Barrister Profile

Main Areas of Practice

Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Coroners or Inquests
Personal Injury
Public Inquiries

Biography

Leah enjoys a broad-based practice spanning public inquiries, civil litigation and mental health law. She also has public law experience and is regularly instructed in judicial review proceedings for both applicants and respondents.

Leah has extensive experience in public inquiries, having acted on behalf of both inquiry teams and state bodies in some of the most complex and high-profile public inquiries of recent years. Consequently, she possesses a deep understanding of the procedural and evidential challenges unique to these forums and consistently provides clients with pragmatic and sensitive counsel. Leah is currently instructed as Junior Counsel to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. She was previously instructed in the Urology Services Inquiry, the Independent Neurology Inquiry, and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Inquiry.

In addition to her work in public inquiries, Leah maintains a diverse civil litigation practice with a particular focus on personal injury. Leah has experience of the full spectrum of personal injury work including public liability; employer’s liability; occupier’s liability; road traffic collisions; industrial disease; and clinical negligence. She is also experienced in probate, land and property disputes, transport law and contract law.

Leah further has experience of coronial law and was recently appointed to the Coroner’s Service Panel of Counsel. She has acted in death in custody inquests on behalf of Interested Parties, such as the Northern Ireland Prison Service, and has previously drafted advices to Next of Kin on the merits of an application to the Attorney General under section 14(1) of the Coroner’s Act (NI) 1959 in respect of a legacy matter.

Leah has a particular interest in mental health law and sustains a robust mental health practice, appearing frequently before the Review Tribunal on behalf of both patients and the Department of Justice. She was recently appointed to the DLS Specialist Mental Capacity Law and Mental Health Law Panel of Junior Counsel.

In 2018, Leah was called to the Bar of Ireland. She was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2024.

Qualifications

2024: Doctor of Philosophy in Law, Queen’s University Belfast. Awarded with no corrections.

2015: Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Studies with Commendation, Institute of Professional Legal Studies. Winner of the Bencher’s Advocacy Prize.

2014: LL.B. Law with Politics, First Class Honours, Queen’s University Belfast.

Appointments and Memberships

• Appointed to the Government Legal Service for Northern Ireland ‘B’ Panel

• Appointed to the BSO Legal Services (DLS) Specialist Mental Capacity Law and Mental Health Law Panel of Junior Counsel

• Appointed to the Coroner’s Service for Northern Ireland Panel of Counsel

• Member of the NI Medico-Legal Society

• Called to the Bar of Ireland

• Called to the Bar of England and Wales (Middle Temple)

Experience

2013; Mini-Pupillage, Deans Court Chambers, Preston (Criminal)

2013; Mini-Pupillage, 7 Harrington Street Chambers, Liverpool (Criminal)

Publications

L Treanor, ‘Mary Robinson’ Book Chapter in Women’s Legal Landmarks: Celebrating 100 Years of Women and Law in the UK and Ireland (Hart Publishing, 2018).