Matrix Chambers

Lord Brennan has a high-profile practice across a number of areas – environment, product liability and multi-party actions; international litigation including public and private international law, arbitration and commercial disputes. His recent advisory work includes banking and alternative business solutions for law firms. His benchmark case in 2009 was the ‘Omagh Bombing case’ reported as Breslin v McKenna [2009] NIQB 50. This was the civil claim brought in the Northern Ireland High Court by the relatives of deceased victims, and victims of the Omagh Bombing of 15 August 1998 – the worst terrorist outrage of the Northern Ireland troubles. It was a unique case – the first civil action by ordinary citizens against a terrorist organisation and some of its leading members responsible for a major atrocity. The case was tried by Morgan J (now the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland) in the High Court in Belfast. It began in April 2008 with judgment in June 2009 and success for the plaintiffs who were awarded a total of £1.6m in damages. He was chairman of the Bar in 1999 and Barrister of the Year in 2000. Since 2001, he has been the assessor on miscarriages of justice for the Ministry of Justice (previously the Home Office) and the Ministry of Defence. He has acted in many well-known cases in the past – the Herald of Free Enterprise; the Marchioness; HIV/Haemophilia claims against the UK government; the Canary Wharf nuisance claims in the House of Lords; medical duty of care in the Bolitho appeal to the Lords; the insurance claims arising out of the Paddington rail crash and many more multi-party actions and negligence claims.

Called 1967; took silk 1985; lectured on corporate manslaughter; publications: co-editor, reworked edition of ‘Bullen & Leake’ to reflect Woolf reforms (2001); numerous contributions to legal and medical journals.