Firm Profile > Carson McDowell > Belfast, Northern Ireland

‘Claire McCloskey is hard working and delivers results for clients.’

‘Sinead McGrath must be the calmest lawyer I have ever worked with. She is unflappable while keeping all parties working together and focused on what needs to be delivered, despite competing priorities and conflicting opinions. A complete star.‘

‘Sinead McGrath is one of the top banking lawyers in Northern Ireland. She is highly experienced, commercial and easy to deal with, and has a good negotiation style – personable but firm. She inspires confidence and delivers on everything that is asked from her.‘

‘The team has outstanding knowledge of commercial property law.‘

‘They offer very professional, down-to-earth advice.‘

‘Carson McDowell is a well-established practice that has grown significantly in the past number of years. We have enjoyed an excellent service from a number of the specialisms with the firm, particularly construction and real estate.‘

‘Gavin Kerr is a highly diligent solicitor who applies a common-sense approach to negotiations in the best interests of his clients. Gavin has excellent experience and a thorough understanding of the complexities of the construction contracts and how this relates to the challenges of the real estate market.‘

‘Carson McDowell consistently provides excellence service and advice in multiple areas of corporate law in a very prompt and effective way.’

‘Neasa Quigley is our “go to” senior attorney. She provides expert assistance in many areas of corporate law and general counselling.’

‘Carson McDowell is, in a word, exceptional. The team is always available for advice, responsive in meeting tight deadlines, and focused on the detail whilst never losing sight of the bigger picture.‘

‘The difference between Carson McDowell and its competitors is that you always feel that you are Carson McDowell’s most important client.‘

‘Richard Gray and dispute resolution partner Declan Magee both offer exceptional service and are highly effective in obtaining results that the clients prioritise.’

‘Carson McDowell’s partners understand their disciplines fully rather than pretending to and the junior staff are the equal of partner level in many larger firms in terms of ability.‘

‘Richard Gray and Neasa Quigley both excel in their disciplines, exude professionalism, create client confidence in their abilities and manage their own in-house teams with the minimum of fuss.‘

‘Carson McDowell is the market leader in Northern Ireland and the “go to” firm when it comes to dispute resolution. The team is prompt to respond to issues, always keeping the client fully informed of any developments and seeking to adopt a commercial and pragmatic approach to dispute resolution.‘

‘Hugh McGrattan is considered the pre-eminent solicitor in the dispute resolution arena, always delivering an excellent service and desirable outcome.‘

‘Carson McDowell’s team produces consistent excellent advice promptly. The team is very experienced.‘

‘Hugh McGrattan and associates Shauna McAuley and Timothy Cockram give good, prompt, consistent advice, covering all aspects of claims.‘

‘Carson McDowell has one of the largest teams in Belfast. The multi-service practice is capable of dealing with any size of dispute, and is particularly able to resource high-value, complex or document-heavy cases.‘

‘Declan Magee is one of the market leaders in dispute resolution and prepared to fight his corner very hard. He is also good in leading his team, which includes a range of solicitors covering all areas of dispute resolution from insolvency to intellectual property and procurement.’

‘Carson McDowell is very professional and thorough. The team is proactive and communication is consistently of a high standard. They are a great support to our office.‘

‘Associate Fergal McGoldrick always has a good handle on cases. He is good at listening to what you want rather than what he thinks you want.‘

‘Declan Magee has great depth of understanding on issues and the knowledge to address them.‘

‘Carson McDowell provides an excellent level of service. It has a strong in-depth team with commitment to fast response times and offers straightforward advice, avoiding wasted time and effort on futile arguments.‘

‘Shauna McAuley and Gillian Greenfield are both excellent associates who respond quickly, which is of course invaluable to clients. They work proactively and offer clear, no-nonsense advice in their jurisdiction.‘

‘The team led by Hugh McGrattan is very proactive and efficient.‘

‘The firm is very commercial and has the ability, strength and resources to stand out from other competitors.‘

‘Hugh McGrattan always makes himself available and will listen to and talk through alternative solutions. His knowledge and expertise in his practice area is second to none and he is very much respected by others.‘

