Browne Jacobson Ireland LLP

brownejacobson.com

NPS ®

Christopher Bullock

Christopher is a partner with extensive experience across the full spectrum of corporate and commercial law. He primarily focuses on M&A transactions and private equity investments across a range of industries, including life sciences, engineering and construction. He also advises clients on joint ventures, corporate reorganisations and restructuring matters. His recent experience includes advising on multiple acquisitions across the United Kingdom for a leading Irish transport group, the acquisition of a manufacturing business for a major Irish/UK construction group, several management buyouts of SMEs, and a significant private equity investment in a local fintech business by a global private equity fund. Christopher was educated at Queen’s University, Belfast and also spent a year studying at Université Toulouse 1 Capitole, France. He is qualified to practise in Northern Ireland and England and Wales. Christopher is recognised by both The Legal 500, where he is highlighted as a Leading Associate, and Chambers and Partners, reflecting the strength of his corporate and commercial expertise.

Barbara Creed

Barbara is a partner and head of the Commercial Disputes Team in Belfast with over 20 years of experience of complex commercial disputes. Barbara has led some of Northern Ireland’s most significant landmark cases, covering a wide variety of sectors. Her work frequently comprises of complex business ownership disputes, business crime and fraud, commercial contract disputes, professional disputes, property and technology and product disputes. She has significant experience of both local and multi-jurisdictional disputes. Barbara has extensive experience in Alternative Dispute Resolution and always seeks the most commercially advantageous outcomes for her clients. Barbara qualified in Northern Ireland in 2005 and was previously a partner in one of Ireland’s largest law firms. Barbara is known for her highly commercial, down-to-earth approach. She has a proven track record of obtaining excellent results in complicated disputes. She is dual-qualified to practise in Northern Ireland and England and Wales and holds a certificate in Advanced Advocacy.

William Darmody

William is a partner and head of Browne Jacobson’s Irish corporate team. William has extensive experience in company law matters, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, venture capital and private equity investments. He also advises many high potential growth companies and innovation driven enterprises with legal issues relating to scaling, fundraising, corporate governance and day-to-day commercial matters. He has been involved in many of Ireland’s most significant equity financings and M&A transactions in recent years and has experience across a range of sectors including technology, life sciences, retail, education, manufacturing and aviation. Having worked in the Irish corporate law market for over 12 years, William has built a strong reputation due to his commercial understanding of his client’s needs and a solution driven approach. Prior to joining Browne Jacobson in January 2024, William worked for international law firm Maples Group for over eight years and prior to that in a large Irish corporate law firm. He has also been named as a key lawyer with The Legal 500 EMEA.

Rowan Gibney

Rowan is a principal associate in the banking and finance team, advising financial institutions and borrowers on a broad range of finance transactions, with experience in real estate finance, corporate financings and multi-jurisdictional transactions. He also performs a critical role in M&A transactions, assisting with ‘buy side’ banking due diligence. Rowan has developed strong relationships with several of Northern Ireland’s pillar banks and often leads on our bank panel transactions. Rowan is qualified to practise in Northern Ireland and in England and Wales.

Lindsey Harten

Lindsey ia a legal director, specialising in restructuring and insolvency and distressed M&A. She has acted for insolvency practitioners, secured and unsecured creditors and companies on a significant number of complex and high-profile insolvencies. Lindsey also routinely advises lenders in relation to security enforcement and debt restructuring matters and provides pre-insolvency advice to directors and stakeholders faced with distress. Lindsey’s practice also extends to general corporate matters, including distressed M&A, disposals and intra-group reorganisations. Lindsey completed her training contract with one of Northern Ireland’s largest commercial firms and qualified as a solicitor in 2008. She subsequently practised as a senior associate in the restructuring teams of both a leading Irish law firm and a Magic Circle law firm. Lindsey is dual qualified to practice in Northern Ireland and England and Wales Lindsey has been ranked as a 'Next Generation Partner' in Legal 500 and in Chambers and Partners as an 'Up and Coming' lawyer.

Jeanne Kelly

Darragh Killeen

Michaela Kilpatrick

Michaela is a partner in the commercial real estate team and is based in our Belfast office. She advises clients on a broad range of high-value real estate transactions across Northern Ireland and England and Wales. Michaela has significant experience advising clients on acquisitions and disposals, development projects, commercial leasing, asset management matters, construction and secured lending transactions. Michaela regularly acts for property investors, high net worth individuals, developers, landlords and tenants across a wide range of sectors. Michaela is ranked in both Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500. In 2024, Michaela was awarded 'Young Lawyer of Year' at the Insider Media NI Young Professional Awards.

Kirsten Magee

Kirsten is a dispute resolution partner based in our Belfast office. Her practice covers a broad spectrum of commercial disputes, including professional indemnity claims, breach of contract/negligence cases, shareholder disputes, breach of confidence/springboard injunctions, intellectual property disputes and judicial review with a commercial slant. She also has significant expertise in assisting corporate clients with health and safety investigations, Coronial inquests, and related criminal and civil proceedings. Kirsten qualified and practised in Scotland before relocating to Northern Ireland in 2008. She has practised as a dispute resolution lawyer for over 20 years. Kirsten was educated at the University of Edinburgh and Queen’s University, Belfast. She is qualified to act in Northern Ireland and England and Wales. Kirsten is ranked by both Chambers and Legal 500 for Litigation and Intellectual Property.

Ciaran Markey

Shane McVeigh

Shane is a commercial litigation and dispute resolution legal director, specialising in insolvency and restructuring. Qualified in 2011, Shane acts for insolvency practitioners, financial institutions, businesses, directors, receivers and creditors on all issues in both contentious and non-contentious matters. Shane advises on a range of matters to include bankruptcies, administrations, liquidations, voluntary arrangements and receiverships. Shane has advised clients from sectors that include professional services, banking, manufacturing, commercial property, retail and hospitality. Shane is an experienced litigator with experience of a variety of actions in the Commercial Court and the Chancery Court. Such actions include ordinary commercial disputes, shareholder disputes, debt recovery, professional negligence, repossession of property / goods and enforcement of securities. Shane also has extensive experience in mediation and alternative dispute resolution. The Legal 500 have singled out Shane as "an excellent associate". Shane stands out in the marketplace because of his "accessibility and ability to be agile and move quickly when required as well as having the knowledge required to produce results".

Aisling Owens

Aisling is a banking and finance Partner at Browne Jacobson, based in Belfast. She advises both lenders and borrowers on a broad range of finance transactions, including syndicated lending, acquisition finance and general corporate lending. She specialises in development and real estate as a sector.  Aisling is qualified to practise in Northern Ireland, Ireland and England and Wales and regularly advises in each jurisdiction. She spent twelve years with another leading Irish law firm, working between offices in Belfast and Dublin. Aisling is ranked as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ in the Legal 500 and as a ranked lawyer in Chambers and Partners.