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Maria Maguire QC
Queen's Counsel : 2002
Year Of Call : 1987
Areas of practice
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Summary
Maria Maguire QC has a busy civil practice. Chambers & Partners 2012 highlights Maria as "a first-class clinical negligence advocate who is revered for her straightforward and hard-working approach. She specialises in complex brain injury and cerebral palsy cases and clients are left impressed with her ability to 'always take every available argument'." and "has produced some fantastic results". The Legal 2011 notes her as " ‘quite superb’, ‘absolutely diligent in all aspects of her work’, and with an ‘immense’ knowledge base is able to ‘conduct fairly high-brow medical consultations with expert witnesses intelligibly and concisely without missing anything out’. She is regularly instructed in high-value complex cases and cases which have significant legal or policy considerations. Maria acts on behalf of defenders, insurers, local authorities, professional bodies and individual pursuers - including those funded via legal aid, trade unions or on a speculative basis. Maria also acts for clients in Health & Safety Prosecutions.
Experience
Extensive advocacy experience gained over 20 years at the Bar. This includes Inner and Outer House experience in a wide range of cases: Reclaiming Motions, Proofs, Judicial Review hearings, Jury trials, Procedure Rolls and high profile Fatal Accident Inquiries and Health and Safety Prosecutions (Maria Maguire practised for a number of years at the Criminal Bar). Maria has acted in numerous multi-million pound settlements.
Selected cases
- D's Parent and Guardian v Greater Glasgow Health Board [2011] CSOH 99 - for pursuer. Clinical Negligence. Birth Injury. First Scottish case dealing with issue of periodic payments. Interim damages reported at earlier stage of case at 2003 SLT 511(OH).
- Reynard v Exquisite Quisine Ltd 2006 S.C.L.R. 319 - for pursuer. £1.2 million awarded for reactive arthritis from food poisoning.
- James Morris v Fife Council [2008] CSIH63 - for defender. Historic sex abuse claim and first Scottish award. Full review of interest on damages in historic claim. James Morris v Fife Council ,2007 S.L.T 693, 2005 S.C. 72 (IH), 2003 S.L.T 926 (OH) - proof or jury, issues resisted.
- Shirley McKie v Chief Constable, Strathclyde Police (IH) 28 February 2003 - for defender. Wrongful arrest, case dismissed.
- Woodward V William Moodie, Chief Constable, Fife Constabulary 1998 S.L.T.1342 - for defender. Wrongful detention - absolvitor.
- Tracey Ormsby v The Chief Constable, Strathclyde Police [2008] CSOH143 - for the defender. Pursuer, police officer, seeking £1.5 million, awarded £3,000.
- The E.coli Fatal Accident Inquiry - for North Lanarkshire Council.
- The Cornton Vale Inquiry - for the family.
- The Darren Denholm Dental Anaesthesia Death Inquiry - for the Anaesthetist.
- The Ida Honeyman Inquiry - death during plastic surgery - for the Consultant Surgeon.
- HMA v Abernethy Trust
- for the Trust. High profile Health & Safety Prosecution in fatal case.
Professional appointments
- Standing Junior Counsel to the Home Office: 1999 to 2002
- Member of the Diversity Working Group of the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland
- Member of the Court Personal Injuries User Group
- Member of the Damages for Wrongful Death Advisory Group, Scottish Law Commission
Faculty of Advocates appointments
- Member of the Training and Admissions Committee: 2005 to 2008
- Member of the Board of Examiners: 2005 to 2008
- Member of the Dean's Council: 2005 to 2008
- Member of the Disciplinary Rules Investigating Committee panel of chairpersons
- Curator of the Advocates Library
- Advocacy Skills Instructor on the Advocates Training Course
Professional Memberships
- Member of the Faculty of Advocates Personal Injury Law Group
- Member of the Faculty of Advocates Alternative Dispute Resolution Group
- Member of the Faculty of Advocates Professional Negligence Group
