Hollywood and HBO suppliertakes on first city recruits

The Northern Ireland affiliate of US-based media law firm, SmithDehn LLP - whose clients range from HBO and Sony Pictures, to Paramount Pictures and Channel Four - has hired its first wave of Magee graduates.
Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, stars of HBO hit Tue Blood. photo: Prashant Gupta/HBOAnna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, stars of HBO hit Tue Blood. photo: Prashant Gupta/HBO
Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, stars of HBO hit Tue Blood. photo: Prashant Gupta/HBO

Londonderry native and new SmithDehn professional Tony Doherty says: “Getting the chance to study entertainment law at the University of Ulster with some of the top media executives in the world was exciting enough.

“But now I regularly have to pinch myself to believe that this is actually what I do for a living.”

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Another SmithDehn Northern Ireland recruit, Patricia Sweeney MacBride, had a similar reaction: “I met the SmithDehn team when I took the media course this year, and I was immediately impressed by their ‘can do’ attitude.

Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, stars of HBO hit Tue Blood. photo: Prashant Gupta/HBOAnna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, stars of HBO hit Tue Blood. photo: Prashant Gupta/HBO
Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, stars of HBO hit Tue Blood. photo: Prashant Gupta/HBO

“They trained us how to make things happen for film and TV clients. Now, in my first week on the job, I’m already reviewing and vetting two outstanding new documentary films for US release, and preparing for creative legal work on an upcoming Hollywood blockbuster comedy.”

Londonderry native Dermot Desmond, another of the first batch of recruits, concurs: “I’m thrilled that the first US law firm expanding into Northern Ireland has come to Derry.

“SmithDehn’s clients include most of the major Hollywood film studios and US/UK television broadcasters.

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“To be given the chance to work with and learn from the biggest names in the industry is an amazing opportunity for us. And now I’m getting ready to go to Cannes to meet international clients. Things are moving along quickly.”

One of SmithDehn’s founding partners, Russell Smith: “Our University of Ulster course proved to us that in and around Northern Ireland, particularly in the Northwest, there is a great supply of under-utilized talent.

“This has allowed us to hire creative, intelligent, energetic, and dynamic people who are wowing our clients, and stepping onto the global stage as SmithDehn NI ambassadors.

“We’ve started with four new-hires, and we are confident we will be hiring dozens more in the coming years. The same goes for our film/TV production/sales company, Social Construct Media.”