‘Shauna McAuley is one to watch as a future leader in her field.‘

‘Declan Magee is approachable and empathetic. He looks beyond the obvious in pursuing the efficient resolution of commercial disputes.‘

‘Associates Lucy Clarke and Niamh McGuckin are strong team players who deliver to demanding timescales.‘

‘There is an exceptional depth and breadth of relevant experience across the team, in terms of both partners and associates.‘

‘Rachel Penny is simply outstanding: highly commercial, highly practical, and very attentive to the nuances of specific cases. She is great to deal with and a real people person.‘

‘Leona Rankin is very attentive, with very keen eye for detail, highly responsive and exceptionally professional.‘

‘The team provides sound, pragmatic advice and solutions in a timely manner, even in some complex scenarios.‘

‘Orlagh O’Neill consistently and speedily provides sound advice and assistance which is both practical and solution focused. It is always a pleasure to work with her.‘

‘We were impressed by the speed with which Peter Guzhar responded and identified the core technical issues.’

‘The ultimate one-stop shop for medical practitioners seeking legal assistance in Northern Ireland. The team has a unique and unrivalled strength in depth in every facet of medical law, be it clinical negligence or regulatory. They are unique in their absolute commitment to the client’s cause, leaving no stone unturned in defending breach or causation.‘

‘Roger McMillan is the top clinical negligence defence lawyer in Northern Ireland. He stands out for his absolute unwavering dedication to client care. He brings a dogged determination to the defence of his clients which is unrivalled not only in Northern Ireland but across the UK. He is totally on top of the law, with a razor-sharp intellect and superb analytical and tactical skills which achieve outstanding results for clients.‘

‘Jacqueline McAleese is superb with clients and extremely thorough.‘

‘The team is very well-organised, commercially minded and provides high-quality in-depth legal analysis with clear recommendations.‘

‘Jacqueline McAleese is an excellent lawyer who is always willing to go the extra mile to secure great results for her clients.‘

‘There is no doubt that this is the strongest clinical negligence team in Belfast.‘

‘Roger McMillan is one of the best practitioners in Belfast in clinical negligence.‘

‘Associate Laura Menary has very strong technical expertise and is particularly good at clinical negligence defence litigation.‘

‘Jacqueline McAleese is highly experienced in clinical negligence. She is very competent and has huge technical knowledge.‘

‘The team has a clear understanding of insurer clients’ needs and the insurance market and cycles, with a focus on indemnity spend and ultimate costs.‘

‘The team has expertise in marine personal injury and industrial disease claims, and is quick to respond, friendly and easy to work with.‘

‘Claire Harmer and associate Cathal O’Neill know their stuff, will always respond quickly and take into account commercial as well as legal issues.‘

‘It is a team of very capable lawyers offering a broad range of expertise within the field of employers’ liability and public liability defence litigation. What makes them stand out, however, is their ability to assess each matter both as a standalone claim, but also in the context of any wider impact such claims may have on their client company.‘

‘The team stands out for its provision of expert legal advice covering a wide range of circumstances; clear desire to understand the environment within which its client company operates; and availability and willingness to talk through individual issues on an ad-hoc basis.‘

‘The team has sound and detailed technical knowledge of all aspects of litigation, fast response times, and is prepared to go the extra mile.‘

‘Claire Harmer is technically very knowledgeable: she does not need to constantly rely on counsel and engenders confidence in her decision-making ability. Claire is very personable and approachable, building strong relationships with large corporate clients. She is able to grasp the issues and relay them succinctly, in layman’s terms.‘

‘The team is professional, reliable, approachable and knowledgeable in its field.‘

‘The whole team is technically strong and gives clear and sensible advice. They are commercially aware and I trust and value their views.‘

‘Jacqueline McAleese is an exceptional lawyer. Her advice and tactical awareness cannot be faulted.‘

‘The team has a considered approach plus attention to detail. They deliver work in a timely and efficient way and are proactive in easing the burden of personal estate administration. They have good client relationships.‘

