Staff

The PILS Project has three staff members:

Project Manager & Solicitor: Melissa Murray

Melissa studied law at Trinity College Dublin and qualified as a solicitor in Northern Ireland in 2005. She worked with Sheridan and Leonard solicitors, a Belfast based firm, from 2003-2005 as an apprentice, and from 2005-2009 as a solicitor, specialising in criminal law, whilst also managing a public law and family law caseload. Melissa joined the PILS Project in 2009 when it was first established and has helped build the work of the Project since then in her role as Project Manager and Solicitor.                   

Development Officer: David Hawkins

David studied Law with French at Queen’s University Belfast, graduating in 2003. As part of his degree, he spent a year studying at the Université Catholique de Louvain, at Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium. He studied at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies and qualified as a Solicitor in 2006. After qualification, he worked for a firm specialising in the area of criminal defence work. In September 2009 he joined Housing Rights, an NGO dedicated to the prevention of homelessness, where he was part of a team that sought to prevent the repossession of homes due  to mortgage arrears. He joined the PILS Project as Development Officer in May 2012.      

Project Officer: Dervla Morris

Dervla studied law and accounting at Queen’s University Belfast and qualified as a solicitor in Northern Ireland in 2005.  She worked with P. Haughey and Co Solicitors in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone as an apprentice solicitor from 2003-2005 and from 2005-2009 as a general practice solicitor.  From 2009-2011 she worked as a family law solicitor at GT Stewart Solicitors in London.  She moved back to Belfast in 2012 and worked as a Legal Advisor in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.  She joined the PILS Project in 2014.