Matthew Keen

Around 78 jobs will be created over the next three years with support from Invest Northern Ireland, which has offered £312,000 in financial support towards the new centre.

One of the largest labour, employment and immigration law firms in the US, Ogletree Deakins has 53 offices located throughout throughout the US, Europe, Canada and Mexico.

The legal processing centre in Belfast will provide administrative and paralegal support to meet the growing demand for the firm’s global mobility services.

Matthew Keen, managing shareholder for Ogletree Deakins, said: “We had a real need for additional quality paralegal team support for our growing immigration practice.

“Northern Ireland’s strong pipeline of quality graduates accessible through Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University, and strong staff retention rates were keys to our decision to locate here.

“It gives us the confidence that we will have access to outstanding staff members to allow us to continue to expand, scale and be successful long-term.”

Welcoming the announcement, economy minister Gordon Lyons said: “The legal services sector in Northern Ireland continues to grow and I am pleased to announce that Ogletree Deakins – a well-established international firm – is setting up here.”

He added: “This investment will provide employment opportunities for graduates and those with one to three years paralegal experience, as well as some leadership roles, generating annual salaries of £1.78m into our economy once fully operational.

“With a pool of 600 new law and legal studies graduates a year, I am sure the firm will find the talent it needs. In fact, it has already filled 25 of the positions available.”

Kevin Holland, CEO of Invest Northern Ireland, added: “Northern Ireland has lots to offer potential investors – skilled and dedicated workforce, great place to live, excellent infrastructure – to name just a few.

“Throughout Covid we have been able to demonstrate our resilience and adaptability, with positive stories from existing investors about how their Northern Ireland offices adapted more quickly than other locations.

“We are delighted Ogletree Deakins has chosen to locate this new centre here, joining many other leading firms. The project will increase the knowledge and talent pool in the local LPO ecosystem and strengthen our reputation as a region with high skills in a growing cluster.”