Global legal business DWF is again sponsoring Trade NI’s annual House of Commons reception, with DWF’s chief executive officer Sir Nigel Knowles featuring as a keynote speaker.
This afternoon’s event will see the launch of a new report, Northern Ireland Building for Success, which has been produced by accountancy and business advisory consultancy BDO NI with input from DWF and the other Trade NI sponsors.
Hosted by North Antrim MP Ian Paisley, the House of Commons reception will bring together more than 200 Northern Ireland business leaders along with embassy officials from around the world, government ministers and MPs to celebrate the economic growth of Northern Ireland over the last two decades.
Deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly is among the senior ministers making keynote speeches, highlighting why Northern Ireland is the ideal location to invest in and do business in.
Sir Nigel will say: “In Northern Ireland we have a fantastic client base, many of whom have travelled with us to this event today, including some of Northern Ireland’s best known entrepreneurs, who have invested back in their local communities, as well as family businesses, multinationals and PLCs.
“We are ambitious to invest and grow our operations in Northern Ireland and we know our clients are equally ambitious to grow both locally and internationally; we are ready to help them do that.
“We have many dual-qualified lawyers who want to stay in Northern Ireland, to raise their families and contribute to their communities in the place they call home, without limiting their ambition and reach.
“Many of our lawyers support both their local clients and their national and international colleagues on cross-border transactions and projects, using their skills and expertise as part of national and multinational teams.
“We need policy makers who are ready to embrace the unique opportunities that dual market access brings to Northern Ireland, to deliver for all the communities, to invest in skills, support those who are economically inactive to get back into work, to provide the support and tools to be a competitive region in which to invest.”
He will add: “We are currently supporting six students in our Belfast office qualify as solicitors in English law. Giving local graduates an opportunity to work and qualify in Belfast but be part of our national teams.
“We were delighted to partner with BT on this initiative. Our next generation want opportunities but they also want purpose, they want employers who understand them and support their wellbeing and values.”
Speaking ahead of the event, Julie Galbraith, executive partner of DWF in Belfast, said: “Northern Ireland has seen significant economic growth. At DWF we have seen fantastic growth in our business, we now have a team of 140 in Belfast providing legal services to a diverse range of sectors and businesses.
“But it’s not just about numbers. It’s about the people; Northern Ireland boasts a highly skilled workforce, nurtured by world-class universities. We are investing in our workforce and providing exciting opportunities for those wishing to pursue a career in law.
“Our young people are not just thinking outside the box; they’re reinventing the box entirely. They are the heartbeat of our economic resurgence.
“At DWF we want to create sustainable growth and we are doing that by investing in our people, and giving them cutting edge technology, through advances such as Microsoft Co-pilot.
“There is a spirit of innovation that flows through Northern Ireland, we are not just keeping up with the times; we are setting the pace. The message today to our policy makers has been loud and clear, embrace that entrepreneurial spirit, take bold decisions and deliver for your communities.”