BACKGROUND
Lauren was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 2008, where she practised for 12 years, the Bar of Ireland in 2012 and the Bar of England and Wales (Gray’s Inn) in 2013. She is also a qualified and non-practising solicitor.
With over 15 years of experience in Property and Private Client Law, Lauren has broad experience in land disputes, housing, landlord and tenant, and contentious probate. She is well seasoned in litigation and advisory work, regularly dealing with multi-generational and family wealth disputes, advising and representing clients in complex disputes concerning wills, trusts, inheritance, estate administration, claims of undue influence, challenges to testamentary capacity, disputes over executor duties, and applications for directions under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
More recently, Lauren’s practice has developed, and she now also specialises in Education. Lauren is ready to take instructions providing advocacy and advisory support to educational institutions and private clients including judicial reviews on school exclusions, SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) disputes, challenges to admissions policies, disciplinary proceedings, and issues relating to safeguarding and equality in education.
Lauren is currently an Assistant Professor in Legal Practice at the University of Northumbria, an Affiliate Lecturer with the Department of Land Economy at the University of Cambridge and has been appointed to the Bar Standards Board as an External Examiner for Drafting and Professional Ethics on the Barrister Training Course.
As a TEP, experienced barrister and pracademic, she combines practical insight with in-depth theoretical knowledge, specialising particularly in advising on multi-faceted legal issues impacting families, estates, and educational institutions.
EXPERTISE
- Administrative & Public Law
- Adult Social Care
- Civil Liberties & Human Rights
- Education
- Homelessness
- Housing
- Inheritance, Probate & Trusts
- Inquiries & Inquests
- Local Government
- Professional Discipline & Regulatory
- Property
EDUCATION
- LLB (Hons) Law, Queen’s University Belfast, 2007
- Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Studies, Institute of Professional Legal Studies, Queen’s University, Belfast, 2008
- Postgraduate Certificate in Training and Education, Griffith College Dublin, 2012
- Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP), 2019
- Level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools (NRC), 2020
- Advance HE Fellow (FHEA), 2023
- Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching (BPP), 2023
- MPhil by thesis (Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge), 2024
- MTeach (Master of Teaching) Education, pending 2025
PUBLICATIONS
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Co-author of ‘The Law of Property in Northern Ireland,’ Colourpoint (2013)