Our Team

Terence Lacey

Senior Partner Terence Lacey was educated at Queen’s University Belfast and graduated with a Degree in Law in 1990.

He has over 30 years of experience advising major Insurance clients across the entire island of Ireland.

With his specialism firmly within defence litigation, Terry regularly attends the High Court in Dublin and Belfast as well as the County and Circuit Courts.

He has significant experience in all aspects of defence litigation and particularly in dealing with high-value actions. He is an expert in Catastrophic Injury Claims and is recognised as a go-to adviser for Technical Insurance advice.

In his rest time, Terry’s interests are walking, running, cycling, Theology, and Classical Music.

Damian McGeady

Educated at Portobello College, Dublin, and Queen’s University, Belfast, Damian specialises in defence litigation, Insurance Law and Catastrophic Injury. Damian is the author of The Insurance Law Ireland blog and is a member of the British Insurance Law Association. Damian practices in The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and has extensive experience representing Insurers in both jurisdictions. Damian regularly undertakes training of Insurance Professionals in matters concerning Insurance Litigation in both The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Damian regularly advises Insurers on cross-border and jurisdictional issues.

Damian is a qualified Solicitor advocate and has a special interest in all matters of dispute resolution, including traditional litigation, arbitration, and mediation.

Damian enjoys reading, walking, and watching sports in his spare time. He is a season ticket holder at Ulster Rugby. Damian also enjoys Gaelic games and football.

Ruaidhrí Austin

Ruaidhrí is a ‘home-grown’ Partner within the firm having first joined as a trainee solicitor and being elevated to Partner in 2022. He is the first new Partner within the firm since its inception in 2005.

After receiving his Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Studies he then joined the firm as a qualified solicitor working primarily in Insurance Defence Litigation.

Ruaidhrí was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in the Republic of Ireland in 2017 and now represents clients across the entire Island of Ireland.

With a workload consisting primarily of road traffic accidents for both Plaintiff and Defendant, Ruaidhri’s specialism lies firmly in the area of Credit Hire Litigation. Ruaidhrí speaks at CPD events in this area of law and provides training to insurance clients and solicitors alike.

‌

Ruaidhrí’s caseload also consists of medical negligence actions and has had a number of high profile and notable cases over the years;

• Acting for patients sexually assaulted by two doctors at Naas General Hospital, Kildare and appearing on “RTÉ Investigates – Abuse of Trust”, RTÉ One in relation to the matter. Read more
• Acting on behalf of the family of a gentleman who died following treatment at Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. Read More
• Acting on behalf of the family of a lady who died following an ‘unnecessary’ surgery which was subsequently concealed by the hospital. Read More

‌

Ruaidhri has had ties to a number of groups and organisations;

• Elected as Chair of the Northern Ireland Young Solicitors’ Association (NIYSA).
• A member of the ‘Law Tech Committee’ established by the Law Society which was created in response to a growing need to ensure solicitors are at the very centre of developments around Legal Technology.
• He is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers(APIL) and a member of the Ulster Medico-Legal Association (UMLA).
• He is a member of the Judicial Advisory Group ‘Vision 2030’ which was established by Lady Chief Justice The Right Honourable Dame Siobhan Keegan inform the design and development of the major programme of work to modernise courts over the next decade. The group is made up of judicial representatives from across all tiers and business as well as experts from the wider legal profession.

William Wilson

With a respected reputation as a highly technical lawyer in the property market, William joined Lacey Solicitors in 2024 and was a key hire in broadening the firm’s skill base and profile in Northern Ireland.

William is the Head of the Property Department with extensive experience in all aspects of commercial and residential property transactions.

William regularly advises on:

• Property sales
• Property purchases
• Boundary disputes
• Planning law
• Option agreements and other creative strategies

He acts for both private and commercial clients, assisting with everything from Negotiation of leases and Property portfolio management to Rent reviews and Lease renewals.

In an ever-changing market and economic client, William leads his newly established team with a focus on adapting to meet the demand of his clients and delivering tailored solutions across all areas of property law. His Belfast based team is already making great strides in the market building our reputation by guiding clients through complex property transactions, development projects, and legal agreements.

William’s practice also extends beyond property law, and assists his client with;

• Probate matters, including Wills, EPA’s, Lifetime Gifting, Trusts, Inheritance Tax Planning, and Office of Care and Protection Administration.
• Liquor and Entertainment Licensing matters, advising on transfers, protection orders, and sales/purchases of licensed premises..

