THE FIRM: The market-leading public law team at this large firm attracts clients from both the public and private sectors and is able to advise on a broad range of public law issues. Recent highlights include taking a judicial review regarding disclosure of documents to the House of Lords.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Declan Magee heads the group.

THE FIRM: This firm is regularly appointed as Northern Irish counsel by major City law firms working on big transactions in the region. For example, it was recently appointed by DLA Piper UK to provide Northern Irish legal advice to Barclays on a total loan facility of £65 million for a corporate acquisition. Other clients include Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank, Anglo Irish Bank, Honda Finance and Bank of Scotland.

SOURCES SAY: "Reliability, approachability and quality." 

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Tom Adair's reputation for being "responsive, helpful and knowledgeable" reflects that of the firm.

THE FIRM The firm handles work on behalf of both doctors and dentists and is considered equally adept in both areas.

SOURCES SAY: "This firm has been doing clinical negligence work for years, it knows all the people involved and can resolve issues effectively."

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Roger McMillan  (Band 1) heads the team and is commended for his leadership skills. He is also credited with "having his finger on the pulse of the market - and he has an excellent understanding of all the technical terminology."  His practice encompasses regulatory work in the medical arena and civil claims. Associate Clare Bates (Associate to Watch) focuses exclusively on clinical negligence claims. "She is extremely bright and always manages to get a good result," interviewees say.

THE FIRM: Carson McDowell is a long-established fixture in the Northern Ireland construction market. The group advises on the full range of construction issues, both contentious and non-contentious. Recent highlights include advising the Belfast Harbour Commissioners on the construction elements of a range of projects, including the £5 billion Titanic Quarter development.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Declan Magee heads the group.

THE FIRM: This full-service corporate practice is valued by clients for its pragmatic and commercial approach and its extensive expertise in M&A, venture capital and corporate governance. It represents many prominent Northern Ireland companies, such as Northstone and Wrightbus Group, and also represents major UK players such as BlueCrest Capital Finance LP in its investments in Northern Ireland companies. Recent highlights include acting for the vendors on the sale of Tomcat Systems to Philips.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: David Jamison is one of the driving forces in the practice and is commended as "an excellent, commercially astute corporate lawyer."  Michael Johnston (Band 1) continues to win praise as one of Northern Ireland's most prominent corporate lawyers. He recently acted for Farrans Construction, Pattons Construction and H&J Martin on joint venture arrangements for PFI projects. 

THE FIRM: This firm is hugely respected within the Northern Ireland market. The team has a strong focus on commercial debt, where it acts for banks and building societies, among others. The firm is widely acknowledged for its expertise in insolvency and commercial litigation, so the group unsurprisingly handles a considerable amount of contested cases. Tesco, Chelsea Building Society and Autotrader Magazine are among the team's most significant active clients.

SOURCES SAY: "They provide a friendly service, have strong communication skills and apply their expertise well."

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Darren Toombs heads the team.

THE FIRM: This firm has long been a leader in the disputes field and its outstanding attorneys continue to further its reputation in this domain. Product liability and professional negligence work remain a forte, and the group has also been making inroads into the procurement litigation market. The team focuses on mediation work and fields a number of accredited and highly experienced mediators. It recently successfully acted for a leading restaurant owner in a contract claim relating to the multimillion-pound sale of a restaurant in Belfast.

SOURCES SAY: "This dynamic group is efficient and responsive, ensuring that matters are dealt with swiftly and that costs are kept to a minimum."

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Declan Magee (Band 1) is highly respected for his professional negligence and procurement litigation work. Clients enthuse that he is "a down-to-earth guy who is easy to deal with and very attuned to what his clients want."  Associate solicitor Darren Toombs (Associate to Watch) heads the firm's debt recovery team and has commendable experience of litigating in the commercial courts. According to sources, he "shows great insight that belies his age, and can handle far more experienced lawyers with ease."

THE FIRM: This team stands out in the sector for its work on behalf of local education authorities and notable universities, including Queen's University Belfast and the University of Ulster. It has also increased the range of schools and further education colleges it advises.

SOURCES SAY: "An outstanding, dependable and vastly experienced firm."

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Declan Magee is a contact.

THE FIRM: This group appears on behalf of clients, mostly respondents, in the Industrial and Fair Employment tribunals and in court. It continues to represent clients in the education sector, while highlight work for the team has included providing employment advice in relation to acquisitions involving Belfast City Airport and local BPO company Anderson Manning Associates. It is also adept at handling sex discrimination claims on behalf of both respondents and claimants.

THE FIRM: This team of four partners and two associates is one of "the strongest energy and natural resources practices in Northern Ireland." This is due to the "firm's excellent lawyers and broad range of expertise in banking, environmental, regulatory, planning and commercial property matters." Significant new clients include SONI and THETIS, which has seen the team advise on marine renewable energy projects.

THE FIRM: In addition to assisting with environmental issues surrounding real estate transactions, the team at Carson McDowell has significant expertise in regulatory and litigation matters. 

