News
Solicitor Training Contracts 2020
We are now looking for applicants who are in a position to commence a training contract in September 2020.
To apply for an apprenticeship contract you must have applied to the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS) at Queen's University Belfast by 18th November 2019 and intend to take the Institute Examination due to be held on 14th December 2019.
Closing date for application to Millar McCall Wylie is 10th January 2020 and any offer will be conditional upon successful admission to the IPLS.
To apply, forward your CV and cover letter to:-
Christopher McCandless, Chief Operating Officer, Millar McCall Wylie LLP, Imperial House, 4-10 Donegall Square East, Belfast, BT1 5HD
MMW assist Hays Travel in Thomas Cook Deal
MMW are delighted to have assisted Hays Travel in its agreement to acquire the retail portfolio of Thomas Cook stores throughout the UK.
Real Estate Partner, Simon Fleming, led the team in advising on the Northern Irish aspects of the deal which represents a much needed boost to the local economy.
MMW Announces Appointment of Michael Wilson
MMW has announced the appointment of Real Estate Associate, Michael Wilson.
Following a period of significant growth, Michael joins the commercial property team from an International Law firm, advising in areas such as acquisitions and disposals, landlord and tenant law and property finance. Having qualified as a solicitor in 2014, Michael brings a range of experience across the commercial property sector, providing practical solutions and streamlined advice.
The appointment comes amid exceptional growth for the firm within a highly competitive local market. It forms part of a firm-wide strategic growth plan for 2019 and beyond. Originally from Magherafelt, Michael will add to the firm's commercial and real estate reputation, advising investors, commercial and residential developers and lenders.
Record Breaking Year for Millar McCall Wylie
We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded Top-Tier Firm Status in the world's largest referral guide, Legal 500.
As the firm experiences double-digit growth, we have more than doubled the number of individuals on the Leading Lawyers listing with five partners recognised across a broad range of sectors. An additional five partners were rewarded Recommended Lawyers status bringing the representation of MMW lawyers on the Legal 500 listing to the highest number ever.
Standing alongside Damian McParland, Jan Cunningham, Conor Wylie and Scott Kennedy on the elite leading individual listing, Managing Partner Peter McCall commented, "Our growth would not have been possible without the hardwork and dedication of the people and individuals in our team. I am proud that so many individuals have been singled out for their expertise and professionalism, working with quality clients both locally and internationally. The latest Legal 500 guide continually references the enthusiasm, diligence and personal approach of the recommended Millar McCall Wylie lawyers and we are truly delighted to receive such recognition."
Partners on the recommended referral guide include Abbie Long, Caroline Prunty, Andrew Kerr, Simon Fleming and John Finnegan joining the list for the first time.
Eastside Awards 2020
We are delighted to continue our involvement with the Eastside Awards and fully support the team at East Belfast Enterprise. The awards are a fantastic opportunity to highlight the wealth of talent in East Belfast across many different sectors, initiatives and organisations.
We pride ourselves in our long association within the heart of East Belfast at Ballyhackamore and are extremely excited to sponsor the Eastside Sports Initiative of the Year Award for 2020.
We recognise the contribution sport plays in a community and are proud to be able to help acknowledge those who contribute in this field. We encourage all those supporters, parents, participants and volunteers out there to nominate for this accolade by following the link below.
Nominations are now open and close on 25th October 2019.
external link
David Mitchell joins MMW Employment Team
MMW are delighted to announce that, following a significant period of growth, David Mitchell has joined the firm as a Solicitor in our Employment Department.
David was previously employed as an Employment Solicitor in one of the Big Four Professional Services firms in Belfast.
David has a wealth of experience in all aspects of Employment Law and HR matters, having experience of advising employees and employers. His expertise includes contentious and non-contentious matters and he is also experienced in providing employment training to businesses and delivering seminars and presentations.
ICLG: Family Law 2020
Clare Lenaghan, Head of the Matrimonial and Family Law Department at MMW, was invited to write the Northern Ireland section of the International Comparative Legal Guide to Family Law: 2020, which has just been published globally.
The ICLG, a prestigious production, in collaboration with the International Academy of Family Lawyers, now in its 3rd edition, provides practical and useful comparative legal information on the current law. It covers a range of topics including dissolution, divorce, nullity, matrimonial agreements, ancillary relief and issues relating to children including Children Order and child abduction.
This is the first time that Northern Ireland has been included in the Family Law section of the Guide and we are delighted that our Family and Matrimonial Department was chosen to be a contributor. The Guide can be found here:
Hannah Simpson joins MMW Litigation Team
As part of our continued expansion, we are delighted to announce that Hannah Simpson has joined the firm as a Solicitor in our Litigation Department. Hannah was previously employed as a solicitor in an established law firm in Belfast.
