DQ Advocates has been recognised in the 2024 Legal 500 rankings and also in the Chambers & Partners Guide.

The Douglas-based law firm has nine members of the team feature in it.

It gained top tier placing in two key sectors (Employment and Private Client Trusts & Tax). In addition, three senior lawyers are named as ‘leading individuals’, two members of staff are ranked as ‘next generation’ partners, and four employees are classified as ‘rising stars’.

Partner Annemarie Hughes retained her position in the Hall of Fame in the private client; trusts and tax and insurance and pensions sectors.

Associate director Donna Matthews is named as a ‘next generation partner’ for her work in that trusts.

DQ’s employment division has retained its top tier status, led by the ‘diligent, tenacious and tireless’ Leanne McKeown. Two of her team, Jessica McManus and Joshua Quinn, are ranked as ‘rising stars’ in that sector with Mark Emery receiving an endorsement as a ‘next generation partner’.

Elsewhere, the banking and finance team is noted for its experience in tax, regulatory and compliance services, with associate director Adam Killip awarded the rising star accolade.

He and Matthews gained the same status for the corporate and commercial division where managing director Mark Dougherty was again named as a leading individual, along with head of corporate and commercial Andrew Harding.

The firm’s dispute resolution department has been promoted to Tier Two status with Mark Emery listed as a ‘next generation partner’.

In addition, Dougherty and Matthews have received further inclusions in shipping and aviation.

Managing director Dougherty said: ‘The rankings are based on thorough and independent research, taking into account client experience and peer observation, so are a real testament to the professionalism of our team, both advocates, associates, advisors and consultants.’

The Legal 500 research of all law firms is based on a combination of feedback from 250,000 in-house peers, client feedback and independent assessment of a variety of factors, including the strength and depth of the practice, and a law firm’s ability to handle the most complex and innovative work.

DQ retained its rankings across key business areas in the Chambers and Partners UK Guide 2024 and High Net Worth Guide.

These included Hughes, the ‘go-to’ for anything related to local trust law who retained her Band One status for Offshore Trusts, while Matthews was ranked as an ‘associate to watch’ in the same category.

Corporate Finance (Offshore) is once more highly regarded in Band Two with Dougherty highly regarded and ‘fantastic litigator’. McKeown included in the top band for her work in offshore employment.

With Killip named an as ‘associate to watch’ and Mark Emery listed as an ‘up and coming’ advocate, it caps off a series of plaudits in a directory which is compiled by a team of editors who conduct extensive research among legal practitioners and clients. Chambers has been ranking lawyers and legal firms since 1990, covering more than 190 jurisdictions.

- back on October 17, we reported that Simcocks, Cains and Appleby had made their mark in the Legal 500 directory.