Claire Macmaster

Claire joined Simpson Millar in May 2019 and works in the Claims against Public Authorities Department in our Public Law Team in London.

She has a mixed practice of public law and civil damages cases, as well as representing bereaved families at inquests. Claire completed her training contract with Leigh Day, training in the Personal Injury and Human Rights Departments and qualifying into the latter in September 2018.

Her main interest is in obtaining remedies for women and young people who have survived sexual and gender-based violence and exploitation and who have been failed in this respect by public authorities.

Claire has been working in the legal sector since 2003 in Scotland, England and abroad. Claire has worked as an asylum caseworker in Glasgow representing women and girls who had been trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and domestic servitude; in local government in Scotland advising on the operation of the then proposed National Referral Mechanism for the identification of Victims of Trafficking and as an Anti-Trafficking Advocate for trafficked women and girls at the Poppy Project, Eaves.

Claire has also worked on anti-trafficking issues in the Balkans with the OSCE and as a human rights monitor for the EU in the Republic of Georgia. During her training contract, Claire completed a Certificate on Skills for Working with Survivors of Sexual Violence before volunteering on the National Rape Crisis Helpline.

In addition to her legal qualifications, Claire holds an LL.M International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex and a Postgraduate Diploma in Russian Language from the University of Glasgow, both awarded with Distinction.