Next Generation Partners

Rising Stars

IT and telecoms in Northern Ireland

A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland LLP

A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland LLP provides advice and representation to those active at the cutting edge of technology, with experience acting for both domestic start-ups and major multinationals. The team is jointly led by litigator Brendan Fox and Mark Thompson, who specialises in non-contentious matters. Ciaran O’Shiel has experience in defamation, privacy, data protection and content related matters, and Aisling Byrne is a key contact for GDPR compliance. Associates Ronan Marlow and Keith Dunn are names to note.

Practice head(s):

Brendan Fox; Mark Thompson


Other key lawyers:

Ciaran O’Shiel; Keith Dunn


Testimonials

‘Keith Dunn’s advice in relation to a recent IT contract was excellent. Keith is extremely personable and easy to deal with, and his advice was authoritative and concise.’

Key clients

Halo Technologies Europe Limited


Selazar Limited


Irish Football Association


Decora Blind Systems Limited


Payescape Ltd


Axial3D


Bedford Consultancy Services Limited


Work highlights


  • Negotiated and drafted a comprehensive software licence and purchase agreement for Halo Technologies Europe Limited, the world’s leading body cam leasing specialist.
  • Instructed by Axial3D Medical Printing Limited to negotiate a collaboration agreement with Stratasys, Inc. as part of Stratasys’s $15 million into our client.
  • Instructed to review and update Selazar’s B2B suite of contracts with both its warehouse and retail customers, following a recent £20m investment.

Arthur Cox Belfast

Arthur Cox Belfast‘s team is experienced in all areas of IT law, including commercial, regulatory, and procurement law matters. Department lead and firm chairman Alan Taylor has a long history of acting on behalf of public and private sector clients, and is noted for his expertise in data protection issues. Lynsey Mallon is a prominent name in the fintech, regtech, and advanced manufacturing sectors. William Curry specialises in procurement, M&A, and investments, and acts on behalf of major governmental clients.

Practice head(s):

Alan Taylor


Other key lawyers:

Lynsey Mallon; William Curry; Richard Armstrong


Testimonials

‘Spot on team, very knowledgeable and always there to explain and help.’

‘Go the extra mile.’

Key clients

Musgrave Retail Partners NI Limited


Spotify


Department of Finance (LPS)


Sonrai Analytics Limited


Ulster University


Department for Infrastructure (“DfI”)


Northern Ireland Housing Executive


Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Authority


Tourism NI


NantHealth


Work highlights


  • Acted for a new client, Spotify, on its acquisition of Kinzen.
  • Appointed as the sole legal advisers for the LPS’s “Nova Programme”, a series of projects that LPS is to implement in order to update, evolve and transform its current IT solutions and systems.
  • Advised Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Authority on the implementation of its IT contract with Systel for a new command and control IT system for monitoring emergency (999) calls dispatch.

Carson McDowell

Carson McDowell‘s cross-disciplinary team acts for prominent clients in a range of contentious and non-contentious matters. The department has particular strength in the area of cybersecurity, and provides thought leadership in this area. Litigator Declan Magee co-leads alongside Dawn McKnight, who is a cybersecurity expert with experience in the negotiation of ICT contracts and software development agreements. Peter Guzhar is a key contact for contentious commercial, corporate, and IT matters. Senior associate Helen Cosgrove specialises in contractual telecommunications disputes.

Practice head(s):

Dawn McKnight; Declan Magee


Other key lawyers:

Peter Guzhar; Helen Cosgrove


Testimonials

‘The Carson McDowell team bring solutions to problems and have a range of resources that they can call on to cover all potential eventualities. The team work with us collaboratively to ensure we deliver the best outcomes in a legally compliant way.’

‘Each of the individuals in the Carson McDowell team have their own particular strengths and capabilities which we as a client require.’

Key clients

Education Authority


Fibrus Networks Limited


Belfast Harbour Commissioners


Translink


Ubloquity Limited


Ulster University and Innovation Ulster Limited


Queens University Belfast


AquaQ Analytics Limited


STATSports Group Limited


Veriteer Ltd


Work highlights


  • Advising the Education Authority on its procurement of strategic partner services and school management system solution for the Education Information Solutions Programme (to replace C2K).
  • Advising Firmus Energy on its contract with a new cloud-hosting provider and associated SaaS arrangements.
  • Advising Ubloquity on its global customer contracts which are drafted to reflect the blockchain technology which sits behind Ubloquity’s services.

Tughans

Tughans acts on the full range of legal matters faced by technology clients, and is a firm of choice for both indigenous companies and international businesses. The group is led by Adrian O’Connell and managing partner Patrick Brown. O’Connell spearheads non-contentious matters, and has experience in data protection and contract agreements, while Brown leads on a range of high value disputes. Andrew Kirke acts on commercial contracts and software licensing, and has a particular focus on early stage and start-up companies. Director Paul Eastwood has expertise in data protection law.

Practice head(s):

Adrian O’Connell; Patrick Brown


Other key lawyers:

Andrew Kirke; Paul Eastwood


Testimonials

‘Adrian O’Connell excels in his field, his commercial awareness and pragmatism are amongst some of his many strengths.’

