The firms have exchanged contracts, with completion remaining subject to external approvals. Davidson McDonnell, founded in 2015, was identified by Experian’s Market IQ report in 2024 as one of the most active legal advisers in the region’s M&A sector, the firm has achieved significant turnover growth year-on-year, exceeding 15 per cent in its most recent financial year.

The combination will see a team of almost 50 professionals join Browne Jacobson, including a five-strong leadership group with expertise across corporate M&A, commercial property, dispute resolution and finance, as well as other key practice areas. Most of Davidson McDonnell’s lawyers are dual-qualified in Northern Ireland and England & Wales, positioning the combined firm to advise seamlessly across jurisdictions.

Richard Medd, managing partner at Browne Jacobson, said: “Our plan to launch the Browne Jacobson brand in Northern Ireland through this combination is a statement of intent. We are a firm capable of operating at scale across the UK and Ireland, and Northern Ireland represents a market of genuine strategic importance – both for the quality of its legal talent and the sophistication of its commercial activity.

“Davidson McDonnell has established itself as a serious player in a competitive market. It advises on complex, high-value transactions and has built relationships with some of the region’s most significant businesses. That doesn’t happen by accident. It requires exceptional legal capability, commercial judgement and client service.

“Our ambition is clear: to be at the forefront of the issues shaping business and society, to act as a connector between markets, sectors and opportunities, and to grow in line with client demand. This move delivers on all three. We are following our clients into Northern Ireland, we are following talent, and we are creating a platform that allows us to compete for the most significant work across the UK and Ireland. This is about building a firm capable of delivering at the highest level, and we invite those just as ambitious to work with us.”

Ross Davidson, co-founder and director of Davidson McDonnell said: “We founded this firm with the ambition to build something that could compete with anyone on technical excellence and commercial impact. When we join Browne Jacobson that ambition will accelerate significantly.

“What became clear in our discussions was the alignment in how both firms approach the market. This isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room – it’s about being the most effective. It’s about solving complex problems, delivering commercial outcomes and building long-term relationships based on trust and capability.

“For our clients, this transaction means access to a significantly broader platform: deeper sector expertise, greater geographic reach across the UK and Ireland and beyond - and the kind of investment in technology and innovation that allows us to operate at the forefront.

“For our team, it means the opportunity to work on larger, more complex mandates while maintaining the culture and client focus that has defined our success. This is very much the right move at the right time.”

After completion, Davidson McDonnell will operate under the Browne Jacobson brand, with the Belfast office forming a fully integrated part of the firm’s UK and Ireland offering The directors of Davidson McDonnell will become partners in Browne Jacobson.