Fieldfisher shifts 90 roles to Belfast in back office consolidation

Fieldfisher is relocating around 90 business services roles to Belfast as it continues to build out its Northern Ireland operations as a central support hub for the firm.

The roles, which will move from London, Manchester and Birmingham, form part of a plan to bring core business services functions together in a single location.

Back-office shift

The firm said the move will allow it to “enhance efficiency, strengthen service delivery and develop a centre of excellence” to support long-term growth.

Following the relocations, the firm’s Belfast headcount is expected to reach around 220.

Fieldfisher is also actively recruiting for 27 open roles in Belfast spanning multiple functions and seniority levels, according to its careers page.

The move reflects a broader trend across large law firms to centralise operational roles outside London, using regional hubs to reduce costs and standardise internal processes.

Belfast bet

Fieldfisher first established its Belfast presence in 2018, launching the office as part of its alternative legal services strategy focused on document-heavy and process-driven work. Since then, the office has grown into a key hub supporting the firm’s UK and European operations, combining legal support work with wider business services functions.

The latest relocation suggests the firm is now deepening that model, shifting more traditional back-office roles alongside its existing legal and managed services capability.

Fieldfisher is not alone in shifting operational work into lower-cost hubs. HSF Kramer launched a Belfast office in 2011 as a near-shore delivery centre which has since grown to more than 200 staff.

A&O Shearman’s Belfast office is now the firm’s second-largest globally, with more than 700 staff across legal delivery and support functions.