The Legal 500

A&L Goodbody’s ‘excellent’, ‘top-notch’ contentious construction practice is one of the Dublin market leaders with Kevin Feeney at the helm. Eamonn Conlon has ‘wide-ranging knowledge of all aspects of construction-related matters’. Despite tough market conditions, the team has also attracted various non-contentious matters including advising Bennett Construction and O’Hare & McGovern on a joint venture to act as contractors to the preferred bidder on the Third Level PPP Bundle 1.

Disputes have driven McCann FitzGerald’s ‘top-class’ practice recently, although it has substantial ongoing non-contentious highlights including advising Cork County Council on the construction of an underpass beneath the Cork-Youghal railway line. It is advising BRL on various projects including one housing development damaged by excessive levels of pyrite. ‘Industry expert’ Kevin Kelly heads the team which also includes Tim Bouchier-Hayes, who is ‘a superb communicator’ and ‘highly skilled lawyer’.

Arthur Cox is ‘competent and unwavering in its advice’. Practice head Niav O’Higgins has ‘absolute focus on client service’ and ‘provides a winning formula’. Tim Kinney’s ‘mix of experience is perfect’, and associate Karen Killoran ‘gives generously of her knowledge and time’. Alongside colleagues in the projects group, the team won a mandate to advise Endesa Ireland on the Great Island power station development. Other clients include Bord Gais Eirann, Diageo and Smartply.

Maples and Calder inspires fierce loyalty, and clients say it is ‘the best in the market’. Dudley Solan’s ‘presence alone is often sufficient for success’. The team advised Woodfort Group on two international development projects and John Sisk & Son in relation to abnormal tendering practices in the Irish construction industry, where it prepared a procurement challenge to be heard before the courts.

The high level of experience at Matheson Ormsby Prentice is a key factor in clients’ recommendations, and the group balances top-end transactions with contentious work, such as advising Google and Microsoft on their respective data centres and Alstom in a number of arbitrations and other disputes. Practice head Damien Keogh and associate Rhona Henry are recommended.

William Fry’s ‘solutions-focused’ team provides ‘excellent service’. It was appointed sole adviser to the Electricity Supply Board on the procurement of its new headquarters, and it is defending Galvin Developments in the Commercial Court against claims brought by Allied Irish Banks. Lead partner Jarleth Heneghan is ‘efficient in dealing with complex contracts’, and Liam McCabe ‘provides first-class service’.

Eversheds has a broad range of clients across the energy, transport and projects spaces, and ‘deals with issues in the best possible manner’. Litigator Dermot McEvoy has ‘a deep understanding of construction conflicts’. Chris Wheeler is ‘very good at explaining the method and reasoning for his approach’.

Hussey Fraser’s top-quality construction practice focuses on contractor and sub-contractor instructions. Name partners Malcolm Fraser and Anthony Hussey are highly regarded.

Mason Hayes & Curran’s team is ‘very knowledgeable, prompt, and approachable’, and widely praised for its overall level of service. Practice head Rory Kirrane has ‘a genuine grasp of the industry he serves’. The team advised the Health Services Executive on issues arising from the Michael McNamara & Co and Cordil Construction insolvencies.

Philip Lee has advised on various projects, particularly in the transport and energy sectors. Managing partner Philip Lee heads the practice. Richard Stowe left the firm in 2011.

Beauchamps Solicitors advised on the National Paediatric Hospital project, one of the few developments to survive government spending cutbacks. The well-regarded Bruno Herbots heads the team.

ByrneWallace advised Structuretone on a building contract for a large fit-out in Dublin. The team also advised ACC Bank and Bank of Ireland on various matters. Projects lawyer Mary Dunne is the key contact following the departure of the former head of construction Fiona O’Neill to Mallesons Stephen Jaques in Hong Kong.

LK Shields Solicitors has been kept very busy with disputes, and Eoin Cunneen represented FK Lowry Piling and Andrew Mannion Structural Engineering in the Commercial Court. Gerard O’Hanlon heads the team, which counts a number of public and quasi-national companies among its core clients.

Holmes O’Malley Sexton is ‘clued in and understands where clients are coming from’. Joseph O’Meara heads the practice, which is lead adviser to a further education provider regarding an ongoing library project involving the National Development Finance Agency.

Finola McCarthy leads Ronan Daly Jermyn’s team, which advises local authorities on utility projects and private contractors on construction work.

WhitneyMoore acts for contractors and public bodies on a range of contentious and non-contentious matters. Michael Doran and Michael Carney are the key contacts.