Barrister Profile

Main Areas of Practice

Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Commercial Law
Land Law
Personal Injury

Biography

I was called to the Bar in September 2015 and am currently accepting instructions in all practice areas.

I have a particular interest in civil litigation and appear regularly in the County Court on behalf of both plaintiff and defendant. I have also accepted instructions in commercial, Queen’s Bench and chancery actions in the High Court, and appear regularly before the Queen’s Bench and Chancery Masters. I have recently advised on the impact of developing technologies to the application of intellectual property law and defamation law.

In addition to my civil practice I take instructions in a broad range of family law matters and parole hearings.

Qualifications

Qualifications

2015: Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Studies with Distinction, Institute of Professional Legal Studies, obtaining the Eoin Higgins Memorial Prize (highest overall mark in Bar examinations)

2012: LL.M in Human Rights Law National University of Ireland, Galway and Queen’s University Belfast

2011: MA (Cantab), Law Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge. Winner of the Nicholas Bacon Moot (2009) and runner up in the Quadrant Chambers Moot (2010)

Professional qualifications, memberships and awards

• Member of Government Legal Service for Northern Ireland D Panel
• Member of Attorney General’s Junior Counsel Panel
• Member of Northern Ireland Medico-Legal Society
• 2015 First J.P.B. Maxwell Scholarship

Experience

Judicial reviewI have received instructions in a number of complex and high profile judicial review cases, as well as regularly advising on the merits of potential judicial review proceedings. These range from challenges to decisions of the PPS to prosecute to the governance of Northern Ireland in the absence of Ministers. I have also provided advices to insurance companies in respect of review of decisions of the Department of Justice relating to the Criminal Damage Compensation Scheme.

I appeared in the Supreme Court in its first case heard in Belfast on behalf of the Department of Communities. The case concerned the rights of cohabitants to contributory benefits on the basis of national insurance contributions made by their deceased partner. The case raised novel issues concerning the ambit of Article 8 rights, the tests to be applied in determining discrimination under Article 14, and the relationship between the UK Supreme Court and the ECtHR in the interpretation of Convention rights.

Commercial

I receive instructions in a broad range of commercial matters in both County Court and High Court jurisdictions. I act for both plaintiff and defendant, and have experience of litigating complex contractual issues, including: incorporation of terms; exercise of discretion in commercial contracts; consideration; economic duress; product liability.

I am available for advices on conflict of laws issues arising in commercial and other contracts.

I have advised on the impact of developing technologies to the application of intellectual property law and defamation law in the context of commercial ventures. I recently provided advices on disputes before the Utility Regulator.

I act for both petitioner and respondent before the Bankruptcy Master.

Chancery

I have experience before both the Chancery Judge and Chancery Master in a broad range of areas of practice, including mortgages, trusts, banking law, landlord and tenant, and possession proceedings.

Personal injury

I appear regularly before the District and County Court judges across Northern Ireland in respect of personal injury claims. I have considerable experience of litigation in this field, particularly in relation to both liability and quantum in road traffic accident cases. I also take instructions in respect of industrial diseases claims largely in the context of HAVS/VWF, noise induced hearing loss and asbestos-related diseases.

Other

I have appeared before the Industrial Tribunal in relation to a range of employment disputes, for both employee and employer.

I act in both public and private family law cases before the Family Proceedings Courts in Lisburn, Antrim and Newtownards, and before the Family Care Centre in Belfast.

I also take instructions in parole hearings and extradition matters.

Notable cases

McLaughlin, Siobhan v-Department for Communities [2018] UKSC 48 – acting for the Department for Communities in respect of a judicial review of the legislation limiting Widowed Parent’s Allowance to spouses and civil partners. The case was the first to be heard by the Supreme Court in Belfast and raised a broad range of issues around Article 8, Article 14, and Article 1 Protocol 1, as well as the role of the UK domestic courts in interpreting ECHR rights.

Buick, Colin as chairperson of NoARC 21; in re application for judicial review [2018] NICA 26 – acting for the Department for Infrastructure in respect of a challenge to the grant of planning permission for a waste incinerator. The case raised fundamental constitutional questions over the exercise of powers of N.I.Departments in the absence of Ministerial direction and control.

BA Kitchen Components Ltd v Jowat (UK) Ltd [2017] NIQB 76 – acting for international adhesive manufacturer in defence of a claim for damages for breach of contract, negligence, breach of statutory duty,misrepresentation and negligent misstatement.