I have recently hit the quarter of a century mark at the Bar (and almost five years in silk) and perhaps this is a good time to look back and reflect upon the road of life which has taken me to this point. I specialise in clinical negligence, serious PI, sports law and arbitration and it is not merely by chance that I have ended up in these areas of practice.

I grew up and was educated in Northern Ireland during the euphemistically described ‘Troubles’ in a deeply divided society. This has had a significant impact upon my life and career. I suspect that this reality made me confront my inherent prejudices at an early stage and has contributed to the development of mechanisms to understand and appreciate difference in society. At school the careers advice was relatively unsophisticated in the 1980s. For those designated as ‘high-fliers’ – if you were good at the arts you studied law and if you excelled in the sciences you studied medicine. It appears that no other careers were available at that time! I recollect musing over my A-level choices, and whether to study Latin and Greek or the sciences. In the end I chose physics, chemistry and mathematics and went on to study medicine at university.

The ensuing several years seemed to vanish into a haze of long hours spent as a junior doctor while I trained in emergency medicine at a time when 100 plus hours per week were common. I was constantly sitting professional medical examinations and emerged with Fellowships of both the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Physicians. During this time I also undertook training in sports medicine and was a Foundation Fellow of the Faculty of Exercise and Sports Medicine.

I worked up to consultant level in emergency medicine but during this time I had become increasingly interested in medico-legal matters. This included writing reports for the police on criminal cases, and solicitors on civil cases. I recollect giving evidence as a witness in a High Court civil trial and explaining the concept of ‘triage’ and its historical development to the judge who was most intrigued, and we had a rather fascinating 15-minute conversation while the bemused lawyers looked on.

Needless to say my interest in legal practice developed further and I investigated different options for studying law and requalifying as a barrister. I went back into full-time study and eventually donned my wig and gown in exchange for my scrubs and stethoscope. It was strange to go from being a senior and experienced member of a profession to a newly minted pupil. My pupil-master offered great support and some helpful advice suggesting that my maturity and previous successful career would provide an advantage. This turned out to be true.

The development of my practice into clinical negligence and personal injury was perhaps not surprising given my background in medicine. The ability to correctly pronounce medical terms and pharmaceutical product names was a wonderful initial step confirming the old adage that confidence is half the battle won. The first clinical negligence case in which I was instructed was a substantial brain injury case arising from inadequate resuscitation and I suspect this was not typical of a barrister in their first week post-pupillage.

Sports law is a relatively new and rapidly developing area of legal practice. It covers a wide range of legal disciplines including regulatory, anti-doping, athlete selection, sports injuries, contractual disputes, player transfers, and more. I came into this area of law by chance and perhaps the good fortune of someone reading that I had a background in sports medicine. A solicitor I had never worked for before contacted me out of the blue with a request to act as mediator in a dispute about a football ground sharing agreement. This went really well and lead to further instructions with a snowballing of sports law work thereafter.

‘How do you get into sports law?’ is a question I am often asked. While I had what could be described as a lucky break there is a real benefit to getting involved in pro bono work with athletes. I would also recommend taking up a voluntary role as a chair of a sporting disciplinary panel as this provides a wonderful opportunity to gain practical experience of sports regulation and to meet others in this area of practice. Sports Resolutions UK provide details of sports bodies who are seeking lawyers for their panels and is worth a look. It also establishes panels of arbitrators to deal with high profile sports cases and joining their panels should be considered. Given that arbitration has a significant role in sports law I would also encourage formal training and certification through the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators or equivalent.

Being a sports lawyer in an Olympic year is always going to be interesting. There are so many athletes in a range of sports who require legal input and in the weeks before the Games there are numerous requests for advice and representation in respect of athlete selection disputes. During the Games there is an army of lawyers behind the scenes alongside ad-hoc tribunals to hear significant disputes and provide resolution within extremely tight time frames. While there are considerable financial resources in the popular sports the majority of athletes have little funding and I (along with many fellow sports lawyers) regularly provide pro bono assistance to athletes. It is a shame that the sports bodies do not provide more assistance to their athletes in terms of providing legal insurance cover or funding.

Another facet of my legal life is practice outside England and Wales which has given me a unique perspective on my career. I am a practising KC at the Northern Irish Bar, and a SC (Senior Counsel – the equivalent of KC) at the Irish Bar. I am also admitted to several jurisdictions in the Eastern Caribbean. When asked about the differences between the different jurisdictions it is important to note that they are all common law based and that when appearing in court there is little real difference in substance and that a good junior counsel can keep you abreast of any local distinctions or intricacies. Experience in other jurisdictions has been incredibly enriching and the opportunity to meet lawyers, clients, and judges in different places has been a wonderful bonus.

What advice would I give to anyone thinking about changing career and becoming a barrister slightly later in life? I am extremely positive about my change of direction and career as a barrister. I am fortunate to enjoy a challenging but stimulating and rewarding career which makes a real difference in people’s lives. As against that the barrister profession is hard work with long hours and relative isolation; it is not for everyone. I would suggest that anyone contemplating a change of career to the Bar should do so with their eyes wide open. Having clocked up 25 years I can affirm the familiar expression that if you enjoy your job you will never work a day in your life.