Fidelma Macken

Fidelma Macken
Judge of the Supreme Court
In office 2005–2012
Nominated by	Government of Ireland
Appointed by	Mary McAleese
Judge of the High Court
In office 2004–2005
Nominated by	Government of Ireland
Appointed by	Mary McAleese
Judge of the European Court of Justice
In office 5 October 1999 – 22 September 2004
Nominated by	Government of Ireland
Preceded by	John L. Murray
Judge of the High Court
In office 1998–1999
Nominated by	Government of Ireland
Appointed by	Mary McAleese
Personal details
Born	1942
Nationality	Ireland
Alma mater	TCD, King's Inns
Profession	Judge, Barrister

Fidelma O'Kelly Macken (born 1942) is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland. She was appointed a High Court judge in 1998. She succeeded John L. Murray, Chief Justice since July 2004, as Ireland's appointee on the European Court of Justice (ECJ) from 5 October 1999 to 22 September 2004. Appointed initially for a five-year term, she was the first female appointee to the ECJ but had her mandate renewed in 2003. She was reappointed a justice of the High Court on 18 October 2004 on her return to Ireland. She served a Supreme Court judge from 2005 to 2012.

Macken was educated at King's Inns and Trinity College. She became a barrister in 1972; practiced as legal adviser, Patents and Trade Marks Agents (1973–1979) and became a Senior Counsel in 1995.

As a lawyer, she specialised on medical defence work and pharmaceutical actions. She acted as defence counsel in a series of cases brought by children against whooping cough vaccine manufacturers for damage allegedly caused by the vaccine. The Supreme Court nominated her to act in three referrals by the President of Ireland querying the constitutionality of new legislation before she became a judge.

She has been a lecturer in Legal Systems and Methods and Averil Deverell Lecturer in Law at Trinity College Dublin.

See also

• List of members of the European Court of Justice