Jacqueline McAleese > Carson McDowell > Belfast, United Kingdom > Lawyer Profile

Carson McDowell
MURRAY HOUSE
MURRAY STREET
BELFAST
BT1 6DN
United Kingdom

Work Department

Litigation.

Position

Jacqueline is a partner in the litigation department at Carson McDowell LLP and works within both the healthcare and commercial litigation teams. Jacqueline has extensive experience of defending doctors in relation to clinical negligence claims, of mixed but primarily high value on behalf of Medical Defence Organisations and Insurers, including Medical Protection Society, the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland and Lloyd’s Underwriters. Jacqueline’s breadth of experience also includes defending other (non-clinical) professionals in relation to High Court negligence claims to include surveyors and architects on the instructions of their professional indemnity insurers; defending personal injury/industrial disease claims on behalf of various insurers, loss adjusters/self-insured companies and defending claims arising from general accidents (including catastrophic injury/fatal accidents). Jacqueline also has experience of conducting judicial review proceedings associated with various healthcare matters and of assisting/advising doctors/corporate bodies in relation to public inquiries/inquests. In addition, Jacqueline has very significant experience in defending companies in relation to health and safety investigations/criminal prosecutions following serious work-related accidents and deaths, which has involved assisting with site investigations, representation at formal interviews with the police/the health and safety executive Northern Ireland (HSENI), and advice and representation in relation to HSENI prosecution proceedings. Jacqueline regularly provides bespoke seminars in relation to healthcare law and health and safety law.

Career

Trained Everatt & Co (now Plexus Law); qualified 2003; assistant solicitor Everatt & Co 2003-06; associate solicitor Arthur Cox, Belfast 2007-08; assistant solicitor Carson McDowell 2007-08; associate solicitor 2008-14; partner 2014 to date.

Languages

French.

Memberships

Law Society of Northern Ireland.

Education

St MacNissis’s College, Garron Tower; Queen’s University, Belfast (2000 2(1) Joint Honours degree in Common and Civil Law with French); College of Law, Chester (2001 Commendation).

Lawyer Rankings

Northern Ireland > Insurance > Personal injury and clinical negligence: defendant

(Leading individuals)

Jacqueline McAleeseCarson McDowell

Carson McDowell‘s dedicated personal injury and clinical negligence teams provide clients with ‘prompt and detailed service’, with experience acting in the full range of matters. The clinical negligence group is jointly led by managing partner Roger McMillan, who is active in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and Jacqueline McAleese, who focuses on high-value birth injury, expedited cancer, and complex cervical cancer mandates. Catherine Carton and Cathal O’Neill lead the personal injury team, with Carton particularly active in the retail, engineering, education and social housing sectors, while O’Neill is noted for his expertise in industrial disease claims, including asbestos-related matters.

Ireland > Healthcare and life sciences

Carson McDowell, the Belfast-based firm, has brought its extensive clinical negligence defence expertise to the Dublin market. Growing its team in recent years, and with a number of Belfast-located practitioners also spending time in the Dublin office, it has gained considerable traction in the Irish market. Clients include the Medical Protection Society and Dental Protection. Sinéad Keavey leads the Dublin office and has extensive experience in defending healthcare professionals and indemnifiers. Kathleen Byrne is another key clinical negligence defence specialist, having joined the office from Clyde & Co in 2022. Jacqueline McAleese splits her time between Belfast and Dublin.

Ireland > Insurance

Carson McDowell has a giant insurance practice split between its Dublin and Belfast offices. It has a formidable presence in clinical negligence, with further expertise in personal injury. Much of the Dublin team’s work centres on representing the Medical Protection Society. Head of clinical claims Jacqueline McAleese works across both Dublin and Belfast and continues to defend large claims in Ireland. Managing partner and head of healthcare Roger McMillan also practises in both jurisdictions. Head of the Dublin office Sinéad Keavey is a senior name in clinical negligence defence, along with fellow Dublin partner Kathleen Byrne.