Barrister Profile

Main Areas of Practice

Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Coroners or Inquests
Human Rights
Public Inquiries

Biography

I was called to the Bar in 1991 and have honed a particular expertise in human rights law , public law and coronial law.

Qualifications

Phd in Human Rights, Policing and Security Ulster University 2010

LLM Human Rights Law, Emergency Law and Discrimination QUB 1992

Certificate of Professional Legal Studies IPLS QUB 1991

1st Class BA (Hons) in English Law and French Law (University of Kent at Canterbury) 1990

Diplome de Droit Français, Université de Bordeaux I (1989)

Experience

I have experience of a mixed practice in a range of court settings, with a specialism in human rights.

Over the past 14 years I have focussed specifically on legacy inquest work as counsel for the coroner in a series of high profile Article 2 legacy cases.

As a senior legal academic at Ulster University, I have an extensive background in trauma-informed legal education from undergraduate to post-doctoral level. This role has also involved international and local research, human rights consultancy, training and publications. I also delivered advanced training in the law of evidence to solicitors on behalf of the Law Society of NI.

I have acted as human rights consultant and strategic legal advisor to a range of government and non-governmental bodies in this jurisdiction and beyond, such as the Bill of Rights Forum, An Garda Síochána, the Chinese Police and Amnesty International. I have delivered senior management training and reviewed PSNI training for human rights compliance.

I have introduced and championed trauma-informed learning as vital to core curriculum at Ulster University at undergraduate and post-graduate level.

Publications

I have 30+ publications ranging from Books to Commissioned Reports and Reviews, Book Chapters, Legal Journal Articles and conference papers

Sample Publications

Books

Human Rights on Duty - Principles for Better Policing: International Lessons for Northern Ireland

Preventing Ideological Violence

Book chapters in eg

Wellbeing and Transitions in the Law

The Narrow Ground

Journal Articles in eg British Journal of Criminology, St John’s Journal of Legal Commentary