Foster promotes Northern Ireland’s legal excellence to a global audience in Washington DC

First Minister the Rt. Hon. Arlene Foster has continued her visit to the US this week in Washington DC where she is promoting the expertise and innovation in Northern Ireland’s legal sector.

The First Minister supported a legal trade mission organised by Invest Northern Ireland, which includes attendance at this year’s International Bar Association Conference in Washington and meetings in New York.

The International Bar Association (IBA) is a representative organisation for the legal profession and its annual conference attracts over 6,000 practitioners across the global legal community.

Addressing delegates, the First Minister Arlene Foster said: “Northern Ireland’s legal services sector has shown remarkable growth over the last five years and is now one at the forefront of our local economy, driven by an unparalleled combination of excellent legal talent and competitive cost base.

“I welcome that a growing number of globally respected firms are choosing Northern Ireland to base their operations and I can assure you all of our world class facilities and high calibre of legal graduates. Each year our two top law schools at Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University generate some 700 law graduates. Northern Ireland now has an unrivalled potential and ability to grow and diversify our legal cluster even further.

“The IBA annual conference is a highly valuable platform to showcase the expertise and talent Northern Ireland lawyers can offer internationally and to profile our region as a leading destination for legal services investment.

“We offer a wide range of solutions for international firms operating with a changing global legal landscape including legal tech, access to cutting-edge university research in areas such as data analytics and expertise in the Ulster University Centre for Legal Innovation, which is the first of its kind in the UK.

“The possibilities are endless. I encourage you all to take a closer look at what Northern Ireland has to offer the international legal services industry.”

The Invest NI presence at this international event profiles Northern Ireland’s proven value proposition for both investors and those sourcing international legal expertise, world-class technology solutions and innovation. The region’s strengths in legal services innovation and legal tech will be the focus at the follow-on mission in New York.

The 25-strong delegation includes legal professionals, legal tech specialists and representatives from Ulster University Legal Innovation Centre, Bar of NI and the NI Law Society.

Invest NI has arranged a programme of meetings for the trade mission participants as well as workshops, seminars and events to make new contacts and share knowledge with senior legal and technology leaders.

Notes to editors: 

1. More information on the trade mission and the delegates taking part is available at the following link. www.investni.com/legal-services-trade-mission.html
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