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Prior to coming to the Bar, Cian spent ten years as a legal academic and consultant, teaching public and human rights law, criminal law, and international law. He was a Fulbright-Schumann Scholar at Georgetown and NYU.
Cian has extensive experience in international law having spent ten years as a legal academic before coming to the Bar. In 2024 he published By Peaceful Means: International Adjudication and Arbitration as part of a team led by Judge Charles N. Brower and President Joan D. Donoghue of the International Court of Justice.
Cian’s work includes:
Cian’s earlier publications include an award-winning book, EU Counter-terrorism Law, and extensive writings on EU, international, and transnational law. His current research focusses on advisory opinions of the World Court.
Cian has led NGO rule of law training and spoken at remote oral advocacy training. He has also collaborated on events and programmes with The AIRE Centre, JUSTICE, Lawyers without Borders, and Delos Dispute Resolution. He is a member of the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Research Consortium, the American Society of International Law, and the European Society of International Law.
Cian has significant public law expertise. He has been instructed in relation to judicial review proceedings involving local authorities, Government departments, and in relation to the Coronial jurisdiction.
His successes have included ensuring accountability for actions taken in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. In one such challenge, the Government conceded the need to make changes to its policy on charges for hotel quarantine.
Cian has a particular commitment to the rights of protesters, and has represented protesters in criminal court, as well as assisting with judicial review and civil claims in protest cases. He also advises and offers representation in judicial review matters in the fields of education, Coronial law, and data protection law.
Cian also has an interest in international matters or those with a cross-jurisdictional dimension. He has written about the challenges that decisions such as AB v. Secretary of State for Justice [2021] UKSC 28 pose for human rights advocacy in the European Human Rights Law Review.
Cian regularly acts in inquests touching on deaths in settings including prisons, hospital, mental health custody, and in the community. His inquest practice also benefits from his experience in other fields, including actions against public authorities, education, and community care law, as well as his expertise on the European Convention on Human Rights.
Cian’s instructions have included in inquests into the deaths of:
Cian was led by Maya Sikand KC in the inquest into the death of Mark Culverhouse, who took his own life while unlawfully detained at HMP Woodhill. The jury found that a defect in the system of licence recall and release, as well as detention in the Segregation Unit, contributed to Mark’s death.
He was led by Fiona Murphy in the inquest into the death of Shane Bryant, who died after a 17 minute long restraint by an off-duty police officer and members of the public. The jury found that unreasonable force, and missed opportunities, both contributed to the death.
Cian has particular expertise on the engagement of Article 2 ECHR and has given training on Article 2 and its role in inquests and related civil claims. He accepts appropriate instructions on a public access basis.
Cian advises in relation to data protection claims and related issues in information law – in particular against the police and public authorities in relation to the disclosure of sensitive personal data.
His recent instructions include:
Cian has significant expertise on the impact of technology on privacy and related human rights. He has recently written about the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence.
Cian undertakes education work, and community care work, including under instructions from the Official Solicitor on behalf of vulnerable children and adults, representation before the High Court (Administrative Court), and Special Educational Needs and Disability First Tier Tribunals, and in relation to deprivation of liberty proceedings. Cian’s recent instructions include:
Cian has a strong commitment to access to education and undertakes pro bono work in this field.
Cian offers advice and representation in relation to actions against public authorities, including the police, as well as prisons and local authorities. Recent instructions have included:
Cian is a member of the Police Action Lawyers Group (PALG), and is a contributor to the LAG book: Police Misconduct: Legal Remedies in its chapters on police organisation and on anti-discrimination law and the police.