Real Estate: Northern Ireland

This accomplished firm demonstrates real estate expertise across a diverse range of sectors including retail food, healthcare, social housing and planning. The Belfast office works very closely with its Dublin counterpart, offering a comprehensive service to its clients in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and beyond. The team represents a number of highly sophisticated clients including the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA), University of Ulster and Bank of Ireland. Recent highlights include advising Runwood Homes on its £10.2 million sale of Madelayne Court Nursing Home in Essex. Clients say: "We are very satisfied with the quality and effectiveness of our relationship and remain convinced the decision to appoint Arthur Cox as our lawyers was correct and in the best interests of the company."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Rowan White is well respected in the Northern Ireland real estate market and has vast expertise within the retail food sector, as well as distressed asset work and public sector transactions.

Alastair Todd is representing Simple Power in lease options relating to its single turbine electricity generating model. He has considerable expertise in energy, environmental and planning matters, as well as finance transactions.

Carson McDowell is a well-established practice praised by clients for being "friendly, driven by excellence in client-service, and pragmatic." The group excels in landlord and tenant work, as well as property matters within the energy, transport and retail sectors. The firm has an illustrious client list that includes Royal Mail, Tesco and The Arcadia Group, amongst others.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Rosemary Carson is an acclaimed partner who is considered to be "an outstanding professional with amazing capacity. Her attention to detail and her advice is impeccable." Carson has the ability to "provide excellent solutions, and uses her initiative all the time, which saves time and ultimately money." She has recently advised the University of Ulster on property matters arising from the construction and ongoing development of its new £6 million research centre.

Jeremy Hill, head of department, recently advised insurance broker Willis on the purchase of its new Northern Ireland headquarters. He also frequently advises developers, landowners and retailers on property matters.

Alan Reilly recently advised the Belfast Harbour Commissioners on the £50 million project with DONG Energy, including assistance with a range of real estate matters on its development of offshore wind farm turbines.

This real estate team is "excellent on all counts," according to sources. The group represents a number of household names such as Sainsbury's, Scottish Widows and Queens University. The diverse team has considerable expertise in public sector work, retail development and energy sector property matters. The group also has eminent experience in distressed property transactions, and recently advised a national bank on all aspects of the restructuring of a distressed property portfolio worth £100 million.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Ian Huddleston leads the real estate department at the firm. He represents the Department for Social Development in a multitude of ongoing regeneration projects. Clients praise him for being "calm, professional, steady, reliable and pleasant" to deal with. He is also noted for his "significant experience and expertise in his field; he is the best in Northern Ireland and is accessible," says one source. 

Andrea McIlroy-Rose has a keen focus on retail development and construction. She recently advised Benmore Group on its sale of shopping centres in both Manchester and Salford, and also represents this client in funding matters concerning its hotel, shopping and car park development at Dale Street in Liverpool.

Graham Pierce has a wealth of expertise in the energy sector. He is currently representing The Crown Estate in its proposed leasing round for new renewables projects, including wind and tidal stream projects.

This distinguished real estate practice provides specialist advice encompassing property development, investment transactions, property finance, asset management and distressed property. The team's distinguished client portfolio includes Tesco, Belfast Harbour Commissioners and Diageo Pension Trust. Clients are impressed by the group's "speed of response and commerciality, which sets them apart."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Phyllis Agnew heads the real estate team. She has recently acted for Eurojet Aviation on a development agreement for a new aircraft handling and maintenance facility, valued at over £30 million. She has a particular focus on property development and investment transactions.

James Pringle is a key partner with expertise in property development, distressed property and asset management.

John Mills is a "very pleasant" partner whose practice is mostly on property development, property finance and distressed property matters.

Tracey Schofield has a strong command of property development and investment transactions. She recently advised Mar Properties on its £9.5 million sale of Centre Heights, a residential and retail office building in London.

This dynamic team is recognised by clients for its "very commercial" and "excellent" approach. It has particular strengths in investment, retail, distressed property and energy matters. The real estate team advises a number of high-profile clients including NAMA, Deloitte and the Irish Football Association. One recent work highlight saw the team advising CBRE Global Investors on its £3 million acquisition of 12-14 Castle Lane in Belfast, a multi-let building.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Newly appointed partner Mark Blair is head of department. Clients refer to him as being "very clear and concise when advising on various legal issues." Blair led the team advising CBRE, and also acts for a range of retail sector clients and key investors.

This real estate practice covers an expansive array of property work; its key strengths include development, energy and retail sector work. This dynamic practice group represents a host of notable clients including Titanic Quarter; energy sector entities, including Scottish & Southern Energy; leisure sector companies such as Whitbread; and the Lyric Theatre (NI), together with other third sector clients.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Kathryn Collie is "renowned in Northern Ireland as being one of the leading property lawyers." She is universally regarded by clients and peers as being "approachable, a good communicator, and responsive." She is providing ongoing assistance to the administrators of Taggart Homes with the sale of land and sites across both Northern Ireland and England & Wales.

James Houston, head of the real estate department, has broad expertise in commercial property matters and landlord and tenant issues. He is currently representing Titanic Quarter in its high-profile development site at Queen’s Island in Belfast.

This compact real estate team represents a number of high-profile clients including Monsoon, Starbucks and Aviva. Sources remark that "Millar McCall Wylie has proven expertise in commercial property, they do a good job and the partners’ commercial, common-sense approach appeals to our clients. They believe in building long-term business relationships, which is what separates them from some of the other larger firms." One recent highlight saw the team assisting Primacure (NI) with the purchase, development and letting of healthcare facilities across Northern Ireland.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Peter McCall is head of the real estate team. Clients say: "I would have no hesitation in recommending Peter McCall to anyone else in the industry. Peter is regarded as a leading figure in the commercial property market in Northern Ireland." He recently advised NFU Mutual on property acquisitions, and acted for Edinburgh Woollen Mill on lease negotiations.

Simon Fleming is praised by his clients for "his thorough, detailed proactive approach. Since working with Simon I have found that the legal time period of acquisitions has decreased by 50%." During the past year he advised Monsoon on the sub-lease of its Belfast city centre store to Trespass.

This Belfast property team is described by clients as "first class - one of the top local firms of solicitors." It represents clients including Homebase, Save the Children and Bow Street Mall in a range of development, lettings and corporate support matters. 

KEY INDIVIDUALS Bill McCann is head of the firm's real estate department. Clients praise him for being "available, reliable, knowledgeable and competent."

This firm represents a wide range of developers, retailers and investors, offering robust, solid legal advice to its clients.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Mark Tinman is highly respected for his "very commercial and practical approach" to property matters. 

Ciara McCloskey is an experienced partner in commercial property matters, including those involving banking and insolvency issues.

This well-established practice group represents clients in a range of commercial property and property development matters including landlord and tenant and acquisition work.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Gordon McElroy leads the team.