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A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland remained busy, particularly thanks to its niche strengths in venture capital, healthcare, media and technology. Highlights included Ireland-wide advice to Quinn Group on corporate restructuring; and representing Axereal Union de Cooperatives Agricoles on its £120m acquisition of Greencore plc’s malting business. Other clients include Certus, VFM Healthcare and UTV Media plc. Mark Thompson and Belfast office head Peter Stafford are ‘exceptional lawyers’, and Gareth Walls is ‘very good’ for employment, corporate governance and licensing. Sara Armstrong is also recommended.

Energy is a major part of Arthur Cox’s corporate focus. Alan Taylor led as local counsel on Viridian Group’s £1bn disposal of NIE plc (formerly Northern Ireland Electricity) to ESB. The firm also represented AES on acquiring shares in Premier Power Ltd, and Total Produce plc on buying Fagan Fruit Ltd. Other clients include Diageo, Nord LB and Warner Chilcott. Alan Bissett (‘professional, efficient and friendly’) joined from Carson McDowell in September 2009, while Anne Gilroy moved in-house to Tayto.

Carson McDowell’s ‘partners and associates take a very flexible and committed approach to getting 
to know your business and identify your needs’. Recent activity focused on corporate finance and contract 
work, such as acting for Wrightbus Ltd on negotiations with Transport for London regarding a design, maintenance and manufacturing contract for a new 
public bus; Dalradian Resources Inc’s on its IPO on the Toronto Stock Exchange; and Vertical Wind Energy on a series of funding rounds. Other clients include Invest NI and SISAF Ltd. The group recruited Neasa Quigley from Tughans. Practice head Michael Johnston is ‘commercial and trustworthy’; Dawn McKnight is ‘prompt, resourceful and creative’; and David Jamison is also recommended.

McGrigors Belfast LLP is ‘very reliable and accurate, and adds significant value’. Among notable recent instructions, it acted for W&R Barnett Ltd on the £67m acquisition of Tate & Lyle’s global molasses business; represented Homecare Independent Living on selling a 50% stake in Homecare NI Ltd; and advised Henderson Group on acquiring a retail franchise. Practice heads Paul McBride and Richard Gray are ‘pragmatic and sensible’; McBride is an ‘excellent negotiator with a very effective presence’, while Gray is ‘approachable, commercial and likeable’.

Tughans provides ‘clear advice that is very focused and timely’. It acted on the local aspects of ESB’s £1bn acquisition of NIE plc, and also represented the venture capital shareholders in selling Lagan Technologies Ltd to KANA Software Inc; it is noted for its ‘good tech industry knowledge’. The ‘decisive, experienced’ John-George Willis heads the practice, while managing partner Ian Coulter is ‘very efficient, with good business awareness’. Both James Donnelly (‘enthusiastic and hardworking’) and Vicky Dummigan (‘efficient’, with ‘good technical knowledge’) made partner in 2010.

Cleaver Fulton Rankin is an ‘excellent, time and quality-driven practice’, which represents many 
charities, technology companies, investors and property interests. It advised Xerox Corporation on acquiring Imaging Business Systems (NI); advised on structuring and incorporating Full Circle Management Solutions Ltd; and acted for ADL Tile & Stone Ltd on acquiring the business and assets of A Donnelly Ltd from administration. Charities and technology expert Jennifer Ebbage and the ‘excellent and tireless’ Scott Kennedy are recommended.

Mills Selig is ‘a good corporate boutique’ with an eclectic client base. Richard Fulton is qualified in Northern Ireland and England, and is ‘a very sensible transactions lawyer’. Chris Guy represented shareholders during O’Kane Poultry’s sale to Moy Park.

Ken Rutherford heads C & H Jefferson’s corporate practice, which represents longstanding clients such as Bombardier Shorts Inc and Harland and Wolff.

Elliott Duffy Garrett provides corporate and commercial services for domestic and international clients. Practice head Kevin McVeigh is ‘on the ball’.

Johnsons Solicitors provides ‘very strong business acumen and good value’. It acted on Balcas Ltd’s £9.5m fundraising for a new renewable energy facility in Scotland, and also advised the estate of George Best. Practice head John McMahon (‘a very commercially minded, service-driven lawyer’) is qualified in Northern Ireland and several other jurisdictions. Consultant John Marshall is ‘very good – concise and to the point’.

John McKee & Son has a line of corporate instructions stemming from its banking clients. Julie Huddleston is the main contact.

McKinty and Wright handles M&A and contractual matters. Gordon Greenfield heads the team.

Millar McCall Wylie acted on two management buyouts in 2010, and also represented the vendors of Energystore Ltd’s share capital. Damian McParland heads the practice.

Linus Murray heads O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors’ commercial department, which primarily advises on start-ups and partnering matters.

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Legal Developments in the UK

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