Key clients

Invest Northern Ireland


Techstart Ventures LLP


Business Growth Fund (BGF), a £2.5bn UK-based firm that invests in UK-based small and medium enterprises


Kernel Capital (Fund manager of a £30m development capital fund)


Randox Group (global clinical diagnostics provider)


Fusion Antibodies plc (global CRO offering solutions in antibody design and development – one of NI’s three publicly listed companies)


OCO Global Limited


AuditComply (electronic assessment solution)


B-Secur Limited (security technology provider)


First Derivatives PLC (publicly listed technology software provider)


Work highlights


Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Cleaver Fulton Rankin has key strength in the telecoms sector, and acts for major clients in this area such as BT and Telefonica. Team lead Joe Marley advises clients on all aspects of non-contentious real estate, with experience in investment and infrastructure. Paul McBride is well known for his M&A expertise. Aaron Moore specialises in dispute resolution.

Practice head(s):

Joe Marley


Other key lawyers:

Paul McBride; Aaron Moore; Shane Conlan


Testimonials

‘Very approachable and reactive to specific requests.’

‘Personable, knowledgeable and react quickly to requests. Progress instructions in a timely manner.’

Key clients

BT Plc


Vodafone Limited


Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Limited (“CTIL”)


Telefonica


Virgin Media o2 (VM02)


Invest Northern Ireland


Urban Innovation Company (UIC) limited


Vox Financial Ltd


IRP Commerce Limited


Logicearth Learning Services


JC Deceaux


Atos IT Services


Hewlett-Packard


Catalyst Inc


Work highlights


  • Advising a joint venture company made up of Vodafone and Telefonica (O2) on all aspects of its telecommunications sites throughout Northern Ireland.
  • Acting as Counsel for all real estate issues for BT’s NI portfolio.
  • Acting as sole external legal advisers in Northern Ireland for VMO2 and have already been instructed on a number of matters relating to the management of their real estate portfolio throughout Northern Ireland.

Lewis Silkin

Lewis Silkin‘s Northern Ireland offering, which merged with indigenous firm Forde Campbell LLC in 2022, acts for a diverse range of domestic and international clients across cutting edge industries such as neurotechnology, data analytics, and AI. Team lead and former name partner Rory Campbell has over 25 years' experience in the practice area. Legal director Mary Traynor is a key name.

Practice head(s):

Rory Campbell


Other key lawyers:

Katey Dixon; Mary Traynor


Testimonials

‘A collaboration of experts who are accessible and empower their clients through early resolutions where possible to judicial resolution when necessary.’

‘They made our company feel as though they were our partners in every situation, and their expertise was second to none.’

‘Rory Campbell is very knowledgeable on data protection, public sector procurement channels for technology and commercial matters in general. He is pragmatic and commercial in his approach, and very pleasant to work with.’

‘The team impressed me from the outset with their strong technical knowledge. We are a software company in quite a niche space, but the team were ‘fluent’ when speaking about our business.’

‘Rory Campbell is outstanding. We have had the pleasure of working with Rory over the last 5 years. Katie Dixon is also excellent for advice on investment. Mary Traynor for contracts was very thorough.’

‘The team at Lewis Silkin are a pleasure to work with. They are very responsive, have an in-depth knowledge and expertise and provide commercially focused solutions.’

‘Expertise, responsiveness, driven, commercially focused and personable.’

Key clients

Telefonica Tech Limited


ION Group


Automated Intelligence


FD Technologies plc


SmartWorkPlus Limited


Law Business Research Limited


Onesource Virtual (UK) Limited


Analytics Engines


Incisiv


Kinsetsu Limited


Support to Perform


Work highlights


  • Advise Telefonica Tech Limited, a leading digital transformation company, on Cancom Ireland’s £100 million contract with a major English university NHS Trust, reviewing specification requirements and change control procedures as part of Cancom’s ongoing contract management.
  • Advise Dublin based ION Group on some of its subsidiaries’ content subscription strategy and contracts. ION financial software enables financial institutions and corporations to digitalise and automate business critical processes.
  • Advise FD Technologies plc, a leading global fintech provider based in Northern Ireland, on the terms of UK government tech framework and call off contracts, including the provision of a set of standard terms for product licensing.

Millar McCall Wylie LLP

Millar McCall Wylie LLP has key strength in the media sector, advising clients involved in digital content creation and delivery. Damian McParland leads the team, and is highly experienced in M&A and corporate matters. Media specialist Abbie Long advises on contracts, licensing, and terms and conditions.

Practice head(s):

Daminan McParland


Other key lawyers:

Abbie Long


Key clients

Learning Pool Ltd


Kanisi Ltd t/as Rotor Videos


Retinize Limited


Nexus Point Ltd


Humain Ltd


StormHarvester Ltd


Makematic Ltd


Viberoptix


iGame Media Ltd


Cirdan Imaging Ltd


Work highlights


  • Advised Northern Ireland Screen in relation to a computer game project with Rocket Flair Studios with publisher Paradox Interactive.
  • Advised Northern Ireland Screen in relation to a computer game project provisionally entitled “Parcel Corps” with Billy Goat Entertainment and publisher Secret Mode Limited.
  • Acted for Company in review of several framework agreements in relation to provision of medical software and services in connection with same including review of IP licensing and ownership arrangements.