“John McCarthy is a fantastic high-value medical negligence and personal injury solicitor in Ireland, distinguished by his national and cross-border experience and his leadership in complex, landmark claims. Trusted for his strategic insight, technical depth, and calm authority, he is widely respected for guiding clients through the most demanding litigation with clarity, confidence, and unwavering commitment.”

Fantastic Lawyers® Editorial, 2026

John McCarthy, Partner and Head of Medical Negligence

John McCarthy is a Partner and the driving force behind his firm’s medical negligence department. With almost 20 years of experience, he is widely recognised for leading complex, high value medical negligence and personal injury claims, combining strategic litigation expertise with a calm, authoritative approach to client care.

What John Does

John specialises in medical negligence and serious personal injury litigation, acting for clients in complex compensation claims before the Circuit Court, High Court and Supreme Court. His work spans medical negligence, wrongful death, professional negligence, defective products, property damage and judicial review.

He has acted for numerous victims of the DePuy ASR hip replacement recall and represented over one hundred women affected by the PIP breast implant scandal, reflecting both the scale of his caseload and his commitment to holding institutions to account.

Why Clients and Colleagues Trust Him

As head of the medical negligence department, John is known for his leadership, technical depth and ability to manage the most demanding cases. He qualified as a solicitor in 2003 and holds a master’s degree in physics alongside a specialist diploma in civil litigation awarded by the Law Society of Ireland in personal injury and medical negligence.

John is admitted as a solicitor in Ireland and in England and Wales, and is a member of both the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and Action Against Medical Accidents, reinforcing his standing within the wider medical negligence and patient advocacy community.

Thought Leadership and Public Voice

John is the author of Make Your Claim: A Consumer’s Guide to the Injuries Board and A Patient’s Guide to Bringing a Claim for Medical Negligence, reflecting his commitment to making complex legal processes accessible to the public.

He is a regular legal commentator and writer, with articles published in the Irish Law Society Gazette, the Business Post, the Irish Farmers’ Journal, Shelf Life and The Southern Star. His expertise has led to interviews and contributions across national media including The Irish Times, the Sunday Independent, the Irish Examiner, RTE Prime Time, TV3, RTE Liveline, Today FM, C103 and Cork’s 96FM.

Outside the Office

Outside of practice, John enjoys the outdoors and is an enthusiastic beekeeper, bringing the same patience and attention to detail to life beyond the law.

Contact John McCarthy

Email: john@mccarthy.ie
Tel: 023 888 9006