Mark O'Brien O'Reilly

FTB is a barristers’ chambers specialising in planning, environmental and public law.

A graduate of University College Dublin and the University of Cambridge, Mr O’Reilly was called to the Bar of England and Wales in October 2020.

During his pupillage, he was awarded the Reid Scholarship by Gray’s Inn, the Inn’s most prestigious scholarship which is awarded to a pupil barrister of exceptional merit.

His recent experience includes acting as junior counsel to Douglas Edwards KC in a judicial review concerning the scope and power of a local planning authority to impose conditions under the Wheatcroft and Newbury principles.

He also represented a local planning authority as junior to Meyric Lewis at a seven-day inquiry defending their refusal of planning permission for 289 residential units.

He assisted at several planning inquiries throughout his pupillage, including an inquiry concerning inappropriate development (a Gypsy/Traveller site) in the Green Belt and within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and an inquiry considering the merits of a large residential development in a semi-rural location. He also assisted at a section 247 stopping up and diversion order inquiry.

Mr O’Reilly acted as sole counsel in the High Court on behalf of a defendant resisting an application for an interim injunction to restrain a breach of planning control. He was instructed as junior counsel to Morag Ellis KC for the hearing of the substantive application.

He has also acted as sole counsel in the High Court on behalf of National Highways Limited and successfully obtained a possession order against trespassers.

He has extensive experience of appearing as sole counsel before the Magistrates’ Court and the Crown Court. He is instructed as sole counsel in a forthcoming Definitive Map Modification Order inquiry.

Mr O’Reilly is also a member of the Attorney General’s junior junior scheme and has been regularly instructed to advise several government departments.

He assisted with defending several judicial reviews concerning the government’s policies on climate change, including a complex and high profile three-day judicial review before the Divisional Court concerning the Paris Agreement.