Practice Profile
Claire is a sought-after barrister with a growing reputation as an experienced and skilful advocate who is equally at home as sole or junior counsel. At this stage of her career, Claire has already appeared unled in several high profile, complex and lengthy inquiries and is instructed as sole counsel in an upcoming judicial review.
She is frequently asked to advise on planning and environmental issues and is quickly gaining a reputation for expertise in the fields of water law, pollution, contaminated land and chemicals law. A local authority officer for whom Claire provided an opinion on a developer’s s.73 and s.96A applications described her work as “one of the best opinions I have read in a long time. Clear, precise and to the point”. Clients have also praised her for having a “fine legal mind” and being “streets ahead of her years of call” (in the context of a planning judicial review).
Claire regularly appears led and unled at planning inquiries covering a broad range of developments and issues. She is quickly gaining a reputation as an experienced and proficient inquiry advocate. Recent examples include:
- Representing a Rule 6 Party in a four-week planning inquiry into a £750 million film studio proposal in Marlow. The inquiry followed deputy prime minister Angela Rayner’s decision to call in the rejected planning application and attracted a wide range of national and international media coverage.
- Acting for the successful Rule 6 Party, Park Road Allotment Association in a high-profile five-day planning inquiry challenging the Duke of Northumberland’s proposal for a housing development on designated Local Open Space to cross-subsidise renovations to Grade I listed, Syon House. The inquiry compassed issues such as designated Local Open Space, a Grade I listed heritage asset, ecology and the provision of affordable and market housing.
- Representing South Gloucestershire Council as junior counsel to Suzanne Ornsby KC in a two-week planning inquiry concerning a proposed residential development.
- Acting as sole counsel for a Rule 6 Party in a three-day planning enforcement inquiry where Claire secured a costs award against the appellant.
In addition to inquiry work, Claire has a busy and broad planning practice. Claire has appeared in the High Court as junior counsel to Douglas Edwards KC in a judicial review concerning a retail development and is currently instructed as sole counsel for a local authority defending a claim in judicial review involving agricultural permitted development rights. She regularly advises on s.73 and s.96A applications, compulsory purchase matters and major infrastructure projects.
Claire is particularly interested in planning issues with a heritage element and has gained experience in this area through cases involving renowned heritage sites such as Bevis Marks Synagogue and Syon House.
Claire has a strong environmental law practice with particular expertise in environmental assessments, water law and chemicals. Her environmental work has covered a broad range of issues including chemical pollution, contaminated land, a gold mine, a proposed oil terminal, harbour revision orders, flood defence works and a water company’s obligations under the EIA regime. Recent work includes:
- Representing the environmental NGO, Thamesbank, in a three-week inquiry into the Port of London Authority’s application for a Harbour Revision Order following the Marine Management Organisation’s decision to call in the application. On behalf of Thamesbank, Claire argued that the PLA failed to carry out environmental assessments and involve members of the public in environmental decision-making pursuant to the Aarhus Convention.
- Acting as junior counsel to Ned Westaway for the successful Secretary of State in a judicial review concerning the lawfulness of UK fishing opportunities
- The law of chemical regulation is of particular interest to Claire. She is currently instructed in what would be the UK’s first PFAS (“forever chemicals”) case concerning allegations of PFAS pollution from a large manufacturer of firefighting products in Bentham. She has recently advised on the lawfulness of industrial discharges containing PFAS from a major manufacturing site, participated in an investigation into PFAS contamination by the ENDS Report and written about this area for Chambers’ Environment Law Blog. Claire’s expertise in this area extends to broader issues of pollution, statutory nuisance and contaminated land. She is currently advising a local authority on the interaction between the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the planning regime in relation to contaminated land.
Claire’s reputation as an environmental lawyer is further demonstrated by her regular contributions to policy and educational initiatives in the field of environmental law. She co-authored the Environmental Justice Network Ireland, Queen's University Belfast School of Law and Lawyers for Nature’s submission to the Irish Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss and supervised LLM students at the University of Essex on a project focusing on the right to a healthy environment in the UK. She is a regular contributor to Chambers’ Environmental Law Blog and an expert contributor to Lexis Nexis’ environmental module on the law of sewers and drains.
Before her call to the Bar, Claire had a previous career where for almost a decade, she gained valuable experience of the intersection between environmental and human rights law in her work for the United Nations in Geneva, the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and a number of NGOs. The breadth of Claire’s previous experience with international organisations, a government department and campaign groups means she is already well-practised in considering complex and sensitive legal issues from a range of perspectives.
