Northern Ireland law firm expands with new director appointments

Northern Ireland independent commercial law firm Davidson McDonnell has announced two senior strategic appointments in an expansion that bolsters its strength in corporate practice and commercial dispute resolution.

Raymond Duddy and Barbara Creed have been appointed as directors reflecting a period of continued growth at Davidson McDonnell, which handles some of the highest value and most complex mandates in the local market, regularly acting on cross-border and international transactions.

Davidson McDonnell, director, Ross Davidson, said: “This is an exciting time for both our corporate practice and litigation dispute resolution division as we expand our director team and I’m delighted for Raymond and Barbara who consistently demonstrate their ability to deliver outstanding expertise, insight and compelling advice to our growing client base.

“Combined with recent additions across our finance and restructuring practice, it means we’re expertly poised to capitalise on new growth opportunities afforded not only the restoration of the NI Executive and Assembly but by wider activity across a range of sectors.”

After starting his career with London-headquartered Magic Circle law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Raymond Duddy joined Davidson McDonnell in 2017. Working with fellow Director Vicky Dummigan, Raymond has helped to create one of the region’s most active corporate practices, specialising in high value mergers and acquisitions, private equity and investments.

Barbara Creed, one of Northern Ireland’s most respected commercial dispute lawyers and a former partner in a leading Irish law firm, joined Davidson McDonnell in 2021 to develop the commercial disputes team. Supported by a dynamic and highly experienced local team, the department has gone from strength to strength and is routinely involved in many of Northern Ireland’s most important, influential cases.

The appointments represent a significant step in Davidson McDonnell’s evolution from a new market entrant just 10 years ago, to a firmly established commercial law firm which now routinely welcomes instructions from many of the region’s most respected businesses and numerous in-bound investors.

Initially founded as a boutique commercial property practice, Davidson McDonnell continues to attract some of the most high-profile commercial property deals within Northern Ireland, with recent instructions including the Loft Lines project to develop 780 new city centre homes at Titanic Quarter and the purchase of Bedford House.

In addition to its core business within Northern Ireland, Davidson McDonnell regularly acts on a range of cross-border, national and international transactions as leading counsel for many top tier UK and Irish law firms.

The corporate team has developed at pace over the last number of years and is now regularly recognised as one of the most active M&A practices within Northern Ireland. Transformational private equity investments from Bowmark and Bridgepoint to Xperience and fscom demonstrate the type and scale of work routinely handled by its corporate practice.

Reflecting on the firm’s growth, Davidson McDonnell, director Vicky Dummigan, explained: “We see all our clients as valued partners, providing practical solutions and advice that support them to grow, invest and expand their business with confidence. We pride ourselves on our collegiate approach to negotiations which continues to win us retentions, referrals and positive market feedback.”

Last year, Davidson McDonnell officially launched a new Private Client team appointing ex-London Partner Victoria Sterritt to lead the department. Victoria was joined in the Private Client team by senior solicitors Rachael McKee and Sara Ord both of whom have more than 20 years’ specialist experience.

Davidson McDonnell’s hallmark is its degree of specialism within its practice areas of real estate, corporate, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and insolvency, banking and finance, dispute resolution and litigation, licensing, betting and gaming and private client.