The Legal 500

United Kingdom > Northern Ireland > Finance > Insolvency

Editorial sections

Other

All countries

A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland’s Michael Neill 
is one of the market’s leading insolvency specialists; 
he is ‘very pragmatic’, ‘brilliant and rounded’. The practice’s major mandates included advising Quinn 
Group on its £1.2bn restructuring; and PwC as joint administrator of the Taggart Group. Other clients 
include BDO, Grant Thornton, Anglo Irish Bank, HSBC and Ulster Bank.

Arthur Cox recruited the ‘excellent’ Kieran 
McGarrigle – ‘a top insolvency practitioner’ – from McGrigors Belfast LLP. The team advised the administrator on legislation to allow the Presbyterian Mutual Society into administration, and KPMG as administrator of several insolvent companies including Rowley Leisure Parks. Bank clients include Anglo Irish Bank, Barclays, Northern Bank and Ulster Bank. Angus Creed, Ruth Glenn and litigator Catriona Gibson are also recommended.

Jeanette Donohoe heads the practice at Cleaver Fulton Rankin, which is advising BDO on Bargain Books’ administration; PwC on the administration of a large property company; and Caterpillar Financial Services Ireland plc as a secured creditor.

McGrigors Belfast LLP’s insolvency team repositioned itself as part of the firm’s UK-wide offering following Kieran McGarrigle’s departure to Arthur Cox. The Belfast team is now headed by director Sinead McGrath. It acted for several fixed-charge receivers, including KPMG regarding Lavelle & McAlinden, while other clients include Anglo Irish Bank and Ulster Bank.

Napier and Sons has ‘a top personal insolvency practice’, and is representing three of the six directors in the Presbyterian Mutual Society insolvency. Its recent clients have also included Bank of Ireland (Scotland) and PwC. Licensed insolvency practitioners John Gordon and Brigid Napier are recommended.

Tughans’ ‘very good’ insolvency department is ‘responsive and its depth of knowledge impressive’. It is representing several banks in security enforcement actions; and advising PwC as Reflex Mouldings Ltd’s administrator. Practice head Toby McMurray is ‘well informed and a strong advocate for clients’.

C & H Jefferson advises many insolvency practitioners; banks on debt recovery; and corporate clients on restructuring and turnaround. Ciara McCloskey and Ken Rutherford are the contact partners.

Carson McDowell advises banks and building societies as lenders on debtor restructuring. David Jamison is the key contact.

Elliott Duffy Garrett provides business recovery and insolvency advice as part of its corporate practice. Michael Wilson is a licensed insolvency practitioner.

John McKee & Son advises banks on debtor restructuring and defaults, and also handles personal insolvency and corporate restructuring matters. Former PwC lawyer Julie Huddleston heads the team.

Millar McCall Wylie is advising receivers on property portfolios, and corporate clients on restructuring, as well as acting for banks including Bank of Ireland and KBC Bank Ireland plc. Damian McParland heads the team.

Mills Selig advises corporate debtors, creditors and insolvency practitioners on insolvency, restructuring and debt recovery. Clients include Northern Ireland Water. John Kearns heads the group.

Search News and Articles

Press releases

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
    - 11KBW

  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
    - 11KBW

  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
    - 11KBW

  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW

  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW

  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
    - 11KBW

  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue:
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP

  • Premium service for tier 2 and 5 sponsors to be launched

    A premium service for sponsors will be launched by the UKBA on 6 April 2012. The service is designed specifically for companies that sponsor international employees under tier 2 and 5 of the points based system and aims to provide them with enhanced support.
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP

Press Releases in the UK

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to
© 2012 www.legal500.com