Neil Manley Solicitors

Neil Manley Solicitors Neil Manley Solicitors is a Dublin based general legal practice Neil Manley Solicitors was established in the heart of Dublin City Centre and Newry, Co.

Down, in August 2016, with a specific aim to help and assist in life and in business.

The High Court called it "frankly shocking." A beneficiary acted with "deliberate dishonesty" to influence the distribut...
17/09/2026

The High Court called it "frankly shocking." A beneficiary acted with "deliberate dishonesty" to influence the distribution of a 120-acre farm and €1.5m estate.

The will was condemned. The testator : dying of cancer, delirious, in and out of consciousness : lacked capacity when he signed it.

If a will is executed when the testator is vulnerable, it doesn't matter what the document says. The court looks at the circumstances, not just the signature.

And the courts are now willing to impose personal liability for costs on parties who act unreasonably. Estates are not ATMs for litigation.

If you are facing a contested probate or concerns regarding estate vulnerability, contact Neil Manley Solicitors today.

An elderly woman got a reprieve from the High Court this month. Her ex-husband wanted the family home sold. The court sa...
16/09/2026

An elderly woman got a reprieve from the High Court this month. Her ex-husband wanted the family home sold. The court said no.

The message: even after a divorce order is final, the family home isn't automatically a liquid asset. The court retains discretion over when and how it's sold, particularly when children or vulnerable parties are involved.

This is why settlements need to be specific about the family home. What happens when one party wants to stay and the other wants to sell? What's the trigger? Remarriage? Children reaching 18? A specific date?

"We'll figure it out later" becomes "see you in court."

A good settlement anticipates the fights you don't think you'll have.

Divorces are now being paid for by the Bank of Mum and Dad. The cost of separation is forcing couples to borrow from par...
15/09/2026

Divorces are now being paid for by the Bank of Mum and Dad.

The cost of separation is forcing couples to borrow from parents to fund legal fees.

You need to be separated for at least two of the previous three years to qualify for divorce.

Even if you're living under the same roof, as long as you're not living as a couple, the clock is ticking.

But here's what people don't plan for: the cost of the process itself.

Legal fees, mediation, pension adjustment orders, Section 32 reports. It adds up.

If you're relying on the family home as your only asset, selling it to pay for the divorce defeats the purpose. Think about the financial reality before you start.

The first volume of the Family Law Reporting Project was published this month. Anonymised case reports, publicly availab...
14/09/2026

The first volume of the Family Law Reporting Project was published this month. Anonymised case reports, publicly available, showing the same patterns repeating: access disputes, maintenance arrears, families torn apart by the same mistakes.

For decades, family law operated behind closed doors. Now we can see the dysfunction in black and white.

Here's what the reports show: the same families, the same fights, the same avoidable errors. And the same lesson : specificity in agreements matters more than anyone thinks.

The reporting project is a warning to anyone who thinks "we'll sort it out later" will work. The system doesn't reward vagueness. It punishes it.

If you're in the middle of a family dispute : separation, custody, probate-adjacent conflict : the anonymised reports are worth reading. They'll show you exactly how these cases end. And how to avoid ending up there.

The Labour Court just overturned a €27,500 unfair dismissal award. A security firm made an employee redundant shortly af...
13/09/2026

The Labour Court just overturned a €27,500 unfair dismissal award.

A security firm made an employee redundant shortly after she returned from maternity leave. The court ruled the redundancy was genuine and unrelated to the leave.

Here's the uncomfortable lesson: not every dismissal around maternity leave is discrimination.

The Labour Court looked at the process : was the redundancy real, was the selection fair, was there a genuine business reason? It wasn't a smokescreen. So the claim failed.

This matters because it cuts both ways:

For employers: a genuine redundancy process, properly documented, will survive scrutiny even when it touches a protected category. The key is the process.

For employees: "I was made redundant after maternity leave" is not enough on its own. You need to show the leave was the reason : or that the process was a sham.

The law protects you from discrimination. It doesn't protect you from a genuine redundancy. Knowing the difference is everything.

The 'loyalty penalty' is real. Loyal customers who renew year after year are often the ones most likely to be underinsur...
12/09/2026

The 'loyalty penalty' is real. Loyal customers who renew year after year are often the ones most likely to be underinsured.

They trusted the policy. They didn't check the rebuild cost. They assumed the renewal letter was adequate.

Most property owners say they don't feel confident challenging an insurer's offer. The insurers know that too. They're betting on your exhaustion.

The Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019 was fully implemented in May 2026. Section 18(4) gives innocent co-insureds new protections against criminal act exclusions.

But the average clause? That's still a policy term, not a regulatory issue.

If your insurer has underpaid your claim, don't wait until the storm hits.

Fuel at €2 a litre. The government extended excise relief through August. The enhanced Diesel Rebate Scheme runs until S...
11/09/2026

Fuel at €2 a litre. The government extended excise relief through August. The enhanced Diesel Rebate Scheme runs until September.

For hauliers, this is breathing room. Not a solution.

The IRHA has been clear: without ongoing support, supply chains buckle. When hauliers can't absorb fuel costs, everyone pays : through higher prices and delayed deliveries.

Fuel volatility isn't a short-term problem. Middle East tensions, carbon taxes, tolls, insurance : the costs keep climbing.

If a client has withheld payment over disputed damage, a failed delivery, or an overload dispute, the fuel crisis doesn't excuse it.

Your business can't absorb every cost.

Your refrigerated unit fails on the M50. The goods arrive damaged. The client is holding €40k hostage.The haulier always...
10/09/2026

Your refrigerated unit fails on the M50. The goods arrive damaged. The client is holding €40k hostage.

The haulier always pays twice: once for the breakdown, and once for the dispute.

The CMR convention generally places the burden on the carrier. But there are exceptions : force majeure, latent defects, the shipper's failure to properly prepare the goods.

Most hauliers don't have the time or expertise to fight these disputes. They're trying to keep the trucks moving.

But the cumulative effect of disputed payments can sink a business.

If a client is withholding payment over alleged damage, don't just absorb the loss.

Your policy says €300,000. Your rebuild costs €450,000. When you claim, they pay 66% of your loss.That's the average cla...
09/09/2026

Your policy says €300,000. Your rebuild costs €450,000. When you claim, they pay 66% of your loss.

That's the average clause. And most homeowners don't know it exists until they're already underpaid.

61% of homeowners who install solar panels never tell their insurer.

24% don't understand underinsurance at all.

Bank of Ireland's research says 48% renew based on price rather than whether the cover is adequate.

If your sum insured doesn't reflect the actual rebuild cost, the insurer reduces your payout proportionally.

Storm damage, fire, structural issues : these are the moments your policy actually matters. By then, it's too late to fix the numbers.

Review your buildings sum insured. Get a professional reinstatement valuation. The cost of getting it wrong is your home.

A client was recently convicted of drug driving. The court heard he would lose his job. No licence means no work. No wor...
08/09/2026

A client was recently convicted of drug driving. The court heard he would lose his job. No licence means no work. No work means no income. One decision on a Friday night becomes a life-altering consequence by Monday morning.

The Courts Service annual report shows drug cases in the District Court rose 8% to over 30,000 new cases in 2025.

What people don't understand: a drug driving conviction doesn't just mean a fine and a disqualification. It means a criminal record. It means declaring it to insurers for years. It means potential immigration consequences. It means your employer finding out.

The cascading effect of a single conviction can destroy a career.

If you're facing a charge, understand the full picture : not just the court outcome, but the consequences that follow.

Address

6-9 Trinity Street
Dublin

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 2pm

Telephone

+35316177873

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