The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Mason Hayes & Curran is a second tier firm,

Christine O’Donovan’s team at Mason Hayes+Curran is praised for its ‘efficient, speedy, commercial and professional approach’. O’Donovan is a recognised leader in aviation financing. Work highlights included advising Anglo Irish Bank on the transfer of sizeable loans to NAMA.

Within Capital markets, Mason Hayes & Curran is a third tier firm,

Paul Egan’s team at Mason Hayes+Curran saw its stock rising in the market thanks to a highly visible role as an ad hoc adviser to the Irish Takeover Panel. The firm has recently completed bond issues and listings for New World Resources and SSL Investment II.

Within Construction, tier 4

Mason Hayes+Curran, headed up by the ‘responsive’ Rory Kirrane, has a solid contentious and non-contentious offering. Highlights included representing P. J. Hegarty & Sons on a successfully settled €4m conciliation claim, and advising Rhatigan Commercial Developments on a €600m construction and development project.

Within Corporate and commercial, Mason Hayes & Curran is a second tier firm,

Mason Hayes+Curran advised on two of the largest M&A deals in Ireland, including acting for the private equity consortium on its $1.2bn bid for Skillsoft alongside Ropes & Gray LLP. David O’Donnell’s team is of ‘a very high quality’ and grapples with the law in a ‘timely and practical manner’. The ‘excellent’ Paul Egan provides ‘creative solutions to problems’, and Justin McKenna is also recommended. Vedanta Resources and Mylan are representative clients.

Within Dispute resolution, Mason Hayes & Curran is a second tier firm,

Mason Hayes+Curran was boosted by the arrival as a partner of Eimear Collins in late 2010 from Arthur Cox. Dispute resolution head Declan Black is widely thought of as a ‘leader in his field’, and Niall Michel is also recommended. Highlights included acting for Trumpet, a subsidiary of Rosneft, and also for Thema Asset Management (in its case against HSBC).

Within EU and competition , Mason Hayes & Curran is a second tier firm,

Mason Hayes+Curran, led by London head John Kettle and Tony Burke, advised on the merger control issues in the private equity acquisition of Skillsoft. The team was also instructed by the Vintners Federation of Ireland and the Licensed Vintners Association on pricing investigations and High Court proceedings taken by the Competition Authority.

Within Employment, Mason Hayes & Curran is a second tier firm,

Richard Woulfe’s team at Mason Hayes+Curran is ‘excellent’ and ‘very efficient’, with Emer Gilvarry cited as being ‘very approachable’ and someone who ‘always makes time’. With strength on the contentious side, the firm counts Merrill Lynch and Nestle Ireland as regular clients.

Within Insolvency and corporate restructuring, Mason Hayes & Curran is a second tier firm,

At Mason Hayes+Curran, Declan Black and Maurice Phelan ‘deliver direct, straight-talking and experienced advice’. The firm advised Budget Travel on its €11m liquidation.

Within Insurance, Mason Hayes & Curran is a third tier firm,

Lorcan Buckley heads up Mason Hayes+Curran’s specialist insurance defence group, which handles large litigation matters for insurance companies as well as high-volume work involving public and employers’ liability and road traffic accidents.

Within Intellectual property, Mason Hayes & Curran is a second tier firm,

Under Richard Woulfe, Mason Hayes+Curran’s practice has grown significantly in recent years. Highlights included advising the European Commission in relation to technology transfer and IP issues across the EU.

Within Investment funds, Mason Hayes & Curran is a third tier firm,

Mason Hayes+Curran grew its practice with the partner hire of Mark Browne from the Cayman office of Maples and Calder. The team, headed up by Fionan Breathnach, advised Cheyne Capital on the establishment of a Convertible Bond UCITS. The firm also advises Centaur Fund Services and the National Investor.

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, Mason Hayes & Curran is a second tier firm,

Mason Hayes+Curran advised Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company in relation to the Stena Line operating contract. Rory Kirrane leads the team, which also counts the Marine Institute and Shannon Foynes Port Company among its client base.

Within Pensions and employee benefits, Mason Hayes & Curran is a second tier firm,

Richard Woulfe leads the employment team at Mason Hayes+Curran, which has provided pensions advice to the likes of Mylan and LeCrosse.

Within Planning and environment, Mason Hayes & Curran is a third tier firm,

Rory Kirranne heads the practice at Mason Hayes+Curran, which advised Industrial Development Agency of Ireland on the remediation of a brownfield site in North Dublin. RAC Eire and Live Nation are also clients.

Within Projects, energy and natural resources , Mason Hayes & Curran is a second tier firm,

Led by Rory Kirrane, Mason Hayes+Curran is advising Grangegorman Development Agency on the largest ongoing urban renewal project in Ireland. Other notable clients include Vedanta Resources, Euro Wind AG and the Bank of Ireland.

Within Public sector, Mason Hayes & Curran is a second tier firm,

The ‘excellent’ team at Mason Hayes+Curran is widely praised by clients with Catherine Allen picked out for her ‘practical’ and ‘professional approach’; she has ‘an innate ability to cut to the chase’. It acts for the Commissioner for Environmental Information on an ongoing basis, and also counts Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and the State Claims Agency as clients.

Within Real estate, Mason Hayes & Curran is a third tier firm,

Mason Hayes+Curran’s team is headed up by Kevin Hoy, and has successfully grown its real estate profile in recent years. It acted on the refurbishment of Mater Hospital and build of a children’s hospital, and also advised The Charles Street Group and Jack Wills.

Within TMT , Mason Hayes & Curran is a second tier firm,

The team at Mason Hayes+Curran ‘gets to the nub of the issue very quickly’, with the ‘excellent’ Philip Nolan widely applauded as head of the commercial team. ComReg, Dell and Facebook feature prominently on the client roster. Recent work includes advising eBay in relation to the privacy and IT policies used by various companies in the group.

Within Tax, Mason Hayes & Curran is a third tier firm,

At Mason Hayes+Curran, the hire of John Gulliver has shifted the focus of the team and raised its profile. It recently advised Mylan, Dragon Oil and Vedanta Resources.