The 10 new recruits join the seven trainees already part of the firm’s two-year solicitor training programme.

Six of the successful recruits — Rebekah Spence, Reece Simpson, Holly Cooper, Jack Turkington, Sarah Logan and Yvette Moore — are graduates of Queen’s University Belfast.

The other four are Steven Burrows, a graduate of Ulster University; Emma Watson, a graduate of Trinity College; Susanna Elliott, a graduate of the University of Oxford; and Kate Duffy, a graduate of the University of Bristol.

Managing partner Roger McMillan said: “Carson McDowell has deep roots in Northern Ireland. While we have grown and evolved to become the largest independent firm in terms of headcount and turnover, we have never lost sight of our most important asset: our people.

“Taking on 10 trainees this year demonstrates our ongoing commitment to investing in and nurturing the next generation of legal talent. Our training programme also allows us to develop and grow solicitors from within, equipping them with the expertise needed to serve our ambitious clients across various sectors.”

Carson McDowell employs over 200 people in its Belfast and Dublin offices.