
About Larkin Cassidy Solicitors
Larkin Cassidy Solicitors bring together three of North Belfast’s best established solicitors. The Carlisle Circus practice was set up by local solicitors Sinéad Larkin and Stephen Cassidy to provide a high quality, professional service to local people. The two partners have brought their extensive experience and reputation together to become one of the North’s most respected law firms.
Each of the solicitors is an expert in their chosen field and guarantee each client the best possible service with an emphasis on a holistic and personal approach to legal work. Larkin Cassidy Solicitors take greatest pleasure in taking a client to a place of resolution where they can go home happy.
Sinéad Larkin
Sinead Larkin graduated from Queens University Belfast in 1995 with a LL.B. Honours Degree in Law and thereafter attended the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Queens University Belfast Sinead qualified as a Solicitor in 1997.
On qualification, Sinead chose to specialise exclusively in the practice of all aspects of family law. Sinead has dedicated her entire career to this area of law and is considered to be a senior practitioner in the field of family law.
Sinead spent some of her early career practicing family law in Dublin and having returned to Belfast has spent the vast majority of her career working and serving the needs of the people of North Belfast where her practice is based. That said, Sinead’s reputation as a Family Law Solicitor is extensive, and Sinead acts for clients throughout the jurisdiction and beyond with a sizable international clientele from as far a field as the Middle East to North America.
Sinead advises on all aspects of Family Law to include divorce and the division of the capital assets of the relationship, clean break agreements, collaborative law, children’s law, wardship proceedings, child abduction and Hague Convention proceedings, Court Orders to protect the person and regulate who can reside in the home, Injunctions, civil partnerships etc.
Sinead has held a number of offices as is reflective of her standing among her Family Law colleagues namely secretary of the Association of Family Law Solicitors for Children and as a member of the Belfast Solicitors Association where she sat on the Family Law Sub Committee. Sinead has also previously acted in an advisory role to the Northern Ireland Law Society in relation to Family Law matters.
Sinead is a long standing member of the Children Order Panel which is a specialist panel of Children Order Solicitors approved and accredited by the Northern Ireland Law Society. In 2012 Sinead was selected on to the prestigious panel of Solicitors appointed to represent children by the Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency in Public Law proceedings pursuant to the Children (NI) Order 1995. Sinead is also a member of the NI Collaborative Law Association membership of which offers Sinead the opportunity to assist couples to resolve the breakdown of their relationship in the least contentious means possible.
For many years Sinead has worked with Women’s Aid Outreach Workers in North Belfast to provide advice, assistance and representation to women and their children at a most vulnerable time in their lives. This is perhaps the area of work which Sinead find’s most rewarding as it provides an opportunity to effect real and immediate change in a family’s or individual’s life.
Sinead is totally committed to ensuring that each of her client’s receives her individual care and attention. No one is more conscious, than Sinead, that the breakdown of a relationship, the unravelling of ones personal or family life, the removal of one’s child or being deprived of contact with a child represents the lowest point in a client’s life and every effort to support and guide a client through the legal process is provided by Sinead and her staff
Away from business, Sinead is married with 3 sons; sits on the Board of Governors of St Marys Christian Brothers Grammar School, is actively involved in the local community and is a member of the GAA.
Stephen Cassidy
Stephen graduated from Queens University Belfast in 1999 having received his earlier education in Fermanagh. He was apprenticed to the senior partner of the largest legal firm in the North of Ireland which enabled him to gain invaluable insight and experience in dealing with a wide range of complex and challenging legal issues.
After qualifying as a solicitor in 2001 he remained with the firm for two years allowing him the opportunity to develop and hone his skills in conveyancing, personal injury and criminal law. It was during this period that Stephen was drawn towards human rights and criminal law in particular and subsequently joined a leading North Belfast firm where he earned a reputation as a leading criminal lawyer and advocate.
Stephen has acted for countless clients over the last ten years at police stations, magistrate’s courts and for serious criminal cases at the Crown Court. He has represented clients in some of the biggest, most complex and high profile criminal cases to come before the Courts in Northern Ireland. Stephen prides himself on his professional and tenacious defence of his clients and has earned a reputation with clients, fellow colleagues and the judiciary as a fair but firm defender of all his clients. Stephen always ensures that he is readily available and approachable to his clients and understands that it can be a distressing and anxious time for clients and their families when they are brought before the courts or subjected to investigation by police. He ensures that his clients receive comprehensive clear advice and that his clients’ rights are robustly protected throughout the duration of their case.
Stephen qualified as a solicitor advocate in 2009 and has enormous experience running all manner of cases from motoring and driving offences, theft, assault, benefit fraud, drugs offences to rape and murder.
Stephen also has extensive experience in litigation recovering compensation for clients who have sustained personal injury as a result of road traffic accidents, slipping or tripping accidents, accidents at work and all types of personal injury claims. Stephen ensures that his clients are all fully informed as to the progress of their claim and ensures that the maximum compensation is obtained in the minimum time possible.
Stephen also has a general practice and is keen to advise clients on any legal matter regarding wills, probate, debt recovery, product liability and judicial review.Stephen is fully aware that every case is massively important to each individual client and ensures that full advice is given on the entire remit each client’s case and that all that all aspects of their case are dealt with in a timely and professional manner.
Niall Ward
Niall Ward graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a Bachelors of Laws with Politics Degree in 2021. Niall commenced his apprenticeship with Larkin Cassidy Solicitors in 2021 and will attend the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Q.U.B. where he will study for his professional qualifications and will qualify as a solicitor in September 2023.
Niall’s apprenticeship will focus on the practice of litigation and criminal law under the guidance of Stephen Cassidy Partner.
In his spare time Niall is a keen sportsman and an is active member of the GAA.
Holly Flannery
Holly Flannery graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a Bachelors of Laws Degree in 2016. Thereafter she attended the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Q.U.B. where she gained her professional qualifications as a Solicitor in September 2019.
In the same year Holly joined Larkin Cassidy Solicitors. She specialises in Family Law, Matrimonial Law, with a particular specialism in the securement of Protective Orders to include Non Molestation, Occupation and Protection from Harassment Injunctions.
Holly places significant importance and emphasis on building relationships with clients and approaches cases with sensitivity, empathy and a commanding knowledge and experience in the practice of family law required to take clients step by step thought what can be an emotionally demanding process.
Holly works alongside Sinead Larkin, Partner, within the Family Law Department at Larkin Cassidy Solicitors.