Michael Neill is Head of A&L Goodbody's Belfast office. He is also a partner in both our Restructuring and Litigation departments.
Michael specialises in all areas of business recovery work, which includes advising local and national insolvency practitioners, major banks, and other creditors. Michael also conducts a wide variety of financial services and insolvency-related litigation. He acts on behalf of financial institutions as well as life, property, pension and investment companies. He has also acted for banks, companies, creditors and insolvency practitioners in the majority of high profile corporate failures in Northern Ireland in recent years.
Areas of Expertise
Restructuring & Insolvency/Litigation & Dispute Resolution/Post-Brexit Trade: The Windsor Framework
Experience Advising:
- Restructuring of the Quinn Group (indebtedness of circa. €1.2bn).
- KPMG as special liquidators of IBRC which is currently the largest, most complex and cross jurisdictional insolvency on the island of Ireland
- The major creditors in connection with the Administrations of Carillion, Nortel (UK) Limited, Thermomax Limited, Reid Transport Limited and the Jermon Group.
- Numerous banking and financial institutions in connection with contentious litigation.
- Various distressed loan purchasers in respect of a wide variety of restructuring and enforcement matters arising from their purchase of loan portfolios.
- The Administrators of the Taggart Group.
Market Recommendations
Eminent Practitioner, Litigation UK (Chambers UK 2024)
"He's a true leader. He's a client-focused problem solver who tailors the strength of ALG to each client." (Chambers UK 2024)
“A strong commercial litigator with noteworthy expertise in restructuring and insolvency litigation as well as shareholder disputes.” (Chambers UK 2024)
A "top-class, fantastic lawyer." (Chambers UK 2020)
"Michael Neill "understands the technical side of insolvency and restructuring to a genius standard'". (Chambers UK 2019)
"He's a very good litigator, very accessible, and very willing to buy into the specific requirements of the client." (Chambers UK 2018)
"Clients praise his skilled navigation of deals…he possesses the technical knowledge to consider all options…he provides pin-sharp, wholly practical advice. He has an excellent practice." (Chambers UK 2016)
Professional activities
Michael is a member of the Law Society of Northern Ireland (1997). He is also a former Chairman of R3 (The Association of Business Recovery Professionals) for the Northern Ireland region. He has professional I and II qualifications from the Institute of Chartered Accountants and also writes extensively in the areas of corporate recovery and insolvency.
Education
- Solicitor, Law Society of Northern Ireland
- IPLS, Queens University Belfast
- LLB (Law & Accounting), Queens University Belfast
Michael Neill
Head of Office, A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland LLP