The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

A&L Goodbody continues to lead the way in a troubled banking market with a team that is praised as being ‘at the very top in every way – service, experience, flexibility, innovation’. Seamus O’Croinin and practice head Catherine Duffy are both highly recommended, and ‘responsive, experienced, and innovative’. Ciaran Rogers is also recognised as a leading player in the market. A heavyweight client list has led the firm to advise most of the major domestic banks, including Bank of Ireland, and Anglo Irish Bank, on issues relating to NAMA. In addition the firm advised Morgan Stanley on Berkshire Partners’ $1.2bn takeover of Skillsoft.

Within Capital markets, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

A&L Goodbody’s team, headed up by Ciaran Rogers, is widely praised for its leading debt business, and is noted for its ‘availability’ and ability to give a ‘quick-fire response’. Peter Walker in particular is singled out for his ‘excellent customer service’ and ‘industry knowledge’. Walker advised Iberdrola Finance Ireland on its $2bn note issuance listed on the Irish Stock Exchange.

Within Construction, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

A&L Goodbody’s broad-based practice covers contentious and non-contentious issues from procurement to arbitration. The team is praised for understanding ‘the peculiarities of the market’, and Eamonn Conlon is ‘second to none’, with his advice applauded as ‘clear, concise and timely’. While the contentious side has been booming, the team is also advising Railway Procurement Agency on the Metro North PPP and the Department of Finance on the implementation of new public works contracts.

Within Corporate and commercial, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

David Widger’s team at A&L Goodbody is widely hailed by clients as the best in the business. The ‘practical’ and ‘responsive’ John Given advised the underwriters on Bank of Ireland’s €3.4bn capital raising project, while Widger led a team instructed by Campari on the €128m acquisition of the Carolans, Frangelico and Irish Mist liqueur brands from William Grant & Sons. Other highly recommended partners include Eithne Fitzgerald, while the newly promoted Alan Johnston is singled out as a ‘star of the future’. Aviva, Hellman & Friedman, and Pfizer are also representative clients.

Within Dispute resolution, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

A&L Goodbody receives plaudits for ‘its excellent teamwork’ and ‘response times’. Practice head Liam Kennedy is praised for his ‘in-depth knowledge’; Eoin MacNeil is ‘calm, controlled and experienced’; and Kenan Furlong is ‘a good man to have on your side when the going gets tough’. The firm is advising the Quinn Group on a number of matters including its ongoing restructuring. Other recent instructions have come from Ernst & Young and Heineken International Ireland.

Within EU and competition , A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

A&L Goodbody’s ‘solid team’ is praised for its ‘excellent response times and very commercial approach’. Under the guidance of the experienced Vincent Power, the team has advised both Bank of Ireland and EBS on their respective restructurings. It also advised IBM, Dell and Virgin Media in successful applications for unconditional Irish merger control approvals. Anna-Marie Curran is also recommended.

Within Employment, A&L Goodbody is a second tier firm,

A&L Goodbody ‘understands business well, and can translate from a legal perspective into very practical language’. Team head Barry Walsh is consistently applauded by clients and is described as ‘thoughtful’, ‘open’, ‘available’ and ‘first class by any standard’. Highlights included advising Fortis Ireland on the employment aspects of its acquisition by Credit Suisse.

Within Insolvency and corporate restructuring, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

A&L Goodbody has ‘one of the best insolvency teams in the country’; David Baxter is ‘concise’ and ‘gives definite views’, and Mark Traynor gives ‘commercial, sound advice’. The firm is acting for Quinn Group on its ongoing restructuring, and Deloitte and KPMG on a number of other matters.

Within Insurance, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

A&L Goodbody advised XL Capital Group on the re-domiciliation of its holding company from the Cayman Islands to Ireland. The team is led by James Grennan, and was instructed by Aviva Group to advise on the establishment of Aviva Europe. Other recent clients include PartnerRE Group and IVC Holdings.

Within Intellectual property, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

The highly regarded John Whelan heads the A&L Goodbody team, which is advising Abbott Laboratories and Guidant Corporation in their defence of a multimillion-euro global patent infringement claim by Medinol, before the Irish Commercial Court. The firm is also instructed by TV3 in a case against ITV, and advises Specsavers Optical Group and IDL Picard on branding and trademark matters.

