Claire Sugden (born 7 August 1986) is a Northern Irish politician who was the Minister of Justice in the fourth Northern Ireland Executive from May 2016 to March 2017. She is a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for East Londonderry, having been co-opted to the position after the death of David McClarty in 2014, and won election to the seat in 2016, 2017 and 2022. She is an Independent Unionist, and is considered to be one of the most socially liberal unionist MLAs in the Assembly. Early life and education Sugden was born the youngest of five children of Arthur and Elizabeth Sugden. Arthur was born in Leeds and worked as a prison officer, and met Elizabeth in Castlerock. Claire Sugden was raised in the Greenmount area of Coleraine. She attended Killowen primary school and Coleraine High School before studying a bachelor's degree in politics at Queen's University Belfast and graduating in 2008. She also has a master's degree in Irish politics from Queen's University Belfast and was studying part-time for a master's degree in political lobbying from the Ulster University when she was co-opted as an MLA. Political career Early political career After graduating in 2008, Sugden was an intern at the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. She then interned at the United States Department of Health and Human Services as part of the Washington Ireland Program. In 2008, she began working as a parliamentary assistant for David McClarty, then Ulster Unionist Party MLA for East Londonderry, a role she maintained until her co-option in 2014. In 2011, she managed McClarty's campaign for East Londonderry after he resigned from the UUP and stood as an independent unionist. She was co-opted as a member of Coleraine Borough Council in 2013 after McClarty resigned his seat on the council. She was nominated to succeed him in his seat in February 2014 after he fell ill. Co-opted MLA After McClarty's death in April 2014, Sugden was co-opted as the MLA for East Londonderry, becoming one of the youngest MLAs in the Northern Ireland Assembly. In her maiden speech, on 16 October 2014, she told MLAs to "Be mindful of how far we have come, because that is important, and take responsibility for the power that you hold." She served as a member of the Committee for Employment and Learning from 12 May 2014 to 30 March 2016