Mediation in row between Michael Flatley and former solicitor never got started, court told

The High Court also heard that costs will now go for adjudication

Michael Flatley (pictured) said he could confirm the payments set out in the affidavit of his new solicitor, Barry Creed of Creed McStay solicitors, which stipulated that €487,837 had been paid by Mr Flatley or on his behalf between May 2022 and August 2025. File picture

Mediation in the legal row between Lord of the Dance star Michael Flatley and his former solicitor over an alleged lien on files and payment of legal fees never got started, the High Court heard on Thursday. 

However, the president of the High Court Mr Justice David Barniville, who commented that he has been “left in the dark” in relation to developments, was told the case has now narrowed. Only last week the judge told the parties to put their heads together on the case.

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 was seeking to compel Maxwell Mooney and Company solicitors, with offices in 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 the case, the Flatley side were seeking that Mr Mooney be directed to produce or deliver the client files in respect of all legal services provided to Mr Flatley. The Flatley side were also seeking an order compelling Mr Mooney to provide a copy of the Flatley client account.

In the High Court on Thursday, counsel for the Mooney side said Richard Kean SC with Ronnie Hudson BL told the court mediation had been directed in the case, but the mediation never got started. He said the Flatley side had now “abandoned the most substantial part of the claim" which was the request to hand over files.

Niall Buckley SC with Katie Nagle BL, instructed by solicitor Barry Creed, for Michel Flatley told the court that there had been engagement between counsel on all sides and the case was now confined to other matters, including the Flatley client account.

The court also heard that costs will now go for adjudication. Mr Justice Barniville said the urgency seems to have gone out of the matter.

The judge arranged for both sides to prepare submissions. The case will come back before the court in mid-December when Mr Justice Barniville will assign a date for the hearing which is expected to take two hours.

Previously, in an affidavit to the High Court, the entertainer said it was not correct that invoices relating to legal fees had 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 of Creed McStay solicitors, which stipulated that €487,837 had been paid by Mr Flatley or on his behalf between May 2022 and August 2025.

In an affidavit, solicitor Barry Creed said a notice of a change of solicitors was filed on December 10, 2025.

Mr Creed said extensive correspondence was exchanged with Mr Mooney, and 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".