Aisling Byrnes
  • Her cross-examination is flawless.

    Chambers UK 2024, Crime

  • Absolutely brilliant in every way, Aisling is an outstanding advocate with very good client care, who's really bright and really persuasive.

    Chambers UK 2024, Crime

  • Very clever, she's subtle and thoughtful. She cuts through it all and delivers submissions in a beautiful way.

    Chambers UK 2024, Crime

  • Aisling is a stand-out junior at the Criminal Bar.

    Chambers UK 2024, Crime

  • She is better than most silks.

    Legal 500 2024, Crime

  • She is a formidable presence in court and a highly skilled cross-examiner who presents her legal submissions in a succinct and persuasive way. 

    Legal 500 2024, Crime

  • She is an outstanding advocate who completely masters the facts of a case and has the law at her fingertips. 

    Legal 500 2024, Crime

  • A brilliant barrister who is able to command a room and gain the trust of all of her clients from the moment they meet her.

    Chambers UK 2023, Crime

  • Aisling Byrnes is an excellent junior who attracts praise from observers for her handling of factually sensitive and emotive cases, and is noted for her sympathetic dealings with vulnerable clients.

    Chambers UK 2023, Crime

  • She is quite simply one of the best at the Bar. 

    Legal 500 2023, Crime

  • She is meticulous in her preparation, she has a wealth of experience and gives considered, practical and robust advice.

    Legal 500 2023, Crime

  • She is completely unafraid in court and immediately commands respect.

    Chambers UK 2022

  • Thorough and extremely persuasive before a jury. She is excellent on her feet and has the ability to adapt to a changing situation. 

    Chambers UK 2021

  • In a league of her own when it comes to her extraordinary efficiency, attention to detail, and determination.

    Chambers UK

  • Aisling is an outstanding advocate who commands the respect of her peers and the attention of the jury. Aisling is able to combine a forensic attention to detail with an easy manner that instils confidence in both professional and lay clients. Aisling's advocacy is delivered in such a way to make it very persuasive to judge and jury alike.

    Legal 500 2021

  • When she walks into court, you know she means business.

    Legal 500 2020

  • Thorough, meticulous and very tactical.

    Chambers UK 2020

  • Her advocacy commands the attention of everyone in the courtroom ... She is very authoritative, yet able to cross-examine witnesses in a manner which juries find attractive.

    Chambers UK 2020

  • The best of a new breed of advocates in sexual offence cases – she's as hard as nails and determined, but calm and assured with clients.

    Chambers UK 2020

  • She impresses with her extraordinary efficiency, attention to detail and determination. Her advocacy commands the attention of everyone in the courtroom.

    Chambers UK 2019

  • One of the best advocates at the Bar: intelligent, tactical, tenacious and realistic.

    Legal 500 2019

Called 1994

Called Northern Ireland 1996

Aisling Byrnes

Barrister

Aisling is one of only a handful of barristers ranked in the top tier of both the Legal 500 and Chambers UK Bar Guide. She has 25 years’ experience of defending in criminal cases of the utmost seriousness and now practises almost exclusively in the private sector, advising and representing professional and high net worth individuals from the pre-charge stage up to appellate proceedings. She is regularly instructed by the country’s leading law firms.

Aisling is a true expert in the field of sexual allegations and other sensitive proceedings which have a real impact on the reputation of an individual both personally and professionally.

Aisling also has a flourishing practice in the field of sports regulatory proceedings and has been appointed as a Specialist Panel Member of the Football Association’s independent Judicial Panel, where she chairs disciplinary hearings at first instance and appeal. These hearings deal with matters of violence, racism, integrity, doping and many other aspects both on and off the field of play. As Chair, Aisling is responsible for producing detailed written reasons for all decisions. Written reasons can be found on the FA website, here. She is also a member of the FA’s independent Safeguarding Panel, chairing safeguarding proceedings at all levels of the game. Aisling was recently appointed by the International Tennis Federation to chair proceedings involving alleged misconduct on the part of several youth internationals during the Junior Davis Cup.

She also has experience in the field of professional disciplinary proceedings, having represented police officers, veterinary surgeons and other professionals. She has  conducted numerous cases before University tribunals, particularly in the context of allegations of sexual misconduct.

Aisling has a well-deserved reputation for commitment, extraordinary preparation, tactical nous and a robust sense of realism. She is accessible to her clients from the point of instruction and leaves absolutely nothing to chance. In court or before a tribunal, she is a compelling advocate who commands respect from her opponents and judges alike.

