Mr Richard Willis > Arthur Cox > Dublin, Ireland > Lawyer Profile

Arthur Cox combines well-developed non-contentious and contentious insurance practices. The firm has continued to advise on a pipeline of cross-border M&A transactions, portfolio transfers and regulatory matters. In the contentious sphere, the firm has a fine record in professional indemnity, regulatory investigations and liability defence claims. Elizabeth Bothwell has an outstanding record in insurance M&A and portfolio transfers. Joanelle O’Cleirigh has a fine reputation in insurance disputes, coverage issues and policy interpretation. Litigation partners Richard Willis and Michael Twomey, along with financial regulation specialist Robert Cain, are also key figures in the team. Of counsel Stephen D’Ardis joined the firm from MetLife Europe to reinforce the team in 2022 and now plays a pivotal role on many of the firm’s key insurance matters.

Arthur Cox is a leader in high-stakes disputes work, frequently representing clients in cases heard in the Commercial list of the High Court. As a top firm in Ireland, it is regularly engaged in cross-border cases. It remains noted for banking and financial services, real estate, tax, and white-collar crime disputes, along with having a well-established investigations practice. ‘Always the best lawyer in the room,‘ Eve Mulconry heads the litigation, dispute resolution and investigations team, representing an impressive mix of domestic and international clients in a wide range of cases. Andy Lenny is also a hugely experienced litigator with a fine record in antitrust disputes, M&A disputes, shareholder disputes and a leader in regulatory investigations. Joanelle O’Cleirigh is co-head of the corporate crime team, while Keith Smith and Richard Willis are also key partners. The firm is awash with talent amongst the younger partners, of counsels and associates.

Arthur Cox’s corporate crime team has built a strong reputation for representing clients in all phases of regulatory and criminal enforcement procedures, spanning from investigation to prosecution. The team has a sizable client base featuring a diverse set of domestic and international entities, including regulatory authorities, governmental agencies, private individuals, and financial institutions. Joanelle O’Cleirigh has extensive experience of handling whistleblowing and anti-bribery matters and jointly heads the team with Richard Willis, who specialises in cross-border data governance processes. Deirdre O’Mahony regularly defends organisations and senior individuals in criminal investigations. Senior associates Ciarán Egan and Tara Roche are also noted.