Belfast-based law firm Carson McDowell has named two new partners, bringing its partner headcount to 30, the largest of any legal practice in the North.

The firm announced today that Paul McGuickin has become a partner in its corporate team and Chris Phillips has been promoted to partner in its real estate practice.

Managing partner Roger McMillan said: “These appointments and the growth of the firm’s partner group reflects our commitment to hiring and developing talented lawyers to provide the highest levels of service to clients.”

“I would like to congratulate Chris and Paul on their promotion to the partner group.  Both are highly experienced and capable lawyers whose expertise and advice is greatly valued by their clients.”

A graduate of Queen’s University, Paul qualified as a solicitor in 2007 and practised as a corporate and commercial lawyer with an international law firm before joining Carson McDowell in 2018 as a senior associate.

Mergers

He has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate restructuring strategies and corporate governance issues.

Chris studied at the University of Oxford before joining Carson McDowell as an apprentice in 2007 and qualified as a solicitor in the real estate team in 2009. He is involved in all aspects of commercial property, including acquisitions, disposals, landlord and tenant work and providing asset management advice to clients with large property portfolios.

Rachel Lewis (banking) and Emma Duffy (healthcare, Dublin) have also been made associate solicitors.  In December 2020 the firm made 18 promotions across its teams.

The firm employs 112 solicitors, over two thirds of whom are women, bringing its total headcount to more than 180 people.