Carson McDowell leads the way again in the 2022 legal rankings.
Belfast-based law firm Carson McDowell has maintained its position at the top of the legal profession’s two most respected industry guides, the Chambers UK and The Legal 500.
Carson McDowell continued its market-leading success in the Chambers UK 2022 results, which were released today (21 October), achieving the ‘Band 1’ rating in 20 out of 25 practice areas and receiving 25 ‘Band 1” rankings for individual lawyers.
Furthermore, Carson McDowell’s Procurement team, headed by Kerry Teahan, Partner is the only team in Northern Ireland to this year receive Band 1 status, with one client stating, “The team are diligent, supportive and genuine experts. They are comfortable dealing with an uncertain and changing environment and proactive in dealing with these issues."
The firm also out-ranked any other NI competitor in The Legal 500 earlier this month, with 11 practice areas achieving a Tier 1 ranking, 12 lawyers recognised as leading individuals and a further 9 listed in the directory’s hall of fame. For the third year running, Carson McDowell is the only Northern Ireland law firm ranked as Tier 1 in the Planning & Environment category.
Commenting on the firms continued strong performance, Managing Partner, Roger McMillan said:
“We’re very pleased to see our practice areas and lawyers continue to be recognised in the 2022 legal guides. This is a great testimony to the hard work of the entire team at Carson McDowell.”
“Carson McDowell has always been 100% focused on delivering for our clients. We are fortunate to represent a range of commercially sophisticated local businesses and high-profile international clients operating in and from Northern Ireland.”
“It has been another year of uncertainty for businesses with the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the effects of Brexit causing many challenges. At Carson McDowell, we have continued to concentrate our efforts on supporting our clients and I am very proud of the contribution that our people have made across multiple service lines to help our clients to adapt and adjust.”
Carson McDowell employs 117 solicitors, over two thirds of whom are women, bringing its total headcount to more than 200 people. Most recently, they have appointed Richard Dickson as a Partner in their Real Estate team, making it the largest in Northern Ireland.
Neasa Quigley, Senior Partner at Carson McDowell, added:
“Carson McDowell has long had a policy of hiring and developing the best talent. This years’ Chambers UK and The Legal 500 announcements come amidst another exciting period of growth at the firm. In the past year, we have made 17 new lawyer appointments and awarded 18 promotions across our teams, highlighting our ongoing commitment to delivering the highest levels of service.”
In addition to the rankings already noted, 9 Carson McDowell lawyers were recognised as 'Associates to Watch’ for their support in significant cases and Partner John Dugdale has been identified as ‘Up and Coming’, which recognises new partners supporting their firm's growth.
Neasa added:
“I would like to extend our thanks to our clients who continue to support Carson McDowell in being the highest-ranked Northern Irish law firm in both the Chambers UK and The Legal 500 directories. I know our clients value the expertise our teams provide and the 2022 rankings for our practice areas and individuals echo this feedback.”
The Chambers UK guide, which ranks the best law firms and lawyers, covers 50 cities and counties in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Published annually, the rankings are based on extensive research and the independent opinions of clients. The Legal 500 directory is an independent series which is widely regarded as the world’s largest legal referral guide.Over four million users visit The Legal 500 website each year, where firms and individuals are recommended purely on merit. Published annually, the rankings are based on the independent opinions of clients and in-depth research carried out by an experienced team of editors.
