Barrister Profile

Main Areas of Practice

Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Coroners or Inquests
Criminal Law
Public Inquiries

Biography

Sarah was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 2019. She enjoys a varied practice with a particular focus on cases in the criminal, judicial review, public inquiry and regulatory spheres.

Sarah appears regularly in the Magistrates’, County and High Courts on behalf of the Public Prosecution Service.

Sarah has significant experience and interest in professional practice proceedings, specifically Police Misconduct Tribunals, appearing as Counsel for the PSNI Professional Standards Department.

Sarah also has an interest in public inquiries, judicial review and inquests. She has been instructed on behalf of both private and public sector clients.

Sarah has gained experience in Judicial Review matters before the High Court and Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland, and the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

Committee Memberships

- Chairperson of the Young Bar Association 2022-2023

- Secretary of the Pro Bono Choir 2022-2024

- Co-Chairperson of the Pro Bono Choir 2024 - Present

- Committee Member of the Rule of Law Committee 2022-2024

- Young Bar Representative on the Criminal Bar Association Committee 2022-2024

Appointments

Sarah was appointed to the Government Legal Service Northern Ireland (GLSNI) Civil Panel of Counsel in 2023.

Sarah was appointed to the Board of Directors of the National Youth Choir of Northern Ireland in 2024.

Qualifications

2018; LL.B (Hons) Common and Civil Law with French (2:1), Queen’s University, Belfast.

2016-2017; Erasmus Study Programme - French and European Law, Université Toulouse 1 Capitole.

2019; Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Studies (Distinction), Institute of Professional Legal Studies.

2019; Called to the Bar of Northern Ireland

2023; Called to the Bar of Ireland

Professional Memberships and Awards

- John P.B. Maxwell Scholar

- Tyrone Prize (Highest Result in County Court Module, IPLS)

- Williamson Trust Fund Prize (Highest Exit Examination Result, IPLS)

Experience

Whilst studying at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies, Sarah was chosen to compete at the International Negotiation Competition in Tokyo, Japan.

She was also chosen to compete on behalf of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies in the Faculty of Advocates and Northern Ireland Bar Moot Competition, hosted by the Faculty of Advocates, Scotland.

Sarah is fluent in French and speaks Spanish proficiently.

Publications

Notable Decisions

In the matter of an application by Noeleen McAleenon for Judicial Review (Appellant) (Northern Ireland) [2024] UKSC 31

Sarah appeared as Junior Counsel for the Applicant/Appellant in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. The Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeal’s ruling in respect of Alternative Remedies. The Supreme Court unanimously held that, “The fact that the Appellant could have brought other proceedings – of a different nature, directed against another party, in which different issues would arise – did not mean that the Appellant had a suitable alternative remedy in relation to the claim she wished to bring. It is for a claimant to choose which form of claim to bring and against which party. A Court has no role to say that a claimant should have sued someone else by a different claim.”