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A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland’s litigation department displays ‘impressive teamwork, honesty and sincerity’. It acted for John Gildea in a dispute with Ulster Bank over its threat to close the client’s £1m finance facility. Other clients include Devenish Nutrition, Siemens and White Young Green Group. Gareth Walls is ‘very good’ for litigation and is a qualified mediator. Michael Neill and the ‘highly respected and very organised’ Brendan Fox are especially good for insurance litigation.

Arthur Cox’s disputes practice ‘compares most favourably with other leading firms in Belfast’, and is ‘very professional, with excellent attention to detail’. It represented four claimants from Kingspan Group in a £100m product liability case against plastics manufacturer Borealis; and defended Anglo Irish Bank against a customer claim relating to a loan. It is also representing Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank in enforcement actions. Amanda Wylie moved to Kennedys, with the well regarded Catriona Gibson appointed as the new practice head. Associate Ruth Glenn demonstrates a ‘thorough understanding of her area of expertise, exemplary client service, and dogged determination’.

Carson McDowell provides ‘excellent service and generally very good response times’. It acted on construction disputes for clients such as JH Turkington & Sons, Tesco and University of Ulster, and handled debt enforcement actions for various lenders. Declan Magee and his team are ‘very flexible and committed’, and Stuart Murphy inspires ‘great confidence’ and ‘has great business acumen’. Professional indemnity expert Sandra Crawford joined from McKinty and Wright.

Cleaver Fulton Rankin is representing Titanic Quarter in disputes relating to its waterfront development, and acted for Hammerson plc in a Chancery Court case. It won sizeable awards in liability cases for several individual plaintiffs, but also represents defendants. Jonathan Forrester provides ‘excellent litigation advice’. Practice head Patrick Fleming and William Cross are also recommended.

Kennedys recruited Amanda Wylie (‘highly professional, thorough, knowledgeable, prompt, friendly and efficient’) from Arthur Cox, moving the practice beyond its traditional insurance focus to encompass medical negligence and general commercial litigation. Seán Craig is ‘very good for insurance defence’. The firm acted for an architect client of Novae Insurers; recently reached settlement on a defect dispute; and is representing a journalist client of Hiscox Insurance in Northern Ireland’s first test of the ‘reasonable journalist’ defence.

McGrigors Belfast LLP is ‘excellent for general landlord-and-tenant and property litigation’, while construction and professional negligence cases are also prominent in its workload. Clients include Kerry Group plc and SHS Group. Sam Beckett and David Kirkpatrick are highly recommended, as is senior associate Laura Gillespie.

Tughans has ‘a top insurance practice’ as part of 
an extensive litigation department. Kathy McGillie 
heads defence-side litigation, representing major 
insurers in liability claims. Michael McCord heads the commercial litigation team, which represents the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in disputes and recently handled construction and property cases for clients such as Red Sky and Tesco. Andrew Anthony leads on professional regulatory issues and malpractice claims. Toby McMurray and solicitor Barbara Creed are also recommended.

C & H Jefferson is notable for insurance-related defence, including professional negligence, employer’s liability and personal injury matters. Gareth Jones heads the team.

Elliott Duffy Garrett’s experience includes defamation, professional negligence, construction, and insolvency cases. Brian Deeny is well regarded for 
media cases.

Johnsons Solicitors’ expertise includes plaintiff-side IP, privacy and defamation cases, and professional indemnity defence, and the group also handles general commercial litigation. It has been representing magician Uri Geller in a defamation claim against CNN, while other clients include Andrea Corr, Whitney Houston, Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant. Paul Tweed is highly recommended for plaintiff-side defamation cases.

McKinty and Wright represents insurers, manufacturers and other defendants in commercial litigation, including liability cases. The pragmatic Paul Johnston is recommended.

Mills Selig acts on employment, construction and other commercial cases, as well as defamation defence; Paul Spring (noted as ‘prepared to negotiate’) is recommended in the latter area. The firm is acting in a dispute over the sale of Belfast’s Odyssey Cinema. Adam Curry is ‘a good practitioner’, with a specialism in search and seizure matters and injunctions.

Babington & Croasdaile handles negligence, liability and civil disputes, advising plaintiffs and defendants. Killian Conwell and Ian McCarter are recommended.

John McKee & Son’s practice spans corporate, commercial, construction and property disputes, as well as liability and negligence cases. Leonard Edgar and Chris Ross are the main contacts.

Johns Elliot acts on commercial and construction disputes. Ronnie Robinson is the main contact.

McCartan Turkington Breen handles defence insurance work and employment litigation. It acted for NIPSA to obtain a favourable settlement over an equal-pay dispute; and is representing plaintiffs in a shareholder class action. Colin Mitchell and Vivian Harty are key figures.

The ‘very good’ Nigel Brown at McIldowies Solicitors is well regarded for construction cases for plaintiffs.

Joseph Napier at Napier and Sons advised Royal Mail and BT in public liability claims, and handled insurance work for an international bank. The firm’s insolvency practice is also a source of instructions.

O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors acts on construction and property disputes and debt recovery actions, as well as accident, injury and medical negligence claims. It also has a developing judicial review practice. James Turner and Clare Templeton are recommended.

Thompsons McClure is expert in personal injury claims, and also pursues employment cases for trade unions.

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