‘The firm is uniquely placed due to the size and variety of its offering. Not only is there a very credible private client team, but private clients can also avail themselves of a wide variety of legal offerings in house.‘

‘Neil Bleakley and Fiona Kirkpatrick are first class in terms of their attention to probate files. All is dealt with extremely efficiently and in a timely manner.‘

‘Carson McDowell is a well-respected local firm. Both Neil Bleakley and Fiona Kirkpatrick are methodical, diligent and conscientious and clients are impressed with their approachable and professional manner.‘

‘Neil Bleakley surrounds himself with a quality team of high-calibre individuals. He is very knowledgeable and keeps the language simple when dealing with clients, who can typically be bombarded with jargon that means very little.‘

‘Carson McDowell offers an excellent service and can be relied upon to address matters in a timely fashion. The individual strengths of the firm’s staff include a proactive approach with a style that is professional but approachable.‘

‘Carson McDowell is the leading practice in Northern Ireland. The team offers timely, informed advice, supported by its extensive knowledge and experience. Advice is not just given, but is delivered in a transparent, concise fashion. The team clearly take a pride in their work and seek at all times to deliver the best for their clients.‘

‘What makes the staff stand out is their passion for the work at hand and desire to deliver. In particular, Gary McGhee leads the team with an assured manner and clarity of purpose that infuses the team and clients with confidence. His knowledge of the local market and relevant legislation and case law is exceptional.‘

‘Solicitor Faye Phillips also exudes confidence that matches her knowledge and capabilities. Faye co-ordinates clients and experts with a clear focus on the delivery of quality product and results.‘

‘Carson McDowell has a very strong team. It is well regarded and one of the few firms to be able to deal with the most complex, difficult and high-value cases.‘

‘The team is technically astute with a strong commercial approach to every assignment.‘

‘Darren Toombs is a calm pair of hands for difficult circumstances with a very commercial approach – he is a trusted adviser.‘

‘Darren Toombs is very approachable and willing to think laterally to offer solutions.‘

‘The team is responsive and knowledgeable, provides sensible practical advice, and doesn’t sit on the fence.‘

‘The team is very friendly, with competitive prices, value for money and very easy to work with.‘

‘Darren Toombs is very commercial while retaining the legal position. He works in partnership with his client, and does not just provide the legal advice but provides overall strategic advice.‘

‘The team is excellent. Very user-friendly and give clear, well considered advice.’

‘Technical knowledge in civil litigation matters is a given for all practising solicitors, but this is matched at Carson McDowell by their commercial understanding and sensitivities of our insurer client’s needs and dynamics of the market. Their service is tailored to our individual client needs with cross jurisdiction experience which is essential in Ireland for cross-border trade and with Brexit looming. We first encountered them on a client’s set panel and have since recommended them to other clients.’

‘A relative newcomer to the market, Carson McDowell are making their mark. Quick turnaround and accurate advice are making them an up and coming player in the defence healthcare market in the Republic of Ireland.’

‘Jacqueline McAleese is exceptional. I trust her advice on merits and strategy. She has an excellent eye for detail, is a skilled negotiator and stands firm when needed.’

‘The quality and consistency of the advice we receive and outcomes achieved from the Civil litigation Team led by Claire Harmer are excellent. Claire is always accessible and there is a reliability that instills a trust and confidence. They have assembled a highly experienced team; we would deal with Catherine Carton, Niall Skelton, Cathal O’Neill and John McCloskey. Communication is always measured, appropriate and timely. With their experience comes appreciation of insurers needs, particularly around quantum opinions, recommended financial reserves and they maintain a pragmatic approach.’

‘They are very experienced and technically sound in all aspects of Civil litigation, consistently providing a very high level of service. They place the client first with a swift response to any technical queries. A pleasant and engaging manner.’

‘The recent new addition of Karl Redmond to the Carson McDowell team is an excellent addition to the team. Karl’s knowledge of the industry and litigation landscape is overwhelming and is resulting in prudent and accurate decisions on cases saving time and money for clients.’

‘Karl Redmond is an exceptional medicolegal professional with vast knowledge of the sector.’