Ciara McPhillips
Principal Solicitor
Expertise
Ciara has worked with Michael Boylan Litigation since its inception and became a Partner in 2021. Previously, she worked for a number of years solely in the field of plaintiff litigation in both Dublin and her hometown of Monaghan. Over that time, she has worked on a wide array of cases arising from delays in diagnosis, birth injuries and defective medical products and devices. She currently acts in cases related to all aspects of healthcare to include psychiatry, gynaecology, neurosurgery, cardiology, oncology and emergency medicine.
Ciara has a particular and in-depth knowledge of Foetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder (FVSD) and the prescription of sodium valproate ( Epilim ). Ciara is proud to work, together with the Organisation for Anti-Convulsant Syndromes Ireland (OACS Ireland), in this area and has acted in the only successful cases in this jurisdiction in relation to the prescription of Epilim to expectant mothers with epilepsy.
She understands that those who have suffered as a result of medical negligence, understandably feel let down by a system and professionals in whom they trusted, and often feel unheard.
Ciara is a graduate of University College Dublin where she completed a Bachelor of Civil Law. She subsequently undertook a LLM in Queen’s University Belfast. Ciara has also studied in Istanbul and at University College Galway.
Ciara undertakes lecturing, on the subject of healthcare law, with University College Dublin, the Law Society of Ireland and La Touché Training.
Recent cases of note
MBLLF secures €12 million in damages for 14 year old boy damaged in utero by Epilim
Ciara instructed senior counsel for a teenager who alleged that two doctors failed to properly inform his mother about the risks of taking sodium valproate (Epilim) while pregnant. He was diagnosed with autism and foetal valproate syndrome disorder. The case settled in the High Court for €12 million against both defendants, plus legal costs, without any admission of liability.
A 13-year-old boy with autism, who sued a neurologist alleging a failure to properly inform his mother about the risks of taking sodium valproate (Epilim) during pregnancy, settled his High Court action for €15 million, and his brother secured a further settlement of €2.65 million. The firm has about thirty valproate cases at various stages of preparation and has called for a redress scheme so that affected families do not each have to go through litigation.
