Setting the Scene for Diversity

Emma Hunt, Head of Litigation and Partner at Mills Selig, is celebrating 20 years with the NI law firm. Here she talks about the minefield that is dispute resolution and how she is testament that Mills Selig has always been a pioneer in diversity.

Emma Hunt joined Mills Selig in 2001 as a trainee after graduating from law at Queen’s University, Belfast and completing a master’s degree in commercial law at University College Dublin.

She was the first female trainee the firm had hired and her arrival was to be a landmark moment for the business, which today has a board that is majority female.

“I think it’s really important to say that in a world that waas once male-dominated, Mills Selig led the way with a strong female presence, particularly in leadership roles,” Emma begins.

“The male mentors here have been important throughout my career; I’ve always felt rewarded on merit without gender even coming into the equation.”

Reflecting on the past two decades and comparing her staying power with the industry norm, Emma adds: “It is unusual to stay with the one firm in your career but for me, being here so long is about the culture and how it compares to what else is out there.

“The strong culture is such that I never really felt the need to move. It’s been a fantastic place to work since day one, with a one firm/one team approach to everything,” she adds.

In her earlier days at the firm, Emma, a former Rathmore pupil, said working on high profile and contentious cases gripped her attention and focus, steering her towards a specialism in litigation.

Today she works on a host of commercial disputes, acting mainly for NI companies and leaning towards specialisms in property, professional regulation and media law.

“But, I cover all types of litigation. Northern Ireland is such a small jurisdiction that you have to be able to turn your hand to anything,” she says.

Challenge is rife in her domain and Emma anticipates an onslaught of property disputes as Covid-19 schemes and temporary legislation comes to an end.

“It’s a bit too early to see where trends are going to be because there are a lot of restrictions in place. Cases coming in, I believe, will be more about disputes between landlords and tenants and when restrictions on legal action ease and courts are up and running, property litigation will be a trend area.”

She continues: “The challenge in litigation is learning to adapt really quickly to the emerging trends. Northern Ireland is very broad so you have to be agile to adapt but it’s also about keeping your finger on the pulse and knowing what type of case will be next and understanding your client’s needs.”

Among Emma’s other specialisms is intellectual property disputes, professional regulation and injunctions. She has been pivotal in the exponential growth of Mills Selig’s litigation team.

“In the last three years the litigation team has expanded by 50% and there is very much scope to grow more. When the pandemic started, we were all nervous, not just for our business, but for clients but we had a really strong year, I see a lot of potential in the future.”

Emma is also a specialist in media defamation and was instrumental in growing the defamation practice within Mills Selig, acting for broadcasters, publishers, national and local newspapers. She is also recognised as a leading expert in media litigation and the developing area of litigation arising out of the use of technology and social media, acting as the local representative for one of the largest global social media companies.

She also frequently presents to the profession and to businesses on contentious legal issues relevant to the technology sector.

“We have a long-standing recognition in Chambers UK legal directory as a leader in defamation and reputation management and have been involved in many of the major libel and media cases in this jurisdiction. We have also responded quickly to the developing law of defamation arising out of the use of social media and other online forums and have advised on a number of notable cases,” Emma continues.

“Social media is a whole new dynamic and can be very difficult to navigate. It is an area that will evolve and will be informed by the courts, so watch this space. It makes it a very interesting area to be involved in and we’re on the cutting edge of those decisions.”

Mills Selig is based in Arthur Street in Belfast’s city centre. Through association with leading Dublin firms, it offers an all-Ireland

“The strong culture is such that I never really felt the need to move. It’s been a fantastic place to work since day one, with a one firm/one team approach to everything.”