Legal company to take on new staff after office move

INTERNATIONAL legal services firm Axiom has moved to new premises in Belfast which could see its workforce increase to 350.

The New York-based company, which carries out contract legal work for global companies, has moved from the Scottish Provident Building in Donegall Place to the Lincoln Building on Great Victoria Street.

A spokeswoman said the com- pany had promoted around one-quarter of its staff over the last year, prompting the need for more law graduates to be hired.

It has 183 employees but said its new “centre of excellence” at the Lincoln Building had capacity for 350 people.

However, it’s understood the firm has no target for when the offices could be fully occupied by its staff.

It said it was already on the way towards surpassing its target to have 199 people in place by 2020. The spokeswoman said the growth in work at the Belfast office had included an increase in life sciences work, examining documentation in the banking sector and diligence in mergers and acquisitions.

Al Giles, executive vice president and head of commercial at Axiom, said: “Axiom’s unprecedented growth in Belfast represents the perfect confluence of client demand, market demographics, unique delivery mod- el and our distinctively different culture.”

The company has received around £1.8m in backing from economic development agency Invest NI for its job creation plans.

Brian Dolaghan, Invest NI’s director of technology and services, said: “Over the last five years Axiom has created valuable legal services employment opportunities in high-quality roles to service FTSE 100 companies around the globe from Belfast.

“Its growth to date is extremely encouraging and reflects the continued expansion of Northern lreland’s legal services cluster which offers innovative delivery models and world-class technology solutions.”

Axiom is part of a group of companies in the legal sector with operations in Northern Ireland.

Other operators include London-based Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills, as well as US firm Baker & McKenzie.