Barrister Profile

Main Areas of Practice

Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Coroners or Inquests
Family Law
Personal Injury

Biography

Marie Claire is a specialist family practitioner with considerable experience, providing advice and representation from first instance hearings to Court of Appeal level.

DIVORCE AND ANCILLARY RELIEF: Extensive experience of all types of Ancillary Relief including including assets abroad, dissipation of assets and pensions.Expertise in freezing injunctions and orders

PUBLIC LAW: Representing parents accused of serious non-accidental injuries, neglect, sexual and physical abuse and factitious illness (Münchausen’s) syndrome as well as representing children instructed by the Guardian.

PRIVATE LAW: Representing parents intractable hostility “contact” cases as well as representing parents suffering from mental illness, those with severe learning difficulties as well as child parents. Marie Claire regularly represents applicants and defendants in in domestic violence cases as well as in international children law cases.

JUDICIAL REVIEW: In 2012 selected Junior Counsel for the Crown Panel

Qualifications

LLB (Hons), University of Leeds

2002; Certificate of Professional Legal Studies, Institute of Professional Legal Studies, Queen’s University, Belfast

2011; Qualified Mediator, QuEST Family & Matrimonial Mediation Course for Barristers

2012 - present; Member of the Bar of Ireland Member of the Government Civil Panel

2011; International Academy of Trial Lawyers – Delegate, Ireland Programme

2007 - 2008; Chairman of the Young Bar Association

Part time Lecturer at Queen’s University, Belfast in Intellectual Property Law

2009 - 2010; Children Order Advisory Committee

2008 - 2010; Code of Conduct Review Committee

2007 - 2009; Pupillage Review Committee

Experience

RA v DA [2012] NIFam 9 Court of Appeal Hague Convention proceedings. Examination of extreme reaction to a return order. Parental influence on the view of children. Measures to facilitate the return of children. Judicial cooperation and communication. Central Authorities co-operation and undertakings.

Notable Cases:

Injunction Proceedings and Ancillary Relief whereby matrimonial assets dissipated to Thailand. Protracted proceedings regarding the repatriation of these assets assets to the UK which invariably involved jurisdictional issues. Matters further complicated by the fact that during the course of proceedings client was then adjudicated bankrupt at the High Court Chancery division.

Complex case involving children unlawfully removed from jurisdiction to European Country during ongoing proceedings in NI. Children then admitted into care in European Country. Hague Convention Case held in Europe Country running in tandem. Need for registration of order under Brussels II.