The Legal 500

4-10 DONEGALL SQUARE EAST, BELFAST, BT1 5HD, NORTHERN IRELAND

What we say about the firm's legal practice in Northern Ireland

Corporate and commercial

Within Corporate and M&A, tier 4

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.

Finance

Within Banking and finance, tier 4

Millar McCall Wylie was appointed to the NAMA panel, and reviewed Bank of Scotland (Ireland)’s secured portfolio during 2010. Other clients include Anglo Irish Bank, Bank of Ireland and KBC Bank Ireland plc. Damian McParland heads the practice.

Within Insolvency, Millar McCall Wylie is a third tier firm,

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.

Private client

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Millar McCall Wylie is a second tier firm,

Quick, efficient, and down to earth’, Millar McCall Wylie advises companies and individuals on tax, trusts and probate. It has recently been advising on a number of business agreements between family members. Practice head Conor Wylie demonstrates ‘in-depth knowledge of taxation and trusts’.

Real estate

Within Commercial property, Millar McCall Wylie is a second tier firm,

Millar McCall Wylie is ‘very good – commercial and professional’, and ‘capable and creative’. It is active for retailers, including Starbucks and Monsoon Accessorize Ltd, in property portfolio management, and is assisting Card Factory with its Northern Ireland rollout. The group also represents healthcare clients and charities. Practice head Peter McCall is ‘quick and accurate’, and senior associate Simon Fleming is ‘very commercial when negotiating leases’.


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.
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  • 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.
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  • 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.
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  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
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  • 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:
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  • 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.
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  • 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.
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  • 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.
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  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue:
  • 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.