Clients of barristers and solicitors based in Galway filed 75 complaints with the Legal Services Regulatory Authority last year.
This is a substantial, 27 per cent increase on the 59 complaints lodged against local lawyers in 2024, noticeably above the 21 per cent year-on-year increase in complaints nationally.
The watchdog’s annual report for 2025 highlights increased complaints activity and enforcement across the legal services sector, with County Galway accounting for 4.19 per cent of all 1,788 complaints lodged last year. The previous year, Galway accounted for four per cent of 1,476 complaints nationally.
In 2025, Galway had the fourth highest number of complaints after counties Dublin (41 per cent ), Cork (11.12 per cent ) and Kildare (4.81 per cent ).
One of the LRSA’s responsibilities is authorising legal firms to operate as Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs ). It authorised 34 new LLPs across 12 counties last year, but none in Galway.
The LRSA received 1,788 complaints in 2025, an increase of 21 per cent on the previous year, while closing more complaints than ever before, and increasing enforcement activity, according to its annual report published this week.
The report also highlights progress in legal education and training, access to the professions, research, and public awareness.
The LSRA closed a record 1,933 complaints during 2025, the highest number of complaints closed in a single year, and the third consecutive year in which complaint closures increased.
The independent regulator also increased its enforcement activity, making 27 applications to the High Court to enforce directions issued following complaints investigations, and 101 applications to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal.
Chief Executive, Niamh Muldoon said the figures reflected growing public awareness of the LSRA’s role, and ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its complaints process.
“The increase in complaints received reflects growing awareness of the LSRA’s role as the independent regulator of legal services, and the availability of an independent complaints process for consumers. At the same time, the record number of complaints closed demonstrates the ongoing work of LSRA staff, and members of our regulatory committees, to improve processes and deliver timely outcomes.