Hannah has a wealth of experience in all aspects of litigation. Her expertise includes personal injury claims arising out of road traffic accidents, medical negligence, accidents at work, public liability and industrial disease claims.
We have no doubt that, with Hannah's added expertise, the department will continue to offer our clients the high level of service for which the firm is renowned.
MMW appoint Chief Operating Officer
As part of our continued expansion and vision for the future, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Christopher McCandless as our new Chief Operating Officer.
Christopher has been a Partner in local accountancy firm Johnston Kennedy DFK for over 20 years and brings with him a wealth of experience in financial management, practice development and business strategy that will assist us in delivering our ambition to be market leaders in Northern Ireland and reflects our strong commitment to growth and the development of enhanced legal services provision in all sectors.
Christopher also has a keen interest in ADR and has been a qualified mediator and arbitrator for many years and is hoping to use these skills to further enhance our presence within this growing sector.
A keen supporter of Ulster & Irish Hockey he has coached at both club and inter provincial level and recently served on the Management Board of Ulster Hockey.
MMW U10 Championship at 2019
MMW would like to thank everyone at the Balmoral Show for another fantastic day on Saturday 18th May.
Spectators on the day were treated to a very competitive and exciting U10 Championship Final. We were delighted to share this day with all of the competitors and their families.
Well done to all competitors who qualified for the final which was of a very high standard. Congratulations to the worthy winner Elizabeth McCracken riding on Sweet Lily.
Photos from the event can be found via the link below.
MMW Sponsor U10 Championship at 2019 Balmoral Show
We are delighted to announce that we will be sponsoring the Under 10 Show jumping Championship at the Balmoral Show for a third successive year .
Last year's event proved extremely popular with spectators treated to a extremely high quality and competitive field.
The Championship final will take place at Balmoral Show on the morning of Saturday 18th May 2019 in the Main Arena.
We wish all competitors good luck in this year's event and would urge you all to get to the Balmoral Show on 18th May to witness some stars of the future in action!
external link
Damian McParland Ranked in Chambers Europe 2019
We are proud to announce that head of MMW’s Corporate/Commercial department, Damian McParland, has been once again ranked as one of Europe’s leading Corporate/M&A lawyers in this years Chambers Europe.
According to Chambers Europe, Damian is "entirely unflappable and measured in his advice, always looking for a sensible commercial outcome”. Clients also appreciate his ability to “focus on the issues that matter whilst still maintaining an eye for detail ".
Congratulations to Damian and his team on this well deserved accolade.
external link
MMW Recognised with Top National Accolade
We are excited to share that MMW was crowned Northern Ireland Law Firm of the Year at the prestigious Legal 500 awards ceremony in the Guildhall, London.
This top accolade is one that we are truly delighted to receive, particularly as we also celebrate 21 years in business. Our growth has been driven by our firm focus on people, and we would like to thank everyone that has made this possible; from our quality clients in Northern Ireland and internationally, and our passionate team across the two MMW offices.
Eastside Awards 2019
Well done to all the winners at the Eastside Awards which took place on 25th January 2019 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 Individual Contribution to Sport. Congratulations to Gervis Knox and Keith Knox, Ormeau Table Tennis Club & Ulster Table Tennis on their win.
external link
£35,000 High Court Damages Awarded to MMW Client
MMW litigation solicitor William McSorley secured a significant success in the High Court on 22ndJanuary 2019 for a client who sustained a broken ankle when she slipped on the public footpath after leaving her place of work.
This was an interesting case as it is settled law that the duty of care of an employer generally ends once an employee leaves their place of work and this was the argument put forward by the Defendants.
However in this case our client had informed the security guard that the public footpath at the rear exit was in a much more treacherous condition than the footpath at the front of the building. He failed to heed her warning and did not open the front exit which would have been a much safer route for our client to exit the building.
Mr Justice McAlinden accepted that in this factual scenario there was a duty of care to our client and found against her employer and the company responsible for the security at the premises in Belfast. She was awarded £35,000.00 for her injuries.
If you have any personal injury or litigation queries please call 028 90200050 or email william.mcsorley@mmwlegal.com
Ulster Rugby's European Cup heroes
MMW partner Jan Cunningham met up with some of his old teammates to promote the new book brought out to commemorate Ulster Rugby’s European Cup success 20 years on. Get down to Easons to snap up your copy!
external link
Moving on Up
We are delighted to announce our most successful rankings yet in this year’s Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 rankings. Published annually, these rankings are the result of extensive research and the independent opinions of clients.
We moved up the rankings in the key areas of Corporate, Real Estate, Banking & Finance, Employment and are now ranked in the areas of Intellectual Property and Energy for the first time. We are now regarded as leaders in 12 key practice areas further cementing our reputation as one of the leading commercial legal practices in Northern Ireland.
