From Belfast to Success: The Rise of Professional and Legal Services in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is quickly becoming a hotspot for businesses in the professional and legal services sector. This growth not only shows how strong the economy is but also stresses the importance of choosing the right recruitment partner to help navigate hiring and expansion. Northern Ireland has transformed into a thriving hub for business opportunities. With excellent infrastructure, a highly skilled workforce, and support from both central and local government, the region is attracting significant investment across various industries, particularly in professional and legal services.

But what makes Northern Ireland so attractive in professional and legal services?

· Scale and Expertise: Companies here have achieved significant scale, building large multi-disciplinary teams. The “Big 4” accountancy giants—Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG—have established their UK delivery centres in Belfast, providing client-facing services. In fact, both Deloitte and PwC consider their Belfast centres as their largest outside of London. But it’s not just the giants; global players like BDO, Grant Thornton, and PA Consulting also call Northern Ireland home.

· Legal Excellence: Our legal sector has flourished over the last decade. We’ve welcomed globally recognized law firms such as Allen & Overy, Baker McKenzie, Herbert Smith Freehills, and Factor. Sharing a regulatory framework and company law regime with England and Wales, Northern Ireland stands tall as a proven choice for international legal services.

· Talent Pool: With almost 20,000 professionals employed in the professional and legal services sector, Northern Ireland boasts a rich talent pool. Over 7,000 graduates in relevant disciplines—including business, law, technology, HR, and communications—fuel the professional and legal services ecosystem.

· Lawtech Innovation: Belfast has emerged as one of the top 10 global lawtech scenes, rubbing shoulders with London, San Francisco, Singapore, and Tel Aviv. Legal technology solutions are flourishing, and our legal talent pool over 900 graduates annually.

Who else thinks Northern Ireland is so special:

· Eversheds Sutherland, Fieldfisher, Gateley, Pinsent Masons, Shoosmiths, and TLT—all large GB firms—have expanded into Northern Ireland, leveraging local talent.

· BT and Citi have built and expanded their in-house legal capabilities here.

· FinTrU recently launched a legal services Assured Skills Academy, enhancing its legal offering to Tier 1 investment banks.

A working relationship with a strategic recruitment partner is a crucial factor in helping to identify and recruit the talent you need, having spent the past 15 years placing talent in the Professional and Legal services sectors across the UK and Ireland we understand the nuances and complexities of today’s candidate-driven talent market. 

As experts in Professional Services and Legal recruitment, here’s how we can help make your recruitment faster, easier and more effective, here's how:

· Access to specialist talent pools – In a profession of specialist skills and experience, specialist talent wants to speak to an expert who understands their role and we do just that. At MCS Group, we specialise in sourcing top talent, and each of our Specialist Recruitment Consultants knows the difference between litigation and arbitration, and the nuances of commercial law and corporate law. Our team also has extensive networks, deep industry knowledge and access to talent pools and skills that you need.

· Industry insights and market knowledge – We understand the evolving demands of the Professional Services and Legal sectors and can provide you with invaluable insights into talent availability, competitor landscape, and hiring best practices. From Legal Analysts to In-house Counsel and Associates, our experience and in-depth knowledge of market trends, salary benchmarks, and industry dynamics will enable you to make informed decisions that guarantee success. We can also offer guidance on talent retention strategies to help you build high-performing teams that drive innovation and success.

· Speed and efficiency – Searching for Senior Professional Services and Legal talent can be time-consuming and can involve searching across geographies and industries, we can take the weight from you which frees you to focus on other things. Traditional recruitment processes involving job postings, CV screening, and interviews can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. We can streamline your hiring process by utilising our expertise in candidate sourcing, screening, and assessment all powered by best-in-class recruitment technology, ensuring you stay one step ahead of the competition.

· Reduced risk - Making the wrong hire can have disastrous consequences for an organisation, both financially and culturally. In every project we undertake, we use rigorous screening and assessment processes to help you find talent that is not only qualified but also aligned with your values and objectives.

· Building your brand – With Gartner suggesting those that deliver on their EVP decrease employee turnover by 70% and increase the loyalty of new hires by 30% it’s essential to get it right, we should know as we’re experts in Recruitment Branding. From telling your story to optimising the candidate experience, we can help you communicate your employer brand and make you stand out in the “war for talent”.

To find out more about how we can help you attract top talent, communicate your employer brand and build high-performing teams by making your recruitment faster, easier and more effective, reach out to  Ryan McMahon Commercial Manager – Professional Services at r.mcmahon@mcsgroup.jobs  or call 02896 935 528 to find out how we can transform how you recruit.