Karen Blair

Chairman & Director

k.blair@cfrlaw.co.uk

Karen is the firm’s Chairman and is head of the Planning & Environment, Public Law and Licensing teams. Her vast experience in these fields allows clients to obtain proactive, practical advice quickly and easily on even the most complex legal situations.

Karen has experience in acting for local public law bodies and national and international clients in various sectors including mining, aviation, tourism, retail, waste and energy. She has advised in respect of many key infrastructure projects throughout Northern Ireland.

Karen receives numerous commendation from clients and in legal directories which consistently recommend her as a leader in these fields.

Karen is a Legal Associate of the Royal Town Planning Institute and a member of the Executive Committee and Council of the UK Environmental Law Association (“UKELA”). She is also a Governor of the Linenhall Library in Belfast.

Specialist Areas

Recent Articles

March 7th, 2023

The Offshore Renewable Energy Action Plan & NI’s Road to Net Zero

Our clients tell it best.

“Karen Blair is great at communicating clearly with clients. She brings a very calm and measured approach to difficult issues, and is extremely diligent.”
“Karen has an encyclopaedic knowledge of public law.”
“Karen Blair and Brendan Martyn are outstanding practitioners. Commercially astute and tactically aware. Capacity for hard work and commitment to client care.”
Karen Blair is considered a leading light in the industry, with an excellent track record in a wide array of environmental law work. She has a wealth of experience of waste and energy matters, as well as long-standing expertise in the environmental aspects of development and regeneration schemes. “She is very dedicated, prompt with replies and great on attention to detail.”
Karen Blair is a key figure in the development planning market in Northern Ireland and regularly leads on major planning applications. A client notes her “excellent knowledge of planning law,” while another market source describes her as “down-to-earth and approachable.”
Karen Blair is a “premier environmental and planning lawyer”. Clients note, “Karen Blair’s cool and calm nature soothes even the hardest of situations.”
“Karen is very knowledgeable and has a comprehensive approach to problems.”
“Karen Blair keeps a very even keel and never loses focus of the law on everything and all that she does, emotion never plays a part – she keeps all our feet on the ground and has far sight into matters that may bring problems in the future.”