Another Strong Showing for MMW in Experian MarketIQ Results
MMW are pleased to be named one of the most active Corporate legal advisors in Northern Ireland, being ranked No.4 in Experian MarketIQ’s report for the second quarter of 2018.
Insider Media reported that value of deals in Ireland soared to £1.7bn in 2018. This is the highest first-half figure recorded in the region.
external link
Learning Pool Continues to Expand With Acquisition of MediaCorp
MMW would like to congratulate Learning Pool who have completed the acquisition of Scottish e-learning company MediaCorp Limited.
Damian McParland, Louise Kerlin and Eimhear O’Kane (Corporate) and Kevin Gallagher (Employment) advised Learning Pool on this deal.
We wish Learning Pool every success in this new venture.
external link
MMW U10 Championship at 2018
MMW would like to thank everyone at the Balmoral Show for another fantastic day on Saturday 19th May.
Spectators on the day were treated to a very competive and entertaining U10 Championship final. Congratulations to the worthy winner Alanna Fagan who pushed Peter Morton into 2nd place with the final round of the day. Alanna successfully defended the title she won last year riding Little Bob.
Well done to all competitors who qualified for the final. We hope that they made memories to cherish on the main arena at the Balmoral Show. Photos from the event can be found via the link below.
external link
MMW Sponsor Rosario Festival of Mini Soccer
MMW were delighted to be a sponsor of the 7th annual Rosario youth football club festival of mini soccer over the sun kissed weekend of 11th-13th May 2018.
90 boys and girls teams comprising in excess of 900 young players took part with over 3000 people visiting Ulidia Playing Fields, Ormeau Road, Belfast.
A team from Rosario 2010s of which one of our partners, Andrew Kerr, is a coach reached their final only to narrowly lose on a penalty shoot out.Well done to all involved.
Oakland Group Secure Investment for Merchant Square Redevelopment
MMW are delighted to have acted for Fairfield Real Estate Finance who together with the NI Investment Fund provided funding for the redevelopment of Merchant Square. We wish the Oakland Group all the best for the development.
The MMW team consisted of Peter McCall and Simon Fleming (Property) and Damian McParland and Abbie Long (Corporate/Banking). Well done to all involved.
Top 3 Ranking for MMW in Experian First Quarter Results
Experian Market IQ have published their first quarter rankings for 2018 in their global M&A database and we are proud to announce that MMW have been ranked as third place Northern Irish legal adviser.
Well done to the corporate team and keep up the hard work!
external link
MMW Sponsor U10 Championship at 2018 Balmoral Show
We are delighted to announce that we will be sponsoring the Under 10 Show jumping Championship at the Balmoral Show for a second successive year .
In its inaugural year, last year's event proved extremely popular with spectators treated to a extremely high quality and competitive field.
We wish all competitors good luck in this year's event and would urge you all to get to the Balmoral Show on 19th May to witness some stars of the future in action!
external link
Ashley Black joins MMW Litigation Team
MMW are delighted to announce that Ashley Black has joined the firm as a Solicitor in our Litigation Department. Ashley was previously employed as a solicitor in an established law firm in Belfast.
Ashley has a wealth of experience in all aspects of litigation servicing clients from large financial institutions to local businesses and individuals. His expertise includes personal injury claims, road traffic accidents, accidents at work, industrial disease claims and commercial litigation .
We have no doubt that, with Ashley's added expertise, the department will continue to go from strength to strength.
Insider Northern Ireland Deal Maker Awards 2018
Well done to all the winners at the Insider Media Dealmaker Awards which took place on 15th March at Waterfront Belfast.
A fantastic night was had by all the MMW team alongside Greg Maguire and Conor Walsh from Humain Limited (pictured) who were nominated for Deal of the Year under £2.5m.
Amongst the many deals nominated which MMW advised on, a special congratulations goes to Diaceutics Group who won Deal of the Year in their respective category
Damian McParland Ranked in Chambers Europe
We are proud to announce that head of MMW’s Corporate/Commercial department, Damian McParland, has been once again ranked as one of Europe’s leading Corporate/M&A lawyers in this years Chambers Europe.
According to Chambers Europe: "He's excellent on the technical side of things," says one client, while another calls him "one of the most commercial people in the region."
Congratulations to Damian and his team on this well deserved accolade.
external link
MMW Nominated for Corporate Law Firm of the Year
We are delighted to announce that we have been nominated for Corporate Law Firm of the Year at the Insider Media Dealmakers Awards.
This pretigious event also sees many deals MMW advised on in 2017 shortlisted in their respective categories. These include the Acquisition of CastleCourt by Wirefox Management, Investment in We are Vertigo, Investment in Diaceutics Group and Investment in Humain Ltd.
The winners are set to be unveiled at a gala dinner taking place at the Belfast Waterfront on 15 March 2018. Best of luck to all on the shortlist.
external link