Catriona is Chair, partner and Head of the Dispute Resolution practice in the Arthur Cox Belfast Office. 

As a result of her strategic, client-focussed market offering and end-to-end service, Catriona has accumulated an enviable list of leading multi-national and indigenous businesses across all major industry sectors. Catriona specialises in commercial, product liability, and finance litigation and acts in major, high-profile and heavyweight cases before the courts in Northern Ireland and London. As Head of Dispute Resolution, Catriona has been the architect of the practice’s independently-recognised success and capabilities, earning it a Top Tier Recommendation from Legal 500, who cited the professionalism and helpfulness of the team.

Relevant Experience

• Acting for Bank in defending claim by 6 borrowers (total lending in excess of £100 million) alleging undue influence and misrepresentation against the Bank on the basis of alleged representations by a bank manager that the Borrowers facilities would be renewed for a period of up to 20 years despite a lower defined term of lending in the accepted facilities. The matter was listed for expedited trial in 5 months. Given the resources of our team this was easily achievable in spite of size of the litigation, especially disclosure
• Acting for a Bank in 10 separate actions in relation to companies connected with a large leisure development. The Bank was both Plaintiff and Defendant in the actions which include claims for breach of contract, misrepresentation and negligence
• Acting for a Pension Fund in pursuing an £8m investment claim. The case became heavily defended with the defence raising allegations that the loan was void and in breach of FSA Regulations and that the Fund was in breach of its Bank authorisation. Further there was a claim that the loan was ultra vires the powers of the Fund. Judgment for the full amount was obtained
• Instructed by a Bank in a £2m recovery action. Successfully defended appeals of the Master’s Order in the Chancery Court, Court of Appeal and the borrower’s appeal to the Supreme Court was refused
• Acting on behalf of a multinational banking and financial services company in recovery of large amounts of agricultural equipment. This included obtaining injunctions to stop disposal and preserve the assets against which full recovery was made
• Acting for major PLC in a legally and technically complex, £100m product liability action against supplier of raw material. The case was one of the largest litigations in the UK and was run in the Commercial Court London. Legal issues include choice of law jurisdiction, international supply contracts, misrepresentation, breach of contract, tort, time bar and quantification of loss. Discovery amounted to over 2 million documents by paper and e-disclosure. There were 6 technical experts for each party reporting on the material supplied and processing of the material two forensic accountants reported past and future losses as well as loss of profits. The case involved over 20 witnesses for our client
• Lead Partner in court managed professional negligence action which was the first court managed litigation of the kind. The action involved over 300 actions with 6 panel firms representing the Bank
• Acting for automotive manufacturer in warranty dispute involving 6 franchises with counterclaim by franchisee
• Defending pharmaceutical company in product liability claims
• Defending actions for breach of warranty following business sales