Within Investment funds, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

A&L Goodbody has been at the forefront of the investment funds market for some time; the team is led by the universally acclaimed Brian McDermott, and Michael Barr is also highly rated. Highlights included advising HSBC on the establishment and launch of a UCITS fund of alternative UCITS funds platform. Independent Franchise Partners and Christofferson, Robb & Company are also representative clients.

Within Legal market overview,

The leading Irish firms kept a lower profile in the hiring market, although A&L Goodbody did pick up technology partner Mark Rasdale from Matheson Ormsby Prentice. At the end of 2009 John Gulliver joined Mason Hayes+Curran in a bid to reshape the tax practice.

Within Maritime and shipping, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

Catherine Duffy’s team at A&L Goodbody advises clients on a broad range of matters from shipping finance to litigation. The firm is involved in the syndicate financing of vessels under the Irish Government’s white fish fleet renewal scheme for fishing vessels.

Within Pensions and employee benefits, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

A&L Goodbody boasts one of the largest pensions and employment teams in Dublin, headed up by the ‘excellent’ Eamon Brady and including Roddy Buckley, who is ‘responsive, knowledgeable and courteous’. The firm picked up Irish Pensions Trust as a new client, and gave pensions advice to Pfizer on the acquisition by Elan of its manufacturing facility in Sligo.

Within Planning and environment, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

A&L Goodbody, highly rated consultant Alison Fanagan heads the team, which advised TK Maxx in defence of planning injunction proceedings. Other highlights included advising Anglo American on the environmental aspects of the $308m sale of Lisheen Mine, as part of the $1.34bn sale of its zinc portfolio to Vedanta Resources. Pfizer Ireland and ED+F Man are other representative clients.

Within Projects, energy and natural resources , A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

A&L Goodbody wins praise for its ‘solid business acumen’ and ‘serious strength in depth’, with both Kevin Feeney and Ross Moore coming highly recommended. Highlights included acting for Barclays and BNP Paribas on the development and long-term financing of the East West Interconnector between Wales and Ireland, worth €600m, and Bord Gais Éireann on its €500m acquisition of SWS Energy. On the PPP side, the firm continues to advise the Railway Procurement Agency on the Irish law aspects of the Metro North project.

Within Public sector, A&L Goodbody is a second tier firm,

A&L Goodbody has a strong contentious side allied to an impressive infrastructure offering. It has advised the Health Service Executive in defending High Court challenges to procurement processes and other contractual claims, and also advises Córas Iompair Éireann, the contracting entity for the DART Underground Project.

Within Real estate, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

One of the leaders in the Dublin real estate market, A&L Goodbody’s team is headed up by the highly respected Mairead Sherlock and has advised on a large chunk of the work to come out of the different stages of the NAMA process. Recent transactions include advising Irish Property Unit Trust on its joint venture with O’Callaghan Properties for the development of City Centre Retail in Cork, with a value of €250m. Irish Aviation Authority, Bord Gais Éireann and Anglo American are other notable clients.

Within TMT , A&L Goodbody is a second tier firm,

A&L Goodbody was boosted by the arrival of Mark Rasdale from Matheson Ormsby Prentice in November, whose track record includes advising the likes of Siemens IT Solutions. IP specialist John Whelan leads the team, which has built its reputation on contentious and design work but looks to be broadening out its expertise. The firm advised Telefonica 02 Ireland on its consultation with ComReg, and Zygna Games on the establishment of its European headquarters in Dublin.

Within Tax, A&L Goodbody is a first tier firm,

A&L Goodbody is a ‘one-stop-shop for clients’ needs’, and is lauded for its ‘commercial approach’. In terms of individuals, the team has an ‘embarrassment of riches’; practice head Peter Maher is ‘very able and responsive’, and James Somerville and John Hickson are also highly recommended. The firm acted for the Hertz group on a European bond issue and refinancing, and Deutsche Bank on the restructuring of its Irish Eurocredit vehicle. The ‘deeply knowledgeable, efficient and commercial’ Andrew Quinn has recently moved to Maples and Calder.