News

Millar McCall Wylie named Corporate Law Firm of the Year

Millar McCall Wylie has been crowned the Corporate Law Firm of the Year for the first time at the prestigious Northern Ireland Dealmaker Awards on Thursday evening.

The full-service law firm was also the lead advisor in the transaction which won the Deal of the Year (under £2.5m) category, with Edition Capital Investments investing in Kanisi. MMW Partner, Scott Kennedy, led this Series A funding round, acting for Kanisi.

Taking place at The Europa Hotel, the NI Dealmaker Awards, which celebrate their 10th anniversary in 2020, recognise the professional advisory firms and funders in Northern Ireland and some of the best deals in which they were involved in.

Last year was an exceptional year for Millar McCall Wylie with the judges praising the corporate team for increasing revenues by 20% in 2019. Corporate deal highlights included an investment by TechStart in MMW’s client RETiniZE, specialising in virtual reality, augmented reality and immersive multi-screen experiences, as well as the Series A funding round for Kanisi, and Learning Pool’s acquisition of shares in HT2.

Millar McCall Wylie Partner, Damian McParland commented on the success: “We are very proud to be named Corporate Law Firm of the Year and for our corporate work to be recognised at this level, including our lead advisory role for Kanisi in one of the Deal of the Year categories.

"As a team, we always strive to get the very best results for our clients, building strong relationships to achieve successful outcomes. We have ambitious clients, such as Learning Pool, Kanisi and RETiniZE, many within the technology and digital space, and we are proud to help them on their very successful journey.”

The firm has enjoyed significant double-digit growth in the last number of years, as it celebrates over twenty years in business.

This continued growth has enabled MMW to build its reputation both nationally and internationally, delivering legal services across an extensive range of practice areas and is also a member of one of the world’s leading global legal networks, Multilaw.

The Art of Mediation - by Hayley Cummings

In January 2020, our IPLS Mediation Team were thrilled to have the opportunity to engage our mediation skills in the UK Student Mediation Competition held at the University of Glasgow, having qualified as all-Ireland Champions. The competition involved three rounds: two as a mediator and one as a party in front of two or three judges trained in ADR. It was an exhilarating and long day and we were delighted to be awarded Second Place.

Mediation if a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) which is a voluntary, structured and interactive process in which a neutral third-party assists in trying to reach a resolution through a range of communication techniques. The mediator’s role is to act as a neutral facilitator not a judge and is there to facilitate discussions in trying to reach a settlement. It is a confidential process.

ADR is fast becoming a big factor in contentious cases with many judges requesting that mediation is attempted by parties before their cases may be heard. It provides a flexible and creative process in which parties can come up with their own mutually agreed resolution rather than leaving it up to a court. This not only reduces the costs but also allows for greater control over the resolution and in some cases a faster outcome. Not every detail of the dispute needs to be decided using this route, but it can provide a stable foundation which can preserve parties’ relationship and allows for bespoke and personalised results.

The UK Student Mediation Competition provides an arena in which younger members of the profession and legal students can display and polish the skills needed for negotiation, advocacy and problem solving. During the competition there are two mediators who must work together to respond to parties needs as and when they arise. They provide creative and flexible options which help find a middle ground and create a structure suitable to suit the parties engaging in the mediation process.

Eastside Awards 2020

Congratulations to all the winners at the Eastside Awards which took place on 24th January 2020 at the Stormont Hotel.

A fantastic night was had by all the MMW team celebrating the best of East Belfast.

We were delighted to sponsor the Eastside Award for Sports Initiative of the Year which was won by Left Field.

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Millar McCall Wylie backing Ulster hockey's oldest competition

Millar McCall Wylie has announced a sponsorship deal with Ulster hockey's most prestigious male competition, the Kirk Cup. This year's Boxing Day final will see one of the biggest rivalries in Irish hockey resume as holders Banbridge face Lisnagarvey at Stormont.

Chief Operating Officer, Christopher McCandless said: "We are thrilled to be sponsoring the Kirk Cup, both this season and next. The final of the competition is Ulster hockey’s biggest day of the season as the equally prestigious ladies Denman Ulster Shield is also competed for, and there have been some very memorable matches down through the years. Millar McCall Wylie is proud to support sport across Northern Ireland, from grass roots right through to senior level. We recognise the social, economic and cultural value of sport and the huge commitment it takes to be involved, whether that is playing, coaching or working at an administrative level.”

In addition, Millar McCall Wylie’s sponsorship will help support Ulster Hockey’s commitment to and partnership with NI Children’s Hospice. Funds raised on Boxing Day will go towards supporting the important service in Northern Ireland, caring for over 300 local infants, children and young people with life-limited conditions every year.