Flatley's legal battle against former solicitor to be heard by High Court in March

Counsel for former solicitor anxious 'to keep the temperature calm' but said the case will be vigorously contested.

Michael Flatley claimed in July last year that he was concerned about how his proceedings were being managed, 'in particular the many negative headlines which were published about me'. File picture

Lord of the Dance star Michael Flatley’s legal battle against his former solicitor will be heard by the High Court next month.

The legal row between the entertainer and his former solicitor erupted 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 Castlehyde mansion in Fermoy, Co Cork.

In the High Court on Friday, Richard Kean, for Mr Mooney, said they were anxious “to keep the temperature calm” but that the case will be vigorously contested.

They asked for four weeks to prepare documentation for the case and a bill of costs, which will involve liaising with costs accountants.

Mr Flatley’s new legal team — Niall Buckley SC, instructed by solicitor Barry Creed — in an ex parte application to the High Court earlier this week, was granted short service to serve notice of the proceedings on Mr Mooney. The matter was adjourned to Friday.

The case, in which the Flatley side is seeking an order directing Mr Mooney to produce the client files relating to all legal services provided to Mr Flatley, will now be heard by the president of the High Court in mid-March.

The Flatley side is also seeking an order compelling Mr Mooney to provide a copy of the Flatley client account.

In the High Court on Friday, Mr Buckley said a timeframe of a four-week adjournment would pose difficulties.

He said Mr Flatley’s appeal against a €1.1m security for costs order, made in his €30m court action over works carried out at his Cork mansion, is also due before the Court of Appeal in March.

Counsel said the relationship between Mr Flatley and his former solicitor had broken down last November, and that the issues between the parties had been known since then.

High Court president Mr Justice David Barniville set deadlines for the affidavits to be filed by both sides in the case along with legal submissions. He will hear the case on March 13.

In an affidavit to the High Court to ground his application last Friday, the entertainer said it was not correct that invoices relating to legal fees have not been paid to Mr Mooney. 

Mr 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 Mr Flatley or on his behalf between May 2022 and August 2025. 

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

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

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

He claimed: “At all times I was informed that matters were progressing positively. However, the media depicted a very different picture."

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