Brick Court Chambers

Margaret is a silk at both the English Bar and the Irish Bar, specialising in EU, competition and public law litigation. In the past year, she has appeared in the Supreme Courts of both the UK and Ireland, as well as the Court of Justice of the EU where she has led over 80 cases. She frequently represents the Governments of the UK and Ireland, in both national and EU Courts, and appeared as counsel for the European Commission in a number of multi-million pound fine cartel appeals.

Margaret has built-up a unique expertise in EU regulation of utilities and services between the UK and Ireland, due to her practices at the Bars of Ireland and also in Northern Ireland, in particular in competition, energy, procurement and telecommunications matters. She has advised and acted for each of the UK devolved administrations in EU matters. Margaret has had the privilege of being briefed by each of the Attorneys General of England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and Ireland.

Recent work includes leading cases on the application of the doctrine of restraint of trade to land agreements (Peninsula v Dunnes Stores), the right to be forgotten and extra-territorial application of the Data Protection Directive (Google v CNIL) and a cartel follow-on damages claim. Margaret has invaluable multi-jurisdictional experience in the UK, and in cross-over competition and procurement issues. Margaret's State aid practice includes recovery and damages actions.

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Called 1998, Gray’s Inn; lecturer in law at LSE and Worcester College, Oxford University 1997-98; référendaire to Judge Fidelma Macken and Judge Aindrias O Caoimh at the Court of Justice of the European Union 2002-05; called Ireland 2005; Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel (E&W) (B Panel) 2012; called Northern Ireland 2009; visiting lecturer in EU Law, Universities of Liège and of Milan, from 2009. Publications include: ‘EU Competition Law: Procedures and Remedies’, by Gray, Lester et al (Richmond 2006); ‘EU Free movement and Sport’ in ‘Sports Laws and Practice’ (Butterworths 2003).

French.

Committee member Bar European Group; United Kingdom Association for European Law; European Circuit and Irish Society of European Law; COMBAR; Irish Centre for European Law; Irish Environmental Law Association and Copyright Association of Ireland; practising member Law Library, Dublin; external member Bar Library, Belfast.

Ballyclare High School, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland; Hertford College, Oxford University (1995 BA Jurisprudence; 1996 BCL First Class); College of Europe, Bruges (1997 LLM); Bar Vocational Course (1998); Diplome Juridique en droit Français (2002).

Reading, tennis, Bar choir.