Staff
The PILS Project currently has two members of staff:
Project Manager and Solicitor: Maria McCloskey
Maria is a solicitor and currently chairs the Law Society of Northern Ireland’s Human Rights and Equality Working Group. Prior to joining The PILS Project in 2022, Maria held the post of Immigration Solicitor with Children’s Law Centre, advising and representing unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and child victims of trafficking.
Maria has considerable experience in policy and advocacy work across a range of human rights issues. She was Chair of the Law Society’s Immigration Practitioners’ Group from September 2017 until February 2019. In September 2017, Maria completed a Masters in Human Rights Law at Queen’s University Belfast. In 2018, she authored and published a policy document, ‘Best Practice in the Provision of Immigration Legal Advice Services’ on behalf of Northern Ireland Community of Refugees and Asylum Seekers. From June 2018 to January 2020, Maria was a Legal Consultant to Barnardo’s Independent Guardian Service.
In the earlier part of her career, Maria was a defence litigation solicitor and Associate Director at Napier Solicitors. She was awarded a Certificate in Advanced Advocacy in 2014 and is a member of the Advocacy Working Party of the Law Society of Northern Ireland. Maria also tutors on a number of courses at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies.
Project Officer and Pro Bono Coordinator: Emma Cassidy