The outstanding achievements of Queen's University Belfast graduates — and in particular our Law School alumni — have once again been highlighted through the latest appointments at DWF NI LLP, a global provider of integrated legal and business services.
The firm has recently announced 19 new appointments to its Belfast office across real estate, banking, corporate, employment, commercial litigation, and defence litigation. Significantly, 17 of the 19 appointees studied at Queen’s, either completing their law degree and/or professional qualification here, with 15 being proud alumni of the School of Law.
Among the senior appointments, all three are Queen’s law graduates. These include Deborah Archer (Partner, Finance and Restructuring); **Jonathan Simpson (**Director, Employment) and Julie-Ann Caffrey (Director, Infrastructure, Construction & Energy).
At the newly qualified solicitor level, Queen’s graduates Lucy Brown, Courtney Best, Adele McCafferty, and Glen Armstrong have taken up roles following completion of their training contracts.
The intake also includes seven trainee solicitors; excluding Cooper McAuley, the remaining six are all graduates of the QUB Law School (Brendan Doran, Nathan Fairley, Jade Hughes, Olivia Feron, Joshua McClurg, and Daniel Neill).
Legal professionals were also appointed, including Hayley McBride, and four other QUB alumni - Emma Payne, Michael Cox, Aimée McGoldrick, and Tim Carson.
Commenting on the appointments, Julie Galbraith (Managing Partner, DWF) said:
“I am thrilled to welcome all our new colleagues to the Belfast office. These appointments represent a 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.”
This success story highlights both the calibre and career progression of QUB law graduates, who are excelling not just in early-career roles but also in leadership positions across the profession.
Aspiring solicitors at our Law School are invited to take the next step in their legal careers with Carson McDowell, Northern Ireland’s largest independent law firm. Renowned for its excellence, innovation, and client-focused service, Carson McDowell offers a structured and dynamic Solicitor Training Programme designed to provide graduates with the strongest possible foundation in legal practice.
The 2026 Training Programme is now open for applications. Trainees will rotate through a variety of departments, including corporate, commercial, employment, real estate, litigation and media, banking and finance, healthcare, and planning and environmental law, gaining hands-on experience and insight into multiple areas of legal practice.
Participants will benefit from: