Claire Edgar

Ms Edgar, a partner and specialist in domestic violence and family law at Belfast firm Francis Hanna & Co Solicitors, was a guest speaker at the European Conference on Domestic Violence 2025 in Barcelona last week.

Presenting alongside Gráinne Murphy KC and Sonya McMullan of Women’s Aid NI, Ms Edgar drew attention to legislative and systemic gaps that continue to affect women and children caught in abusive family relationships.

Her talk focused on how recent changes in legislation, in particular the Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act (Northern Ireland) 2021, have impacted the lived experience of victims in the family courts. 

Drawing on her legal practice, she highlighted the need for sufficient funding and resources for the family courts to help manage the backlog of domestic abuse cases, to properly run fact-finding hearings, and to ensure that special measures are utilised.

She further highlighted the need for monitoring of contact orders in cases where abuse is established, to see whether child welfare and emotional safety are being protected.

She also outlined details of the legal aid waiver scheme which is available to victims of domestic abuse who are defending applications brought to the family courts by their perpetrators and called for a greater awareness and use of this scheme among legal professionals.

Ms Edgar, who also chairs the Belfast Domestic Violence Partnership’s protection and justice working group, said: “I was delighted to take part in the European Conference on Domestic Violence alongside so many dedicated professionals.

“Northern Ireland’s 2021 domestic abuse legislation was a vital step forward in recognising coercive control and the impact on children — but we must continue working to ensure these legal protections are fully realised in practice.”