Patrick Mullarkey

Partner - Healthcare

028 9032 1000 patrick.mullarkey@oreillystewart.com Patrick Mullarkey

Paddy has been in practice since 1993, and has concentrated on healthcare law since 1995. Paddy developed, and led, one of the foremost clinical negligence teams in Northern Ireland before establishing the first dedicated plaintiff healthcare firm, together with O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors, in 2017. During the course of Paddy’s career, he has specialised in complex and high value clinical negligence litigation, concluding multiple multi-million pound settlements, developing a particular expertise in claims arising from birth trauma, cerebral palsy and catastrophic injury. Paddy has led multi-party product liability litigation including claims against a major pharmaceutical company on behalf of clients injured due to a defective medical product. Paddy is a CEDR qualified mediator and regularly avails of this alternative to litigation to bring resolution to difficult and sensitive disputes. He is a Law Society accredited Solicitor Advocate and regularly represents clients before the Courts of Northern Ireland, particularly Coroner’s Courts. In short, Paddy is a Healthcare Lawyer and he devotes his entire professional practice to this field.

Legal Directories

Paddy is recognised by the leading legal directories as a Band 1 ranked Clinical Negligence Lawyer.

Chambers and Partners 2019 – “Patrick Mullarkey specialises in clinical negligence litigation, particularly in cases connected to birth trauma, catastrophic injuries and product liability claims arising from defective medical products. Sources say: “He is an intelligent and motivated lawyer who fights for his clients and leaves no stone unturned. He is a leading light among clinical negligence lawyers in Northern Ireland.”

Chambers and Partners 2020 – “Patrick Mullarkey possesses a keen understanding of cerebral palsy and other birth injury cases and is described as “the go-to” practitioner for plaintiff work. He also undertakes medical product liability issues. Sources say: “He’s very highly regarded and respected. He has a very distinguished reputation.”

Practice Areas

Healthcare

Recent Experience

Coroner Finds Death Preventable at Inquest Read
Failure to diagnose Cauda Equina – £3.25 million damages Read
£300,000 for Shoulder Injury at Birth Read
Child with Cerebral Palsy recovers £8 million for birth injury Read
Inquest – Stephen McElroy (Deceased) Read

Significant Cases

Inquest – Stephen McElroy (Deceased) Read
Child with Cerebral Palsy recovers £8 million for birth injury Read
£300,000 for Shoulder Injury at Birth Read
Failure to diagnose Cauda Equina – £3.25 million damages Read

Specialist Expertise

Healthcare law
Clinical negligence litigation
Birth trauma, cerebral palsy and catastrophic injury claims
Product liability litigation

Memberships

Law Society Clinical Negligence Practitioners Group - Chairman (Dec 2018 - )
High Court Clinical Negligence Sub Committee - Law Society Appointee
Specialist Clinical Negligence Panel - Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA)
Solicitor Advocate - Law Society of Northern Ireland
Mediator - CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution)

“Paddy Mullarkey was our solicitor and he was always very clear and concise in his communication. We could not have found a solicitor with a better understanding of the pertinent issues around our case, or with more tenacity against a Trust who were not as focused on the relevant aspects of the medical records as they should have been. We would highly recommend him to anyone with thoughts of a claim or need of a solicitor.”

Alan and Sarah

“"I was continuously impressed by both Paddy and Rosemary on numerous occasions, their professionalism, charisma and commitment throughout the whole case sealed my confidence in them. My family and I will always be grateful for this. Thank you once again, you are a credit to your profession"”

A.M. and family

“...I know that you deal with difficult situations daily and I am sure that can be very hard. I would like to thank you for all of your efforts and sympathy in my daughter’s case. Losing my daughter has been absolutely devastating for us as a family. One positive to come out of it is seeing the generosity of people who we had not even met, who just wanted to help in any way that they could. People like you and Dr Pearse. I cannot describe how grateful we are to both of you....I needed to know that I’d done all that I could for my precious little baby. You have helped me toward reaching some kind of peace. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

”

Judith and David

“Paddy Mullarkey and Rosemary have been kind, sensitive and hugely supportive to our family during these very difficult years. Paddy and his team provided an excellent service to our family following the sudden death of our mother...helping us through a very difficult process. Our sincerest thanks.”

William and Family

“I am delighted this is over for the family. You thanked me, but I am very conscious of the fact that it was you who personally drove this with vigour. A lesser advocate would not have achieved this result. Frankly my input was negligible – and indeed it was you who persuaded me (correctly) to adopt a more hawkish tone than I might have done. It should also be noted that it was you who pushed for the disclosure of the details of the timings of the notification of the abnormal LFTs to the ward – which was the killer blow for the Defendant”

Richard Porter

Expert Witness and Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist

“Again, thank you so much for all your help over the last two years. It is as if a layer of stress has been lifted from us since the inquest has been completed! That is something at least and you have exposed the lack of care provided to S and the poor staffing at Daisy Hill which is what we wanted from the outset. Thank you”

Pattie and Paul

“Undoubtedly one of the very best Med. Neg. lawyers in the U.K. Extremely bright, efficient and thorough, leaving no stone unturned in his quest for justice for his clients. I have enormous respect for him”

Richard Pearse

Expert Witness, Consultant Neonatal Paediatrician

“Just a little note to express our deepest gratitude for all your professional and personal endeavours throughout our legal journey towards final answers for us and compensation for J. It is a long time since I first met you, about seven and a half years, with little to go other than my statement, gut feeling and a lack of transparency from the health professionals. Thank you so much for not quitting on pursuing the truth…for such a positive and life changing result. You were too kind in your praise for my help with the case but the sentiment is much appreciated, as was your professionalism and utmost tenacity and attention to every detail…Deepest gratitude once again…”

Liz and Alan

“In particular I wanted to acknowledge Paddy’s extraordinary work over the past number of years in bringing a case which had lagged in the doldrums of representation to such a fruitful conclusion. When I first met (our expert) in London for consultation he informed me that Paddy was the single most outstanding solicitor on the Island of Ireland. We humbly concur. Oren and I collectively appreciated his capacity to call things straight, to be efficient to measure that puts some of our Wall Street colleagues to shame, and to maintain a sense of humour and good sense throughout. His deft fine-tuned analysis was always on the money… Oren and I particularly appreciated his personal support to us both as we travelled a road (by legal means) which involved much more for us than the application of rules and precedents to relevant legal facts We are in your debt…”

Fionnuala and Oren

“Superstar”

Maeve Stella and Zoe

“Just a few lines to say a big thank you for your time and expert advice relating to my brother Martin’s sudden death. This has been a very painful and difficult journey but the sensitive and professional manner in which you advised us has helped us greatly in looking at things differently…”

Agnes Jill and Michael

“You displayed tremendous professionalism throughout and we were always confident we were in good hands. Mena and I are absolutely delighted with the outcome.”

Mena and Frank

“You will never know how much your commitment to my case has meant to me and my family. I am now able to move on from this, knowing that I was at least listened to and it was acknowledged that my treatment was not right. You always dealt with me honestly and treated my family with respect. Thank you so much for your hard work…you have restored my faith in the legal system and I didn’t think I would ever be able to say that…I will always remember your efforts”

Wilhelmina

“Just a little note to say thank you so much for all your hard work, the Judge was right to compliment you, you are very special and a great solicitors…”

Terry, Geraldine and Simon

View All Testimonials