rebecca’s dedication and passion for human rights and the application of human rights law is evident from her professional and academic experiences, and we are delighted to welcome her on board to the team where she will be acting as first point of contact for legal queries received to Mercy Law.
Freda Grealy
Dr. Freda Grealy is a solicitor with Mercy Law Resource Centre, bringing extensive legal experience spanning private practice, legal education, and human rights advocacy. Formerly the Head of the Diploma Centre at the Law Society of Ireland, she spearheaded many innovations in continuing professional development and public legal education, benefiting both the solicitors’ profession and the wider community.
Dr. Grealy has also worked internationally with the CEELI Institute in Prague, where she managed a judicial network across Central and Eastern Europe focused on rule of law initiatives. She holds a PhD in Law and has completed a range of postgraduate programmes in management, legal education, and business coaching.
Erika Hayes
Erika Hayes is a solicitor at Mercy Law Resource Centre. Previously, she worked as a Legal Officer with Global Legal Action Network on corporate accountability for human rights abuses. She has experience as a volunteer lawyer with numerous human rights organisations in Ireland, the UK and Africa, including in access to justice for women and in refugee and asylum law. She has also worked in private practice and as a legal consultant in Dublin and London.
Adam Boyle
Adam Boyle is a solicitor with the Mercy Law Resource Centre. Previously, he worked with McCann FitzGerald LLP as part of the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Department with a focus on matters involving fraud, defamation, and investigations. He also has experience in employment law, construction, and tax.
Adam is a graduate of Law (BCL) with Social Justice (International) from UCD. He has previously volunteered with FLAC and CLM as well as with a number of NGOs working with refugees, migrants, and people experiencing homelessness.
Kate Heffernan
Kate is a graduate of Law (LL.B) from Trinity College Dublin and was awarded a scholarship to undertake postgraduate studies (LL.M) at New York University (NYU).
Before training as a Solicitor, Kate worked as a Judicial Assistant in the High Court and also undertook a public interest law fellowship with FLAC in conjunction with the University of Washington. During her time at NYU, Kate participated in a Housing Law Externship, assisting the Legal Aid Society in the representation of tenants in New York City Housing Court.
Kate previously assisted with the work of Mercy Law Resource Centre both as a MLRC summer intern and later as a pro bono secondee from Arthur Cox.
Miriam Nally
Miriam a Certified Public Accountant joined Mercy Law Resource Centre in November 2021 as their part time Finance Administrator. She has over 25 years’ experience working in finance roles in the not for profit sector, in health & education organisations. In her spare time Miriam is an active member of her local Soroptimist International Club, and her local parish community.