KEY INDIVIDUALS: The appointment of specialist environment lawyer Andrew Ryan (Up and Coming) was a coup for the group, allowing the team to undertake more complex Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) matters. Working closely with the planning and energy factions of the outfit, Ryan continues to build on the firm's flourishing client roster. Work highlights include his ongoing advice to Belfast Harbour Commissioners on liability issues arising from the development of brownfield sites, and assisting TCI Renewables with the potential refusal of planning permission for an eight-turbine wind farm in Northern Ireland.

THE FIRM: This team is active in contentious and non-contentious IP matters, and is currently handling a significant amount of work in the software and engineering sectors. Highlights include acting for Seagate on patent litigation relating to products manufactured at the company's Springtown plant. Other clients include BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Powerscreen International Distribution. 

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Declan Magee heads the commercial litigation team and runs the contentious side of the IP practice.

The "highly skilled and accessible lawyers" at Carson McDowell are applauded for their professional negligence work in the medical and dental fields. The group is acclaimed for its sympathetic approach to sensitive issues: according to one interviewee, "no other firm matches its service" in this area. Declan Magee is the main point of contact for the team.

THE FIRM: Carson McDowell is one of the best commercial firms in Northern Ireland, and while its lender-side PFI/PPP practice is not as prominent as it once was, the firm continues to attract work in the sector thanks to its construction links.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Michael Johnston and Gerard Armstrong (Associate to Watch) led the team working for Gilbert Ash as prospective building contractor on the Lagan College and Tor Bank Primary School PPP project. The two lawyers are recommended for their good negotiating skills, with Johnston known for his lender work and Armstrong for his subcontractor expertise.

THE FIRM: As one of the only specialised planning practices in Northern Ireland, Carson McDowell acts for a selection of extremely prestigious clients. The practice represents major blue-chip clients in their planning endeavours, including Belfast International Airport, Northern Ireland Electricity, ABN AMRO and Tesco.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Gary McGhee (Band 1) is a "leading authority on planning matters in the area, having advised many of the top companies based in Northern Ireland."

THE FIRM: Going from strength to strength, this Northern Irish firm has an extremely high turnover of cases within its region. Its practice is dominated by instructions from the Medical Protection Society, Dental Protection and the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS).

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Roger McMillan "has his finger on the pulse" when it comes to dental and medical work. Leigh Linton (Up and Coming) represents medical practitioners and is currently advising a client facing sexual misconduct allegations.

THE FIRM: Carson McDowell is home to one of the most substantial teams in Belfast. The group acts for an impressive swathe of clients on professional negligence cases and also has a parallel professional discipline practice. Marsh UK, Ulster Insurance Services and Novae are key patrons, as are defence organisations such as the Medical Protection Society and the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: "Doyen of the Northern Irish insurance market" Brian Turtle (Band 1) is "an anchor in the turbulent waters of professional indemnity litigation." Declan Magee's profile in the sector is on the rise and he is commended for having "a sharp mind and a cool head."

THE FIRM: Sources describe this four-lawyer team as client-friendly and progressive. The Northern Irish commercial firm is regularly instructed in a range of procurement issues and challenges. It acted for Cooneen Watts & Stone on a challenge brought by a disgruntled contractor relating to a contract for soft goods.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: The "incredibly helpful and courteous" Catherine Thompson wins plaudits for her "crystal-clear advice" on public procurement regulations. 

THE FIRM:  Carson McDowell's omnipresence on Northern Ireland's major projects and transactions has resulted in a glowing reputation among clients and peers, with the former quick to praise the team's copious expertise and dedicated service. Despite a challenging economic climate, the group continues to win roles on the most prominent deals in the market. It is currently acting for the Law Society of Northern Ireland on its development of new headquarters. The team is renowned for its skill in retail projects and enjoys strong relationships with many retailers that have continued to expand despite the downturn. It is advising Topshop on its flagship store at Victoria Square, Belfast, and has handled numerous acquisitions for Tesco in Belfast, Ballymena, Londonderry and Omagh.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Rosemary Carson's (Band 1) expertise advising retailers on landlord and tenant matters is legendary, and she frequently acts for Tesco and HMV on such matters. She is also highly regarded for her representation of the University of Ulster and is lauded by clients as "an approachable and commercially minded lawyer who always delivers first-class results."  Alan Reilly's (Band 1)"technical brilliance puts him at the top of his field," commentators agree. Sources commend his expertise in the acquisition and development of shopping centres and his excellent work for Belfast Harbour Commissioners. Recently appointed head of department, Jeremy Hill is regularly consulted by Northern Ireland's largest public landowners and also advises prominent private companies, such as Charles Hurst Group.

THE FIRM: This practice benefits from the resources of the firm's real estate transactional practice.

SOURCES SAY: "Commercial, affable lawyers with a strong standing in the market."

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Declan Magee (Band 1) heads the property litigation practice, winning acclaim for his "quick responses and clearly articulated advice."

THE FIRM: This is a highly regarded, commercially aware practice that focuses almost exclusively on corporate restructuring and insolvency, often involving the SME business market and the property sector. The group acts for a number of local banks and prominent IPs and recently advised the liquidator of Emerging Business Trust.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: The team is led by David Jamison. Also known for his corporate transactional skills, he is highly experienced in corporate insolvency and recently represented the administrator of Taggart Homes.