Lewis Silkin joins forces with Forde Campbell in Northern Ireland expansion

Global law firm Lewis Silkin today announced it has joined forces with Forde Campbell, a local specialist commercial, technology, intellectual property and media law firm in Northern Ireland.

Forde Campbell is one of Northern Ireland’s leading advisers to local start-ups, major UK and Irish companies, as well as overseas investors. It advises on issues ranging from IT contracts and data security to trade marks, trade secrets and reputation management.

Forde Campbell directors Mathew Forde (pictured), Rory Campbell and Katey Dixon will join Lewis Silkin partners Ciara Fulton (head of office) and Adam Brett as partners in the firm's Belfast office. The expanded practice will consist of five partners and a wider team of 20.

Joint managing partner of Lewis Silkin, Giles Crown, said the firm was delighted to welcome Forde Campbell to Lewis Silkin: “Forde Campbell has established a well-earned reputation in the market as pre-eminent advisers to high-growth-potential enterprises in Northern Ireland, sharing the passion we have at Lewis Silkin for creative, innovative and brand-focused businesses”.

This is the second time Lewis Silkin has made inroads in Northern Ireland in as many years, as it launched its employment and immigration offering in Northern Ireland in 2021 when it joined forces with Jones Cassidy Brett.

Crown commented: “This is an exciting time for Lewis Silkin in Ireland, as the addition of the Forde Campbell team follows our launch in Northern Ireland last year with our specialist employment practice, and establishes a market-leading intellectual property, commercial and technology practice, building on our centres of expertise in Dublin, the UK and beyond”.

Mathew Forde, director at Forde Campbell, commented: “Northern Ireland is on the rise as a real centre of innovation, with a thriving start-up community and significant investor interest, and as the business landscape continues to evolve legal needs are becoming more complex, and often international in nature. Joining forces with Lewis Silkin is an exciting next step for us as we continue to help our clients thrive in this dynamic environment.”

Siobhra Rush, partner and head of Lewis Silkin Dublin, added: “In the past two years the scale and calibre of our teams both in Dublin and Belfast have continued to grow – with our combined employee base having increased just over threefold since 2020. The level of expertise and solutions we can now offer clients aligns with the current demands of the corporate landscape. For them, data, tech and cyber security issues, IP challenges and employment law concerns in particular are evolving rapidly and presenting them with many barriers to overcome.”