By Claire Cartmill

Copyright newsletter

Global law firm, DWF has strengthened its Belfast team with 19 new appointments across key practice areas. The intake includes a new partner, two directors, three newly qualified solicitors, seven trainee solicitors, and six additional legal professionals. Deborah Archer has joined as a partner in the finance and restructuring team and brings over 20 years of experience advising financial institutions, corporates and alternative investors. Deborah is dual qualified in Northern Ireland, England and Wales and has extensive expertise across refinances, leveraged finance, acquisition finance, project finance and energy. Further strengthening the senior team, Jonathan Simpson has joined as a director in employment. Qualified in Northern Ireland, England, Wales and Ireland, Jonathan advises on all aspects of employment law, including tribunal litigation, corporate transactions and workforce planning. Julie-Ann McCaffrey has also been appointed as a director in the infrastructure, construction and energy team. Dual qualified in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, she brings extensive experience in construction and procurement law, having acted in many of Northern Ireland’s most significant cases. After completing their training contracts with DWF, Lucy Brown, Courtney Best and Adele McCafferty have qualified as solicitors and joined the catastrophic personal injury, motor and fraud, and real estate teams respectively, while Glen Armstrong has joined the firm as a newly qualified solicitor in the catastrophic personal injury team. The business has also welcomed seven new trainee solicitors: Cooper McAuley, Brendan Doran, Nathan Fairley, Jade Hughes, Olivia Feron, Joshua McClurg and Daniel Neill. Additionally, the Belfast office has welcomed a number of other legal professionals, including solicitors Emma Payne joining the Construction team, Hayley McBride and Michael Cox strengthening the Catastrophic Personal Injury team, and Aimée McGoldrick joining Healthcare. In addition, solicitor Tim Carson has joined the Technology, Media and Communications team. Deborah Archer said: “I am delighted to be joining DWF at such an exciting time for the Belfast office. With its global platform and integrated approach, the firm offers a unique opportunity to grow the finance and restructuring team locally and across jurisdictions. “I look forward to working with colleagues and clients to deliver innovative, commercial solutions and to supporting the development of the next generation of legal talent.” Julie Galbraith, managing partner of DWF in Belfast, added: “I am thrilled to welcome all our new colleagues to the Belfast office. These appointments represent significant investment in our people and capability across key practice areas. As we continue to grow, their expertise will help us deliver outstanding service to our clients locally, across the island of Ireland and globally.” DWF is a global provider of integrated legal and business services. It has approximately 5,000 people and offices and associations located across the globe. DWF recorded net revenue of £466 million in the year ended 30 April 2025.