- Regularly advises on potential breaches of environmental law in relation to industrial discharges containing PFAS (“forever chemicals”) and wider pollution and contaminated land issues.
- Sole counsel for an environmental NGO challenging the Port of London Authority’s proposed Harbour Revision Order on environmental grounds.
- Junior counsel in a judicial review concerning the UK’s setting of annual fishing opportunities.
- Involved in other international maritime law disputes involving fishing opportunities and environmental measures.
- Advised a residents’ association on legal obligations for flood defence works.
- Advised a water company on their obligations under the EIA regime.
- Regularly appears in court and advises on claims in statutory nuisance.
- Advised a campaign group in relation to the proposed development of an oil terminal in Northern Ireland.
- Advised a major developer on a proposal involving the translocation of protected species.
- Advised on matters of planning, environmental and human rights law relating to a gold mine in Northern Ireland.
Claire is a regular contributor to Chambers’ Environment Law Blog.
- Sole counsel in a four-week called in planning inquiry into a £750 million proposal for a film studio.
- Advised Bevis Marks Synagogue on the equalities impacts of a proposal for a 43-Storey Office Tower next to the Synagogue. Permission was subsequently refused by the City of London Corporation’s Planning Committee.
- Junior counsel to Douglas Edwards KC in a planning judicial review concerning a retail development.
- Acting as sole counsel for a local authority defending a claim in judicial review involving agricultural permitted development rights.
- Advised a London-based local authority on affordable housing and questions of viability.
- Advised a local authority on a developer’s s.73 and s.96A applications regarding a planning permission for mixed use residential and employment land.
- Represented the successful Rule 6 Party, Park Road Allotment Association in a five-day planning inquiry challenging the Duke of Northumberland’s proposal for a housing development on designated Local Open Space to cross-subsidise renovations to Grade I listed, Syon House.
- Junior counsel to Suzanne Ornsby KC on behalf of the successful South Gloucestershire Council in an inquiry concerning a proposed residential development.
- Secured a costs award for a Rule 6 Party in an enforcement inquiry.
- Advised on potential breaches of conditions attached to a planning permission for a gold mine.
- Claire has acted for HS2 on a major compensation dispute. She has also appeared in the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) on behalf of a claimant and advised a local authority on compulsory purchase compensation claims.
- Claire has advised on the Lower Thames Crossing and recently advised a water company on their EIA obligations.
- Claire provided research and drafting assistance in a judicial review challenging an Inspector’s decision to grant consent for certain restricted works to be carried out on common land.
- Successfully resisted permission to apply for judicial review and secured a costs award for a local authority defending a claim involving allegations of procedural unfairness, bias and breaches of the human rights act.
- Advised on the merits of judicially reviewing a court’s refusal to quash an abatement notice.
- Claire has experience representing responsible authorities and business holders in licensing matters. Recent cases involved acting for a successful local authority in a licensing hearing, successful applications on behalf of business holders and a successful application to revoke the licence of a restaurant/bar. Claire acted as sole counsel for a restaurant/bar in a four-day Magistrates Court appeal turning on allegations of noise nuisance and is regularly instructed in Transport for London licensing hearings.
- Claire provided research and drafting assistance on an application for a faculty for exhumation involving a cross-jurisdictional analysis of the law of exhumation in the Church of Ireland and the Church of England.
- Claire has advised and represented businesses in court in relation to disputed claims for rates and council tax arrears.
- Claire has particular expertise and interest in chemicals law. She has advised on potential breaches of environmental law in relation to industrial discharges containing PFAS and is instructed in the preliminary stages of what would the UK’s first PFAS claim.
- Given Claire’s previous career working for the United Nations, the Council of Europe and international human rights NGOs, Claire has vast experience and expertise in human rights law. She is regularly instructed to advise in cases where there is an overlap between environmental and human rights law.
- The King’s Inns, Dublin, Advanced Diploma in Irish Planning and Environmental Law (2022)
- The Inns of Court College of Advocacy, London, Bar Course (2021)
- City, University of London, GDL (2020) (Distinction)
- European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation, Venice, MA in Human Rights and Democratisation (2015)
- Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, B.A. European Studies (2014) (First)
- Recipient of the 2023 Bar European Group's Peter Duffy Scholarship
- The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple GDL Exhibition Award (2019)
- City, University of London, Law School GDL Scholarship Award (2019)
- Awarded funding by European Inter-University Centre in Venice to undertake a six-month traineeship at the EU Delegation to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg for graduating amongst the top fifteen students with a Masters in Human Rights and Democratisation (2015)
- Winners’ Category of International Undergraduate Awards Competition in Social Sciences category for paper, “To what extent do Michel Foucault’s views on power and panopticism inform our understanding of modern-day control and surveillance?” (Finishing in the top 10% of 5,500 entries) (2015).
