Barrister Profile

Main Areas of Practice

Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Coroners or Inquests
Personal Injury
Public Inquiries

Biography

Leah enjoys a broad-based civil practice, with a focus on litigation. She is regularly instructed to appear in the High Court and County Court in a wide range of litigation, including contractual disputes, land and property disputes, probate matters, industrial disease litigation, and individual and corporate insolvency proceedings (acting for both creditors and debtors). She is also experienced in transport law and has successfully represented operators facing regulatory action at public inquiries held under the powers of the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act (Northern Ireland) 2010. Leah regularly acts in personal injury litigation on behalf of both Plaintiffs and Defendants at all tiers of court. She also has public law experience and is frequently instructed by public authorities in judicial review proceedings.

Leah has acted in a number of public inquiries. She is currently instructed in both the UK Covid-19 Inquiry and the Urology Services Inquiry. She was previously instructed as part of the Independent Neurology Inquiry legal team and on behalf of an Enhanced Participant in the RHI Inquiry.

Leah also has experience of coronial law and was recently appointed to the Coroner’s Service Panel of Counsel. She has acted in death in custody inquests on behalf of Interested Parties, such as the Northern Ireland Prison Service, and has previously advised Next of Kin on the merits of applications to the Attorney General under Section 14(1) of the Coroner’s Act (NI) 1959 in respect of legacy cases. In addition to her civil practice, Leah maintains a criminal defence practice in the Magistrates’ Court and has previously acted in an advisory capacity to a financial lender in respect of private prosecutions. She also frequently appears before the Review Tribunal and the Parole Commissioners.

Leah accepts instructions in all practice areas. Her areas of particular interest are: Human Rights, Criminal, Personal Injury, Public Inquiries, Coroners/Inquests, Licensing, Administrative/Judicial Review, Commercial, Employment, Company Law, Insolvency, Chancery, Extradition and Immigration.

Qualifications

2020; Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), School of Law, Queen’s University Belfast. Awarded with no corrections.

2015; P.G. Dip Professional Legal Studies, Commendation, Institute of Professional Legal Studies. Winner of the Bencher’s Advocacy Prize.

2014; LL.B. Law with Politics, First Class Honours, Queen’s University Belfast.

Professional Qualifications, Memberships and Awards

2020; Appointed to GLSNI Civil ‘C’ Panel

2020; Appointed to CSNI ‘C’ Panel

2020; Member of the NI Medico-Legal Society

2019; Appointed as Equality Secretary to the Young Bar Association Committee

2018; Called to the Bar of Ireland

2016; Appointed to the Attorney-General’s ‘Recently-Qualified’ Panel

2015; Called to the Bar of Northern Ireland

Experience

2013; Mini-Pupillage, Deans Court Chambers, Preston (Criminal)

2013; Mini-Pupillage, 7 Harrington Street Chambers, Liverpool (Criminal)

Publications

L Treanor, ‘Mary Robinson’ Book Chapter in Women’s Legal Landmarks: Celebrating 100 Years of Women and Law in the UK and Ireland (Hart Publishing, 2018).

Defendant’s Costs Orders in Crown Court Cases – CPD Lecture delivered to local solicitors at the Criminal Law Conference 2016.