Barrister Profile

Main Areas of Practice

Criminal Law
Personal Injury
Public Inquiries

Biography

Mark completed his law degree at Trinity College, Dublin. Before starting his professional training at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Queen’s University, Belfast, he completed a summer internship at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France.

He was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in Michaelmas Term 2002. He has a broad and varied practice with expertise in the field of criminal law. Mark is skilled in both criminal defence and prosecution. Recently, Mark was instructed to prosecute a jury trial involving a charge of causing Grievous Bodily Injury by Driving. The complex trial involved Mark cross-examining an expert engineer for the defence.

Mark is a skilled advocate in general civil litigation with a focus on injuries in the workplace. He has also acquired experience in complex family law matters up to High Court level. For example, Mark has acted in a case involving child contact against a backdrop of sexual abuse allegations by a parent as well as subsequent divorce proceedings involving the division of marital assets.

He has advised and acted on behalf of a number of government departments in a wide range of cases including ones which involve confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, consumer protection and environmental offences. He also acquired extensive public inquiry experience by acting for a Full Participant in the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry (2008 - 09).

Mark has been previously involved with the following bodies:

• Bar Advocacy Training Board as an advocacy trainer
• Franco-British Lawyers’ Society (Northern Ireland Section) as a committee member
• Criminal Bar Association Committee Member

Mark is involved with the following bodies at present:

• Chair of the Bar of NI Charity Committee
• Bar Council Member (2022-present)
• Personal Injuries Bar Association
• Treasurer of the Bar of NI Golfing Society
• Committee Member of the Pro Bono Choir

Qualifications

2001; LL.B (Hons),Trinity College, Dublin

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