Laois FG councillor opens his own legal practice
Cllr Conor Bergin outside his new office on Main Street, Portlaoise
A LAOIS Fine Gael councillor has opened his own legal practice in Portlaoise, seven months after qualifying as a solicitor.
Cllr Conor Bergin from Shanboe, Borris-in-Ossory has officially opened his new office at 71 Main Street.
It is another milestone in a whirlwind year for one of the county’s youngest councillors, who qualified as a solicitor in May, was elected chair of the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick municipal district in June and married primary school teacher Leonie Canavan in Rome in October.
As he prepared to open the practice, Cllr Bergin said on social media: ‘This is the culmination of many months of hard work. Opening a new business, becoming self-employed and realising a lifelong ambition is a huge step for me personally.
‘It is a huge privilege to be part of Main Street in our county town and I have always believed that small businesses are the best businesses.’
The practice will specialise in services ranging from property and land sales to wills and probate, mortgages, farm transfers, commercial leases, personal injury and medical negligence claims.
Also a commissioner for oaths, Cllr Bergin was only 25 when he was first elected to Laois Co Council in 2019 and scooped the county’s highest first preference vote in last year’s local elections.
In 2021, he became the youngest county council cathaoirleach (chairperson) in Ireland, when he was elected as youngest-ever chairperson of Laois Co Council.
Now in his early 30s, he previously worked as a political advisor to former Laois TD Charlie Flanagan during his senior ministries.
Cllr Bergin won a nomination to run for Fine Gael in the 2024 general election but withdrew to give current TD Willie Aird a clear run ‘in the interest of party unity’, although he will almost certainly be a general election candidate in the future.
