Turlough O'Donnell is a barrister and fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Called to the Irish bar in 1979 and to the senior bar in 1997, Turlough was elected to the General Council of the Bar of Ireland in 2004 and from 2004 to 2006 chaired the Arbitration and ADR Committee of the Bar Council.

He was elected Chairman of the General Council of the Bar of Ireland in 2006 and held that position until July in 2008.  He is a former director of Northside Community Law Centre - a community law centre in the Northside area of Dublin, and served as Chairman of the Ethics Committee of Childrens University Hospital (Temple St) from 19th April, 2000 to 18th January 2005.

Turlough is currently a member of the Irish Council for Bioethics.