The Legal 500

A&L Goodbody exhibits ‘dedication and professionalism that is top class’, and fields one of the market’s largest teams. It is advising the Quinn Group on all aspects of its restructuring and BUPA in its multimillion-euro claim for compensation arising from the Irish government’s attempt to levy the Irish health insurance industry. Joe Kelly is particularly recommended for his ‘deep experience and insight’. Liam Kennedy heads the team, in which Eoin MacNeill and Kenan Furlong are identified as stars.

Arthur Cox’s group is ‘always pleasant and always available, no matter the time’. It is acting for Crédit Agricole in a €15m claim against Dexia Asset Management. Other clients include NAMA, JSC BTA Bank and eircom. Conor McDonnell and Gavin Woods are ‘reliable and trusted advisers’; Richard Willis ‘has incredible endurance and tenacity’; and Donogh Crowley, Bryan Strahan and team head David O’Donohoe are also recommended.

Matheson Ormsby Prentice’s financial services and healthcare expertise are particularly praised by clients, and the group is leading the defence of HSBC in more than 50 cases arising from the Madoff fraud, which are moving into the e-discovery phase. Other clients include William Grant and Kenmare Resources. Healthcare expert Tom Hayes shows ‘effective leadership while maintaining a hands-on approach’; practice head Sharon Daly has the ‘ability to assimilate information and provide salient commercial advice’; and Bríd Munnelly and Carina Lawlor are also recommended.

Helen Kilroy heads McCann FitzGerald’s practice, which ‘provides a first-class service in every aspect’. The team continues to advise various investors on the unravelling of the Madoff fraud, and successfully defended Bord Gáis from a €2m severance and pensions claim by its former CEO. David Clarke is respected for his strategic thinking; Sean Barton is ‘unrivalled for his expertise in legal and statutory drafting’; and Rosaleen Byrne and Karyn Harty are also recommended.

William Fry provides ‘a practical yet innovative approach’. It advised Anglo Irish Bank in a substantial enforcement against the Quinn family in a number of jurisdictions, and is also representing Deutsche Bank in six sets of Commercial Court proceedings relating to the sale of Saturn Bonds by Bloxham Stockbrokers. Owen O’Sullivan is ‘understated, calm and a good strategic thinker’, Lisa Carty has rare knowledge and experience, and Garrett Breen and the ‘innovative and determined’ Ann Henry are also recommended.

Eugene F. Collins continues to represent Patrick McKillen and others in the ongoing judicial review proceedings against NAMA. Terry Leggett is also defending Bloxham Stockbrokers against various investor claims. The highly respected Ronan O’Neill leads the team.

Norman Fitzgerald’s meticulous team at Eversheds provides an ‘excellent overall level of service’. Dermot McEvoy is representing the Quinn family in its dispute with Anglo Irish Bank and related matters. Aisling Gannon, who joined recently with a team from Beauchamps Solicitors, bolsters the contentious healthcare practice and has a ‘focused, analytical mind’.

Mason Hayes & Curran’s ‘professional, effective’ group includes Declan Black, who gives ‘extremely practical, professional and proactive advice’; healthcare expert Gemma Coady; and Richard Woulfe, who led a team that successfully defended Matheson Ormsby Prentice in a £25m solicitor’s negligence claim.

LK Shields Solicitors has seen an increase in bank-side work over the last couple of years including representing Ringsend Property, a vehicle of Davy Stockbrokers, in a dispute with property developer Bernard McNamara. Edmund Butler heads the team, which also includes the highly rated Michael Kavanagh.

Maples and Calder’s team of ‘first-class lawyers’ provides ‘service of the highest standard’, and is renowned for its construction law expertise. It was local counsel beside Bingham McCutchen (London) LLP in advising bondholders of the Quinn Group. Practice head Dudley Solan is an ‘excellent strategist’ and ‘a brilliant advocate’.

Philip Lee built its disputes reputation on representing public sector clients, but has increasingly attracted instructions from private sector clients such as Ryanair and Tesco. Damien Young heads the practice.

Claire Callanan heads Beauchamps Solicitors’ five partner-team, which is defending an Irish supplier in the renewable energy sector in multiple actions concerning allegedly faulty products.

ByrneWallace recently achieved a win for Menolly Homes after a three-year dispute over allegedly defective building materials. Jon Legorburu heads the team.

Dillon Eustace’s leading financial services expertise has earned it a series of roles in long-running disputes including acting for 50 Thema Fund investors regarding the Madoff litigation. Kieran Cowhey manages the team.

Hayes Solicitors is in ‘a league of its own’ for its chosen focuses, and it fields separate commercial litigation and healthcare professional negligence teams. Joseph O’Malley shows ‘professionalism of the highest standard’. The healthcare team led by Ciaran O’Rorke is the largest dedicated team in Ireland.

The ‘excellent’ WhitneyMoore’s areas of expertise include employment, IP, aviation and professional indemnity disputes. Gerard Carroll is highly regarded, and IP expert Aoife Murphy is also recommended.

Margaret Carey leads the team at DFMG Solicitors, which counts quasi-governmental bodies and insurers among its clients. The practice handles claims including employers’ liability, public liability, product liability and professional negligence.

Ivor Fitzpatrick & Company has expertise in property disputes, acts for several food distributors, and advises financial institutions on security and professional indemnity issues. Deirdre Courtney leads the practice.

Lavelle Coleman’s ‘proactive’ and ‘timely’ team is known for its expertise in class action but also attracts a good line of other work from banks. Michael Lavelle is ‘a good strategic thinker’.

Simon McAleese Solicitors has a leading defamation practice and is growing its commercial litigation work. Simon McAleese acted for the plaintiff in a multimillion-euro claim concerning Romanian property developments.

Donegans Solicitors represents plaintiffs and defendants, most notably in property and insurance cases. Simon Kelly leads the practice.

Duncan Grehan & Partners advises German-speaking clients, including several insurers, in product liability, road traffic defence and claimant work.

Holmes O’Malley Sexton is notable mainly for insurance and private client work. Harry Fehily leads the team.

Ronan Daly Jermyn was reappointed to the Clinical Indemnity Scheme panel and has seen an increase in insurer-side instructions in professional negligence cases. Richard Martin heads the practice.