Barrister Profile

Main Areas of Practice

Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Family Law
Human Rights

Biography

Maria has been a practising barrister for 23 years acting in a broad range of complex and challenging cases . During that time she has had experience in appearing for a range of parties in the Family Proceedings Court, Family Care Centre, High Court and Court of Appeal.

Her practice has consisted of Children Law work including public law cases (care orders, supervision orders , Secure Accommodation Order cases); private law cases (Contact Orders, and Residence Orders); Child Abduction cases (Hague Convention and Non Hague Convention ). She also has a extensive practice in the field of adoption including Freeing Orders and her practice also includes divorce work and been instructed in high value ancillary relief cases .

Judicial Review also forms part of her area of special interest .

Throughout her 24 years of experience she has developed a specialism in the field of family law and has conducted countless trials thereby honing her skills as a specialist advocate.

Qualifications

1991; LL.B (Hons) Queen’s University, Belfast

1993; Certificate in Professional Legal Studies , Institute of Professional Legal Studies , Queen’s University, Belfast

1993; called to the Bar of Northern Ireland

Experience

Throughout her career she has been involved in a number of complex cases . This has involved the running of lengthy trials and necessitated the consideration of complicated legal issues resulting in written judgments . Her involvement in such cases has led her to develop her advocacy and in particular, the examination and cross examination of expert witnesses (psychiatrists, psychologists, independent social workers and accountants). She has successfully challenged the actions of Health Trusts by way of Judicial Review which has resulted in written judgement .

Throughout her career she have been involved with the Family Bar Association and sat on the Family Bar Committee for many years . She was a family Bar representative in Dungannon Family Court users group which is a multi disciplinary forum to assist with issues that arise within the family Justice system in County Fermanagh and Tyrone.