Michael Flatley case against solicitor to go to mediation

High Court reporters

Mediation talks are set to begin in the next few weeks in Michael Flatley’s legal battle against his former solicitor.

The president of the High Court, Judge David Barniville, on Friday welcomed the prospect of mediation in the case and said he would urge the sides to redouble their efforts to resolve the matter.

The legal row between the entertainer and his former solicitor erupted at the start of the year amid allegations on both sides about legal fees and an alleged hold on files.

Michael Flatley is seeking to compel Maxwell Mooney and Company solicitors with offices at Maynooth, Co Kildare, to hand over the files relating to the proceedings about and linked to his Cork mansion Castlehyde in Fermoy, Co Cork.

In court on Friday Niall Buckley SC for Flatley said it had been agreed that the parties would go to mediation with talks expected to take place at the end of March or at dates in April.

He said if the mediation is not successful, the court would have to set aside a half day for the hearing of the case. Counsel said there was a continuing urgency as the Michael Flatley appeal against a €1.1 million security for costs order made against him in his €30 million court action over works carried out at his Cork mansion is now due to be heard by the Court of Appeal on June 7.

The judge on Friday welcomed the prospect of mediation and said there were complex issues in the case and he would have told the parties ”mediation, mediation, mediation.” He said the case “was crying out for it.”

Barniville made directions in relation to documentation in the case and it will next be mentioned before the court on April 24 next.

In the case the Flatley side are seeking that Mooney be directed to produce or deliver the client files in respect of all legal services provided to Flatley.

The Flatley side are also seeking an order compelling Mooney with an office at Maynooth, Co Kildare to provide a copy of the Flatley client account.

The court previously heard the breakdown in the relationship between Flatley and his former solicitor had been since last November.

In an affidavit to the High Court the entertainer said it was not correct that invoices relating to legal fees have not been paid to Mooney.

Flatley said he could confirm the payments set out in the affidavit of his new solicitor Barry Creed, which stipulated that a total of €487,837 had been paid by Flatley or on his behalf between May 2022 and August 2025.

Creed stated that it was unclear whether €290,000 had been applied as fees or whether they remain held on account.

Flatley also alleged in the document before the court that there was an alleged failure to provide all client account information, which he claimed he requested three months ago. This, Flatley alleges is impeding the orderly progression of his litigation.

Flatley also claimed in July last year that he was concerned about how his proceedings were being managed, “and in particular the many negative headlines which were published about me.”

“At all time I was informed that matters were progressing positively; however, the media depicted a very different picture,” he claimed.

In an affidavit solicitor Barry Creed said extensive correspondence was exchanged with Mooney, and Mooney wrote that his office was “exercising a general lien” over all files and papers relating to Flatley "until we and counsel are paid in full.”