Dr Charles O’Mahony is an Associate Professor at the University of Galway’s School of Law, specialising in disability and mental health law and policy. His research is grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), focusing on identifying legal and policy gaps and proposing reforms aligned with international human rights standards.

At the University of Galway, Charles teaches across law, nursing, and arts programmes. His modules include Introduction to Law, International & Comparative Disability Rights, Law & Ethics, and Minority Groups & the Criminal Justice System.

He has published widely in leading journals such as the International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, Industrial Law Journal, Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly, and the International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice. He co-edited of Disability Law and Policy: An Analysis of the UN Convention (Clarus Press), one of the first academic books on the CRPD, and has contributed chapters to volumes published by major academic presses.

Charles served as Head of the School of Law (2017–2021) and completed two terms as President of the Irish Association of Law Teachers. He holds a PhD from the Centre for Disability Law and Policy at the University of Galway, where his thesis examined legal responses to defendants and offenders with mental health issues and intellectual disabilities.

He previously worked as a legal officer with Amnesty International Ireland and as a legal researcher with the Law Reform Commission. He holds LLM degrees from University College London and the University of Galway, as well as a BA in Law and History and an LLB from Galway.

I am a national and international expert in disability law and policy, with a focus on mental health law and decision-making capacity.  My interdisciplinary research seeks to bridge doctrinal and qualitative socio-legal methods, grounded in international human rights law to advance the rights of disabled people.

My work centres on four core themes:

1. Reforming Mental Health Law through Human Rights: I challenge the dominance of the medical model in Irish mental health law and policy, advocating for rights-based approaches that prioritise autonomy and personhood.

2. Advancing Access to Justice and Equality: I examine barriers disabled people face in civil and criminal justice systems.

3. Promoting Decision-Making Rights: My research contributes to international debates on Article 12 of the UN CRPD and has shaped Ireland’s Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Acts.

4. Disability and Criminal Justice: I explore how the UN CRPD reshapes criminal justice, critically assessing topics such as the insanity defence, crime targeted at disabled people and the use and potential misuse of genetic information in sentencing.

Charleshas taught a range of private and public law subjects to law and non-law students. He uses innovative pedagogical approaches, including project-based, problem-based, and challenge-based learning, to empower students to explore and solve real-world challenges.

He also seeks to use technology where possible in the curriculum, and strives to cultivate an environment of critical thinking, creativity, and love for lifelong learning.