• Public law
• Healthcare law
• Mental Health law
• Child Care law
• Administrative law
• Judicial review
• Dispute resolution
• Civil litigation

Engagements

• Facilitated a legal clinic for a range of Domestic Violence Services
• Provides regular training sessions on the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act
• Previously acted as a Support Group Facilitator for Bodywhys - The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland
• Previously acted as a Dublin Online Services Volunteer for the ISPCC

Education

• BSocSc in Social Science from University College Dublin
• Diploma in Healthcare Law with the Law Society of Ireland
• Law Society of Dublin (Qualified Solicitor)

Professional Memberships

• On the expert panel of the Decision Support Service as a Decision-Making Representative.
• Law Society of Ireland
• Irish Women Lawyers Association

• Katie has advised on multiple High Court cross-jurisdictional cases for Tusla and the HSE in various complex and sensitive matters in respect of vulnerable persons. Katie has also been involved with Brussels II bis Regulation related matters for minors travelling to and from the UK following their need to be placed in a placement requiring detention orders and then returning to step-down placements in Ireland.

  Case examples include:

  • Assisted in advising Tusla in the extremely high risk and sensitive case. The person had been the subject of special care orders and was then made an adult ward of court. They had been placed in Coovagh House as a minor and had been involved in a series of violent incidents and had expressed a desire to cause serious harm / kill a female and her own mother. The person was also transgender. It was difficult to find a placement for them in both the UK and Ireland due to their high risk to the community. The matter was regularly before the High Court. Katie liaised with the clients and all legal parties involved in the matter and attended Court on each occasion for the adult wardship proceedings.
  • Assisted in advising Tusla in the case where a person who was made a ward of court to facilitate their transfer to the UK in 2018. The person was transgender and was also the subject of a full care order and a special care detention order. They had a history of severe self-injurious behavior and assaultive behavior before their transfer to the UK, however, in 2020, there was a positive change in the case and they were transferred back to Ireland to a step-down community residential placement.
  • Assisted in advising Tusla in a case where a person was made a minor ward of court to facilitate the HSE in detaining them in the adult psychiatric unit in Cavan General Hospital. They were a child in care from 2004 and also the subject of special care orders. In March 2019, they were transferred to St Andrews in the UK and returned to Ireland in 2020 when they reached the age of 18 and a placement was found for them in Co Cork. An application for adult wardship was brought to facilitate this transfer and the case was a great example of interagency co-operation between the HSE and CFA. Assistance was also required in liaising with the UK High Court of Justice.