Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Coroners or Inquests
Criminal Law
Personal Injury
Christopher was called to the bar in September 2010 and practised until September 2015 in the areas of public law, inquests, criminal law and civil litigation.
Thereafter, Christopher requalified as a solicitor and worked in private practice concentrating on commercial litigation and civil litigation on behalf of a legal expenses insurer. In 2019, Christopher worked for the Departmental Solicitor’s Office and acted on behalf government organisations principally in the areas of judicial review, civil litigation and inquests.
Christopher was recalled to the bar in June 2025.
2008 - Bachelor of Law (LLB) – Queen’s University Belfast
2009 - LLM in Human Rights and Criminal Justice (with merit) – Queen’s University Belfast
2010 – Certificate of Professional Legal Studies (with credit) – Queen’s University Belfast
Recipient of the John P B Maxwell Scholarship (3rd place bar trainee)
As a solicitor I acted in:
Re Larkin’s Application [2021] NIQB 66 – acted on behalf of the Northern Ireland Prison Service in a challenge to the provision of pre-release testing during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Re JR 131’s Application [2021] NIQB 74 – acted on behalf of a District Judge in relation to a challenge as to whether an inter partes hearing in domestic proceedings can proceed in circumstances where there is an ongoing criminal investigation or extant criminal proceedings.
Re McKay & Anor’s Application [2021] NIQB 110 – acted on behalf of a District Judge in relation to a challenge of the decision to commit the defendants for trial in the Crown Court.
Re Hughes’ Application [2021] NIQB 113 – acted on behalf of a Lay Magistrate in this case concerning PACE and ECHR compliance when applying for search warrants.
Re McDade’s Application [2022] NIKB 14 – acted on behalf of a District Judge in a challenge to the refusal of an ex parte non-molestation order which clarified the appropriate appeal procedure to the County Court.
Re Frane’s Application [2022] NIKB 18 – acted on behalf of the Northern Ireland Prison Service in a challenge concerning the provision of pre-release testing and opportunities to demonstrate suitability for release by the Parole Commissioners.
Re Larkin’s Application [2022] NIQB 28 – acted on behalf of the Northern Ireland Prison Service in a challenge concerning compassionate temporary release and the interpretation of ‘critical illness’.
Re Northern Health and Social Care Trust [2024] NICA 44 – acted on behalf of the Review Tribunal in relation to the revocation of a Deprivation of Liberty authorisation under the Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016. Successfully defended appeal.
Re Bradley & Ors Application [2024] NIKB 12 – acted on behalf of the Northern Ireland Prison Service in relation to a challenge concerning the application of Article 2 ECHR to a legacy inquest.
Re Belfast Health and Social Care Trust’s Application [2025] NIKB 22 – acted on behalf of the Review Tribunal in relation to a challenge to the revocation of a Deprivation of Liberty authorisation under the Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016.
Re JR 123’s Application [2025] UKSC 8 – acted on behalf of the Department of Justice in a challenge to the ECHR compliance of the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1978.