Anthony Collins (judge)
Anthony Michael Collins is an Irish judge who has served as a Judge of the Court of Appeal since November 2024. He previously served as Advocate General of the European Court of Justice from 2021 to 2024 and a Judge of the General Court of the European Union from 2013 to 2021.
Early life and education
Collins was born on 23 May 1960 in Hartford, Connecticut, to Irish parents. He attended Trinity College Dublin from where he graduated with a B.A. degree in Legal Science in 1984. He attended the King's Inns to study to become a barrister.He was involved in student organisations, acting as General Secretary of the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions between 1977 and 1984, General Secretary of the Irish Union of School Students from 1977 to 1979 and was Vice President of the Council of European National Youth Committees between 1979 and 1981. He was also a member of the Labour Party.
Legal career
He was called to the Bar of Ireland in 1986 and became a Senior Counsel in 2003. His legal practice encompassed European Union law and administrative law.His involvement with the Court of Justice of the European Communities began in 1990, where he served as référendaire to Irish judges Thomas F. O'Higgins and John L. Murray. He returned to practice in 1997.
He is the co-author of a legal text Civil Proceedings and the State and edited the Irish Journal of European Law between 1992 and 2001. Having been employed as its Director between 1997 and 2000, he became President of the Irish Centre of European Law in May 2022. He is also an adjunct professor of University College Cork and a bencher of the King's Inns.