“To all of my colleagues at HHD, I want to thank you for your friendship and support over the past many years.

I joined HHD in 2012 working in the Criminal Law Department headed by Partner Matt Higgins.  We were a busy and formidable team from day one.

Perhaps my most lasting memory is an event that occurred within a short time of starting my new role.  A Crown Court judge suddenly decided to list a reporting restriction in a highly sensitive case that had been obtained on strong human rights grounds.  I knew within an hour the story would go viral and the consequences for the client would have been catastrophic.  It was late on a Friday, right in the middle of Christmas party season. Here I was alone carrying a huge responsibility.  I rang Matt Higgins, and together we somehow managed to get the case listed before a High Court judge that same evening.  Little did I know that was the start of many Christmas Party events being overtaken by the demands of work!

That was the first of many interesting and important cases we worked on together, ultimately for and on behalf of our clients. As the department began to expand, we were joined by John O’Kelly who, thankfully for us, was as interested in all things law as we were. It made for some interesting coffee breaks!

HHD gave me the opportunity to work on the most interesting human rights and Court of Appeal cases of my career, many of which are published cases providing precedence and guidance in NI.

In 2018 I announced my intention to return to the Institute of Professional Legal Studies and retrain as a Barrister.  I was humbled when the firm supported me through this transition meaning I could continue to work and save for my career change.

Perhaps the most important skill I will take with me from my time at HHD is what I witnessed and  learned about client care.  I hope I can continue to apply the same client focused approach to every client I have the privilege of representing as a Barrister. ”

Charlene Dempsey , January 2021