William’s team is increasingly working as part of a larger multi disciplinary team alongside the Property Insurance Dispute Resolution team to ensure that our clients enjoy a full and seamless service at all times.

Memberships:

• William is also a dedicated Mental Health Champion for LawCare, supporting the wellbeing of his colleagues in the legal profession. His commitment to mental health awareness within the workplace underlines his approachability and understanding, ensuring a supportive environment for both clients and peers.
• Outside of work, William is passionate about continuing professional development and regularly attends property and law conferences. He is actively involved in the Law Society’s events and currently serves on the committee of the Northern Ireland Young Solicitors Association.

Aisling Creegan

Aisling began her legal career with Lacey Solicitors in 2019, after attaining her degree in Law with Politics from Queen’s University Belfast. She undertook her training contract under the mastery of Terry Lacey and graduated with a Distinction from the Institute of Professional Legal Studies in 2022. Aisling was called to the Roll of Solicitors in Northern Ireland that same year, and she was admitted onto the Roll of Solicitors in the Republic of Ireland in 2023.

Aisling practices civil litigation across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. With a strong foundation in legal principles and a commitment to client advocacy, Aisling brings a meticulous and strategic approach to her practice. A cornerstone of our personal injuries’ and road traffic accident departments, Aisling has established herself as a diligent and effective litigator, both in Plaintiff and Defence capacities. A familiar face in the District and Circuit Courts, Aisling has carriage of high-volume recovery matters for our Insurer clients. Aisling regularly assists the Partners in High Court cases, to include cases concerning catastrophic injuries and complex contract disputes. Adept at navigating the complexities of both jurisdictions, Aisling ensures that her clients in all capacities receive comprehensive and tailored legal advice and support.

Aisling is an active member of several legal associations, including The Law Society of Northern Ireland, The Law Society of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Young Solicitors’ Association (NIYSA), where she holds a committee position. Aisling acts as a mentor on the QUB Women in Law Programme, where she mentors and guides young women looking to enter and navigate the profession. These accolades qualify Aisling to support and guide the assistant solicitors, trainee solicitors and paralegals within the firm. Aisling is a fluent Irish speaker and is passionate in using the Irish language in the courtrooms across the length and breadth of the country.

Orla McAteer

Orla joined Lacey Solicitors in 2023 having previously worked in other leading Insurance Litigation and Personal Injury firms.

With a caseload of primarily motor and hearing loss claims, Orla appears in the County Court and High Court of Northern Ireland on behalf of Insurer clients as well as a number of private clients.

Amie Reid

Amie joined Lacey Solicitors in 2024 as a Legal Apprentice. As a Legal Apprentice, Amie is currently working towards her completing her Law Degree at Ulster University as part of the new Law Degree Apprenticeship programme.

This programme combines work-based training with academic study to get the best out of the lawyers of tomorrow. For the next three years, whilst she is completing her law degree part time, she will be working in our Belfast office receiving “hands on” training.

With a passion for Tort Law and Civil Litigation, Amie’s focus is on obtaining as much tutelage and experience from her mentor Aisling Creegan and her workload for the moment consists of primarily road traffic accident claims.

Amie is also assisting Mr Ruaidhrí Austin Partner in the medical negligence team and over the next few years hope to become proficient in the area of clinical negligence. She is assisting on a number of high profile and widely reported medical negligence claims.

As part of her training, Amie will also be exposed to Property and Probate law under the supervision of Mr William Wilson.

Amie hopes to qualify as a solicitor after her studies. Amie is an active member of the Ulster University Law Society and in currently working towards her Ulster Edge Excel Award. In her free time, she enjoys a good book and going on long walks with her dog Frank.

Maria Adams

Maria Adams is a trainee solicitor currently working in the Motor team at Lacey Solicitors assisting the Partners with County Court and High Court NI actions involving Credit Hire.

Cara O’Sullivan

Cara joined Lacey Solicitors in September 2024 as a Trainee Solicitor, after graduating from Queen’s University Belfast.

Cara primarily assists Mr Terry Lacey in Insurance Defence litigation and has attended courts across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

In her role, Cara provides essential support to Terry Lacey in advising major Insurance Clients throughout the island of Ireland and her workload comprises primarily of road traffic accident litigation with some public liability claims.

Cara will attend the Institute of Professional Legal Studies in January 2025 to commence the next part of her training with a view to becoming a qualified solicitor in September 2026.