The conference, which took place on Thursday 16th October at The Law Society of Northern Ireland, was the first of its kind in the region, bringing together in-house legal professionals for a day of insight, reflection, and collaboration.
The event brought together more than 100 in-house lawyers, from leading businesses operating across Northern Ireland. Attendees heard from keynote speaker Ciaran Fenton and discussions from panellists including Leeanne Whaley (BT Group), Priscilla Rooney (Translink), Gillian Shaw (Cirata Plc), Ciaran O’Kelly (QUB) and David Lavery (Law Society NI).
The conference provided a unique platform for sharing experiences, exploring challenges, and strengthening professional networks across NI. The agenda included discussions on:
- The changing in-house landscape and the impact of technological innovation, ESG and the career aspirations of Gen Z.
- Lessons learned following the Post Office Horizon scandal, and how to balance regulatory obligations against duties owed to your employer.
- How to influence, manage and negotiate effectively.
The in-house profession in Northern Ireland, and globally, is experiencing significant growth driven by increased legal complexity, regulation and a recognition of the strategic importance of legal counsel to businesses.
Julie-Ann McCaffrey, Director (Construction) at DWF and previously an in-house lawyer at Greentown Companies, commented: “We are delighted to have organised this important conference, bringing together in-house lawyers to collaborate and learn from one another. It was a privilege to offer the platform for such a vital conversation within the growing Northern Ireland in-house legal community.”
Ciaran Fegan, Chair of the In-House Lawyers Group Northern Ireland and Group General Counsel for Graham Group, added: “We’re grateful to DWF for their involvement and for curating an informative and engaging agenda. The lively discussions that took place will have a positive impact on all attendees and we look forward to working with DWF to deliver future iterations of this conference for the continued benefit of our members.”