- Dean of Students’ Roll of Honour for Contribution to Student Life as President of the Trinity College Dublin French Society (2011)
- Entrance Exhibition Award from Trinity College Dublin for outstanding Leaving Certificate (Irish equivalent of A-Levels) results (2011)
- UK Environmental Law Association
- The Constitutional and Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA)
- Planning and Environmental Bar Association (PEBA)
- Co-drafter of the Environmental Justice Network Ireland, Queen’s University Belfast School of Law and Lawyers for Nature’s submission to the Irish Citizens’ Assembly entitled, “Rights of Nature in Ireland: Towards a Living Island of Rights-Bearing Communities”, September 2022.
- “Nature Rights are Human Rights: The UN Human Rights Council Resolution on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment”, Lawyers for Nature Blog, 25 March 2022.
- “Bridging the Gap between Law and Reality: The Endurance of Oppressive Cultural Norms and the Silencing of Survivors of Domestic Violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina” in the 2016 edition of the International Journal on Rule of Law, Transitional Justice and Human Rights Vol. 6.
- French (fluent)
- Irish (very good)
- Italian (very good)
- Spanish (very good)
Outside of work, Claire is a marathon and half marathon runner, Lindy Hop and solo jazz dancer. She also enjoys open-mic storytelling. In 2018, she was a National Finalist in the Dublin Story Slam in The Abbey Theatre, Dublin.
Latest from Claire
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Mar' 25High Court Dismisses Challenge to Determination of Fishing Opportunities for British Fishing Boats
Mrs Justice Lang DBE has handed down judgment in R (Blue Marine Foundation) v Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Welsh Ministers, Scottish Ministers and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for Northern Ireland [2025] EWHC 734 (Admin). A copy of the judgment can be found here.
25
Feb' 254-Week Public Inquiry Opens Into the Application of the Port of London Authority for a Harbour Revision Order
A 4-week public inquiry opens today to consider the Port of London Authority’s application for a Harbour Revision Order. The proposed Order would update the Port of London Authority’s powers by amending the Port of London Act 1968.
21
Jan' 254-Week Planning Inquiry Opens Into Proposal for £750 Million Film Studio in Marlow
A 4-week planning inquiry opens today into a proposal to redevelop Green Belt land to the south of Marlow, part of Little Marlow Lakes Country Park, for a £750 million film studio development comprising 18 sound stages, workshops and office accommodation and a large backlot.
20
Dec' 24City of London Corporation Refuses Application For 43-Storey Office Tower Next to the UK’s Oldest Synagogue
On 13 December 2024, the City of London Corporation’s Planning Committee refused permission for a 43-storey office tower at 31-34 Bury Street. The reasons for refusal will be drafted and brought back to Committee for approval at its next meeting.
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Oct' 24Northern Ireland Not on Track To Meet Environmental Objectives in Water Framework Directive
On 03 September 2024, the Office of Environmental Protection (OEP) released a report entitled ‘A review of implementation of the Water Framework Directive Regulations and River Basin Management Planning in Northern Ireland.’
13
Jun' 24Positive Obligations, Standing, and Victim Status in Klimaseniorinnen v Switzerland [2024] ECHR 304
On 09 April 2024, the European Court of Human Rights (“ECtHR”) handed down its long-awaited judgment in three seminal climate cases: Carême v France (ECHR no 7189/21), Duarte Agostinho v Portugal and 32 others (ECHR no 39371/20), and Verein Klimaseniorinnen v Switzerland [2024] ECHR 304, no 53600/20. See Jonathan Welch’s previous blog post on Duarte Agostinho v Portugal.
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Mar' 24Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility in Action: The Advertising Standards Authority bans a Toyota SUV advert for not being prepared with a sense of social responsibility
In November 2023, the Advertising Standards Authority (“the ASA”) made the unprecedented decision to ban two Toyota SUV advertisements on the basis that they had “not been prepared with a sense of responsibility to society.”
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Feb' 24FTB Environmental Law Blog Welcomes New Members of the Editorial Board
Happy New Year from FTB’s Environmental Law Blog! We are delighted to announce two new members of the Editorial Board – Dr Richard Caddell and Claire Nevin, whose biographies are provided below.
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