Barrister Profile

Main Areas of Practice

Employment Law
Family Law
Personal Injury
Professional Negligence

Biography

Prior to my call to the Bar in 2015 I was admitted as a Solicitor in 1991 by the Law Society of Northern Ireland practicing initially as an assistant solicitor until 1999 and latterly as a Partner for 15 years specialising in Personal Injury and Employment Litigation.

Qualifications

2015; called to the Bar

1991; admitted as a Solicitor of the Court of Judicature Northern Ireland

1991; Certificate in Professional Legal Studies, Institute of Professional Legal Studies

1991; joint Recipient of the Martin McBurney Memorial Prize for Magistrates Court Practice

1991; awarded the Guinness Prize for Licensing Law

1990; President of Apprentices’ Society, Institute of Professional Legal Studies

1989; LL.B Classification 2:1 Queen’s University Belfast

Experience

I have over 30 years’ combined experience in the practice of Law both as a Barrister and Solicitor and have developed specific experience in the following areas:

Personal Injury Litigation

Plaintiff and Defence Litigation including Employer’s Liability, Occupiers Liability, Road Traffic litigation, Hearing loss, Tripping and Slipping claims, Public liability for the Individual, District Council or Licensed Trade, Product Liability, Utility litigation.

Cases include Patrick McKnight v DOE and M&P Bradley [2005] NIQB 1.

Mellon v NIE and others (unreported).

Employment Law

Advocacy, written, negotiation and oral, for both the Respondent and Claimant before the Industrial Tribunal and Fair Employment Tribunal NI.

Leading cases include:

James McNeill v Laverty Property Limited [2016] NIIT 252/15.

Christine Duncan v DKY Hair Ltd [2018] NIIT1 01806/17 IT

Stephen Crean v British Telecommunications PLC [2020] NIIT 00612/19 IT

Solicitor advisor to the first company in NI to obtain an ex parte injunction to prevent a strike 2010.

Solicitor Advisor to a Social Worker who obtained a substantial settlement against Belfast Trust for Sectarian Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace 2012. Case received widespread media attention.

Solicitor advisor in Collective Redundancy Application securing the maximum award.

CWU and others v Trivirix International 2006 IT.

Clinical Negligence

Expertise in all areas of practice, procedure, and advocacy for the Plaintiff of Clinical/Dental Negligence and Medical Product Liability claims in both the High Court and County Court.

Education Law

Practice, Procedure and Advocacy before the Special Education Needs and Disability Tribunal, School Expulsion Appeal Tribunal, Admissions Appeal Tribunals, Faculty Student Appeals Committee, QUB.

Judicial Review

In the Matter of an Application by Student A (A Minor) By her Mother and Next Friend G for Leave to Apply for Judicial Review 2017 52017/01