About the North South Legal Alliance

L'Estrange & Brett in Belfast and McCann FitzGerald in Dublin, each a leading law firm in its own jurisdiction, came together in 1999 to form an association to be known as the North South Legal Alliance. The legal environment north and south of the border has much in common but is also very different in many respects. While each firm retains its independence, the Alliance is designed to enable the expertise and experience of the two firms to be shared. Clients whose business activities involve both jurisdictions can obtain integrated advice that takes account of the differences between each jurisdiction and that draws on the wealth of know-how and experience to be found in each of the firms.

Click here to visit the North/South Legal Alliance website.

L'Estrange & Brett and McCann FitzGerald share a long tradition and an ethos that involves commitment to excellence, to professionalism and to the highest standards. The approach of each firm is based on a clear sense of what clients are trying to achieve and combines a thorough understanding of the relevant law and practice with commercial acumen. Both firms provide a full service to clients and undertake a wide range of legal assignments, with an emphasis on the requirements of business and finance.

The North South Legal Alliance enables the two firms to combine their resources for the purposes of:

• Advising clients based in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland engaged in transactions or disputes, or requiring legal advice, involving the other jurisdiction;
• Undertaking assignments in one jurisdiction where there would be advantage in utilising the skills built up and experience gained in the other; and
• Undertaking North South legal assignments.

A key objective is to deliver legal services in an integrated and co-ordinated way, and to this end, it is intended to establish teams with members from each firm, to second lawyers from one firm to the other, to organise joint training and to share know-how in relevant areas, as well as to take other organisational measures designed to ensure that the best legal support is provided in the most cost efficient way.

The creation of the North South Legal Alliance benefits clients in a wide range of legal service areas, particular examples being:

• Mergers and acquisitions: where a Republic of Ireland based business intends to acquire a property, business or company in Northern Ireland, or vice versa;
• Cross border financial transactions: where a business with assets north and south of the border is raising finance, or a financial institution is extending credit to such a business;
• Infrastructural projects: where the project itself has a cross-border dimension;
• Public private partnerships and private finance initiative projects: where the experience and skills of one firm complement and strengthen the skills of the other;
• Businesses with interests north and south: where advice is needed in both jurisdictions; and
• Businesses with interests north and south: where advice is needed in both jurisdictions; and
• The work of official bodies: including cross border institutions.

The benefits to clients derive from the increased level of experience and skills and the more extensive technical and human resources available, and the capacity to obtain advice concerning both jurisdictions in a more co-ordinated and focused way.

For further information please contact Ronan Molony at McCann FitzGerald or Brian Henderson at L'Estrange & Brett.