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Anthony Michael Collins (born 1960) is an Irish judge who has served as a Judge of the Court of Appeal since November 2024. He previously served as Advocate General of the European Court of Justice from 2021 to 2024 and a Judge of the General Court of the European Union from 2013 to 2021.

Early life and education

Collins was born on 23 May 1960 in Hartford, Connecticut, to Irish parents. He attended Trinity College Dublin from where graduated with a B.A. degree in Legal Science in 1984. He attended the King's Inns to study to become a barrister.

He was involved in student organisations, acting as general secretary of the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions between 1977 and 1984, general secretary of the Irish Union of School Students from 1977 to 1979 and was vice president of the Council of European National Youth Committees between 1979 and 1981. He was also a member of the Labour Party.

Legal career

He was called to the bar in 1986 and became a senior counsel in 2003. His legal practice encompassed European Union law and administrative law.

His involvement with the European Court of Justice began in 1990, where he served as référendaire to Irish judges Tom O'Higgins and John L. Murray. He returned to practice in 1997.

He is the co-author of a legal text Civil Proceedings and the State and edited the Irish Journal of European Law between 1992 and 2001. He is an adjunct professor of University College Cork and a bencher of the King's Inns.

Judicial career

General Court of the European Union

Collins was nominated to the General Court of the European Union by the Government of Ireland in May 2013, replacing Kevin O'Higgins as the Irish judge on the court. He was reappointed on 1 September 2019 for a further six-year term. He has held the position of President of the Third Chamber of the General Court.

In 2016, Collins was elected as president of the Eighth Chamber. In 2019, he was elected as president of the Third Chamber.

Advocate General of the European Union

In April 2021, Ireland's serving Advocate General of the European Court of Justice Gerard Hogan was nominated to the Supreme Court of Ireland. The Irish government put in place a panel of Paul Gallagher, Nial Fennelly and former ambassador Marie Cross to nominate a person to serve the remainder of Hogan's term to 8 October 2024. His nomination was announced on 28 May 2021. His appointment was ratified by the European Council in September 2021. He will serve between 7 October 2021 and 6 October 2024.

Court of Appeal

Collins was nominated by Taoiseach Simon Harris's government as a judge of the Court of Appeal on the 31st of October 2024 and was appointed by President Michael D. Higgins on the 1st of November 2024.

References

1. David Norris (6 October 2012). "If I had been elected, it would have been a tectonic shift in Irish politics". The Irish Times. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
2. ^ "Anthony Michael Collins". CURIA. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
3. ^ "Government nominates Advocate General to the Court of Justice of the European Union". www.gov.ie. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
4. ^ "Key judicial jobs confirmed". www.lawsociety.ie. 23 January 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
5. ^ Mac Cormaic, Ruadhan (1 May 2013). "Government nominates barrister for appointment at European court". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
6. Collins, Anthony M.; O'Reilly, James (2019). Civil Proceedings and the State (Third ed.). Dublin, Ireland. ISBN 9780414035102.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
7. "Round Hall Judicial Review Conference 2014" (PDF). Retrieved 28 May 2021.
8. "Member states' representatives appoint 14 judges to the General Court". www.consilium.europa.eu. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
9. "Anthony Braesch and Others v European Commission". EUR-LEX. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
10. "Gerard Hogan to be appointed as Supreme Court judge". Irish Legal News. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
11. "Applications for post of Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union". www.gov.ie. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
12. O'Leary, Naomi (8 September 2021). "Irish judge appointed as advocate general to Courts of Justice of EU". The Irish Times. Retrieved 24 September 2021.

• Living people
• 1960 births
• Alumni of Trinity College Dublin
• 21st-century Irish judges
• 20th-century Irish lawyers
• Alumni of King's Inns
• General Court (European Union) judges
• Advocates general of the European Court of Justice