Dame Siobhan Keegan | |
---|---|
Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland [a] | |
Assumed office 2 September 2021 | |
Nominated by | Boris Johnson |
Appointed by | Elizabeth II |
Preceded by | Sir Declan Morgan |
Justice of the High Court of Northern Ireland | |
In office 23 October 2015 –2 September 2021 | |
Personal details | |
Born | June 6,1971 |
Citizenship | United Kingdom |
Residence | Northern Ireland |
Education | Sacred Heart Grammar School,Newry,County Down,Northern Ireland |
Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast |
Occupation | Jurist |
Profession | Law |
Dame Siobhan Roisin Keegan DBE KC (born 6 June 1971) is a Northern Irish judge who has been Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland [b] (styled Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland) since 2021. She was formerly a judge of the High Court of Northern Ireland from October 2015 until her appointment as Lord Chief Justice,prior to which she practised as a barrister specialising in family law.
Keegan was educated at St. Clare's Primary School and Sacred Heart Grammar School,Newry,County Down,Northern Ireland. [3] [4]
She studied law at Queen's University Belfast and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in July 1993. After further study,she was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in September 1994. [4]
Keegan became a barrister when she was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in September 1994. [4] She specialised in family law but has also had experience in criminal law and judicial review. [3]
She was made a Queen's Counsel (QC) in June 2006. [4] Between 2011 and 2013,she served as Chair of the Family Bar Association. [4] In 2014,she was elected Vice Chair of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland. [5]
For each of the financial years from 2013 to 2015,Keegan was the fourth-highest-earning barrister in Northern Ireland in terms of legal aid,having received £504,177 in 2012/2013,£513,405 in 2013/2014,and £427,632 in 2014/2015. [6] [7] [8]
On 23 October 2015,Keegan was appointed a judge of the High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland. [3] [9] She was sworn into office by Sir Declan Morgan,the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland,at the same time as Denise McBride. [10] This made Keegan and McBride jointly the first female high court judges of Northern Ireland. [3] [5] On 23 November,she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). [11]
On 16 June 2021,Keegan was nominated to be Northern Ireland's first female Lord Chief Justice. [12] [13] Keegan chose to be styled Lady Chief Justice and was sworn-in on 2 September 2021. [14] On 29 September,Keegan was appointed to the Privy Council. [15]