Lewis Silkin NI celebrates its fifth anniversary
3rd Aug 2026
The firm that started as an eight-strong team has grown to powerhouse of over 80
The Belfast office of law firm Lewis Silkin this year marks its fifth anniversary, and in just half a decade has grown more than tenfold from a team of eight to a team of over 80.
UK-based Lewis Silkin first joined forces with Belfast-based employment law specialists Jones Cassidy Brett in 2021 before merging with tech-focused NI law firm Forde Campbell the following year.
When it first opened its doors in 2021, Lewis Silkin Belfast was a small team of just eight people. Today, the Belfast office consists of eight partners, and a team of 74 lawyers, paralegals and support staff across a range of specialisms including employment, immigration, intellectual property, corporate, tech, media and data.
Ciara Fulton, partner and head of the Belfast office says that the exponential growth is a testament to the team’s dedication to Lewis Silkin’s core values and specialisms.
“Since day one we have focussed on protecting the most important assets of any business, its ideas and people, while doing so in a way that stays true to Lewis Silkin’s core values of bravery and kindness. That’s what has been driving us forward over the years and has not only helped us build our reputation as experts at what we do, but also as a great employer.
“Central to our success is our commitment to growing our own talent. We have built a genuine culture of progression where people are supported to develop their careers.”
Since 2021, the office has seen 16 internal promotions, qualified five solicitors through its trainee scheme and currently has eight more in the scheme set to qualify on completion, with plans to welcome additional trainees throughout the rest of 2026 and into 2027.
Last year, Olivia O’Kane joined the Lewis Silkin team as partner to lead specialist media law in both Belfast and Dublin, whilst Kevin Gallagher, who has been with Lewis Silkin since 2022, was promoted to partner in the employment, immigration and reward team in early 2026.
In 2025 Lewis Silkin had also made three senior appointments with James Stewart, Caroline McNally and Mark Ward joining as legal directors in data, tech and corporate respectively. The corporate team was further strengthened this year by the addition of a transactional services lawyer, and the commercial/tech team has also grown, welcoming an associate and two new paralegals.
The employment team remains the largest team in the Belfast office, now accounting for 41% of the office’s headcount, and continues to grow. Alongside this, the trademark team has welcomed three new hires, with further growth expected as demand for brand protection advice continues to rise.
In May of this year, the UK Supreme Court handed down its decision in “Dillon and Others”. Lewis Silkin NI acted for the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) as intervener respondent in one of the most high-profile and complex constitutional and human rights law cases concerning Northern Ireland’s legacy framework
Belfast Partner Olivia O’Kane represented ICRIR and she instructed Frank O’Donohue KC and Andrew McGuinness BL and the team worked alongside the General Counsel Steven Bramley CBE and Tanya Doherty, Head of Litigation, supported by the wider GC team.
But it’s not just what the team does in the office that is making a difference. The Belfast team lives Lewis Silkin’s values in practice, with employment partner Paul Gillen chairing the firm’s global DE&I strategy and initiatives. The Belfast office also actively supports causes such as Pride and improving social mobility, and is involved in local partnerships including Business in the Community, The Welcome Organisation and the Trussell Trust.
Ciara continues: “We want the momentum of the last five years to continue. We plan to build on the strength and depth of expertise we have established, and to keep innovation central to our operations by continuously trialling and adopting new tools to deliver smarter, more cost-effective services for clients, including through our growing e-billing team, based here in Belfast.”
“Belfast has become increasingly strategically important to Lewis Silkin, and we work as one team with our colleagues in our offices Dublin, London, Oxford, Manchester, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow and Hong Kong. This allows us to offer a tailored and unique service with international reach and expertise, while providing value to our clients.”
