Joan Francis Donnelly is a Dublin-based international lawyer with a specialism in aviation law.  Having graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Irish law, she elected to specialise in aviation law.  She was awarded an LL.M degree by Sheffield University for research she carried out identifying the techniques by which the rules and principles of international air law are incorporated into Irish law.  She subsequently attended the Training and Development Institute of the International Air Transport Association in Geneva and holds qualifications in Aircraft Financing and Acquisition and Airline Contract Law.   She completed a course in asset-based financing with the New York Institute of Finance.   She is a part-time Ph.D candidate at the International Institute of Air and Space Law at Leiden University of Leiden where she is carrying out research on the topic ‘Models of Liability in the area of Private International Air Law’.   She has published articles on aviation law and other topics in journals such as the Judicial Studies Institute Journal, the Commercial Law Practitioner, the Irish Law Times and the Cork Online Law Review.

Qualifications:
LL.B (Irish Law) awarded by the Nottingham Trent University
LL.M (Aviation Law) awarded by Sheffield University
Ph.D candidate at Institute of Air and Space Law, Leiden University
(projected completion date, summer 2013)
Certificates in Aircraft Acquisition and Financing and Airline Contract Law (Training and Development Institute, IATA, Geneva)
:
Professional Training:
Completion of Barrister-at-Law degree programme King’s Inns Dublin 2006
Completion of training to qualify as New Zealand solicitor and barrister 2010