Professional Memberships

  • Northern Ireland Bar
  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Bar Council Access to the Bar Committee Member
  • Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers
  • Bar Pro Bono Unit
  • South Eastern Circuit
  • Women in Criminal Law
  • British Association for Sport and Law (BASL)

Recent Testimonials

  • "Aisling is a stand-out junior at the Criminal Bar." Chambers UK 2024, Crime
  • "Very clever, she's subtle and thoughtful. She cuts through it all and delivers submissions in a beautiful way." Chambers UK 2024, Crime
  • "Absolutely brilliant in every way, Aisling is an outstand ing advocate with very good client care, who's really bright and really persuasive." Chambers UK 2024, Crime
  • "Her cross-examination is flawless." Chambers UK 2024, Crime
  • "Aisling Byrnes is an excellent junior who attracts praise from observers for her handling of factually sensitive and emotive cases, and is noted for her sympathetic dealings with vulnerable clients. She focuses her practice on all areas of serious crime and has particular expertise in sexual offences and domestic violence cases." Chambers UK 2024, Crime
  • "She is an outstanding advocate who completely masters the facts of a case and has the law at her fingertips. She is a formidable presence in court and a highly skilled cross-examiner who presents her legal submissions in a succinct and persuasive way. She is better than most silks." Legal 500 2024, Crime
  • "Aisling Byrnes is an excellent junior who attracts praise from observers for her handling of factually sensitive and emotive cases, and is noted for her sympathetic dealings with vulnerable clients. She focuses her practice on all areas of serious crime and has particular expertise in sexual offences and domestic violence cases." Chambers UK 2023 , Crime
  • "A brilliant barrister who is able to command a room and gain the trust of all of her clients from the moment they meet her." Chambers UK 2023 , Crime
  • Shortlisted for Legal 500 Crime Junior of the Year (2022)
  • "She is quite simply one of the best at the Bar. She is meticulous in her preparation, she has a wealth of experience and gives considered, practical and robust advice." Legal 500 2023, Crime
  • "She is completely unafraid in court and immediately commands respect.” Chambers UK 2022
  • "Aisling’s star quality was obvious from the start. She is very clever, an excellent lawyer, a commanding cross examiner and a powerful and persuasive advocate. Her success as an advocate is not just because of her natural brilliance or her legal learning, but because she works extraordinarily hard on her cases and takes no prisoners when dealing with opponents and judges. She is not just exceptionally good with difficult cases and clients, she is exceptionally good at every aspect of the job." Legal 500 2022, Crime
  • "Thorough, meticulous and very tactical." Chambers UK 2020
  • "Aisling is in a league of her own when it comes to her extraordinary efficiency, attention to detail, and determination. Her advocacy commands the attention of everyone in the courtroom. She is very authoritative, yet able to cross-examine witnesses in a manner which juries find attractive." Chambers UK 2020
  • "The best of a new breed of advocates in sexual offence cases – she's as hard as nails and determined, but calm and assured with clients." Chambers UK 2020
  • "When she walks into court, you know she means business" Legal 500 2020
  • “One of the best advocates at the Bar: intelligent, tactical, tenacious and realistic.” Legal 500 2019
  • "She impresses with her extraordinary efficiency, attention to detail and determination. Her advocacy commands the attention of everyone in the courtroom." Legal 500 2019
  • "Very bright and a really tough fighter." Chambers UK 2019
  • "An accessible barrister who instils immediate confidence in her clients with her robust advocacy and her commitment to fighting their corner". Chambers UK 2018
  • "An excellent lawyer with superb client care skills – her reputation is well deserved”. Legal 500 2017
  • "She was very good with a client in horrendous emotional circumstances." Legal 500  2017
  • "She gives very robust, direct advice and her advocacy style is very good." Chambers UK 2017
  • “Very sensitive, very passionate, very understanding but also tough when she needs to be”.Chambers UK 2016
  • "Her preparation and attention to detail is second to none". Legal 500 2016
  • “Tenacious and hardworking." Legal 500 2016
  • "Very sensitive, very passionate, very understanding but also tough when she needs to be. She gives very robust, direct advice and her advocacy style is very good" Chambers UK 2015
  • "Tenacious and highly skilled cross-examiner." Legal 500  2015
  • "Knows what needs to be done and is at all times alive to the tactical issues that arise in serious crime matters." Legal 500 2014 
  • Admired for her "no-nonsense attitude" when defending clients in serious criminal proceedings." Chambers UK 2014
  • “Offers excellent advice and reassures client just by her mere presence". Chambers UK 2013
  • “An exceptionally good and very hard working advocate” who is “tenacious and very passionate.” Legal 500 2013
  • Shortlisted for the 2012 Chambers & Partners Crime Junior of the Year.  Chambers UK 2012
  • "Focused with strong attention to detail."  Legal 500