A&L Goodbody LLP > Dublin, Ireland > Firm Profile

‘ALG has the premier aviation finance practice in Ireland. Their bench is very deep and Seamus O’Croinin, David Berkery and Marie O’Brien are trusted advisors that approach transactions from a practical view point.’

‘Very engaging, responsive and thorough team of lawyers. Very good fees structure.’

‘They are the top Irish team in the asset finance space. They provide excellent client service and provide clear and concise advise on the most complex topics.’

‘Marie O’Brien is the leader of the team. She is very much in the know when it comes to setting up aircraft leasing platforms in Ireland. David Berkery is another strong partner in the team with several years of practice in London and New York. He is very experienced in joint ventures, structured finance and capital markets.’

‘Marie O’Brien is very approachable and manages her team very well.’

‘David Berkery is a real asset to this team. He is down to earth, pragmatic and sensible. He is also not afraid to challenge how a deal has been structured if he thinks there is a more efficient way of achieving the same result for the client. I feel he is a safe pair of hands for more complex aviation and securitisation transactions.’

‘The asset finance team at A&L Goodbody has had a fantastic reputation for many years. Their depth and experience is bar none. They are involved in many of the novel transactions in the aviation space. They are leaders in their field.’

‘Seamus O’Croinin – extremely knowledgeable on cross-border topics. David Berkery – top-notch at analysing complex issues.’

‘Practical, commercial, great to deal with.’

‘The finance practice has a lot of depth across partners and leverages other areas of the firm effectively to ensure that large transactions progress smoothly and according to timelines.’

‘Extremely commercial and practical advisers who know their market and know how to advise correctly. Safe hands, very approachable and knowledgeable.’

‘They are the most on market advisers, who know the up to date position on all matters and yet can translate complex legal advice in a simple manner that is understood and appreciated by senior management who are non-lawyers.’

‘Peter Murray: Exceptionally practical, a great legal mind, spots issues and makes sure they are dealt with as early as possible. Great to have on your side.’

‘Niamh McMahon – truly dedicated to the work, very practical and approachable, never lets you down and produces excellent work.’

‘We really value the fluent negotiation skills of Seamus Ó’Cróinín who has used them effectively to keep momentum going on complex transactions and who understands the “win/win” for both sides.’

‘The team are very accessible and responsive and they are great at delivering practical and commercial advice on the tricky issues. Their experience and technical expertise is very impressive.’

‘They work hard to get to know you and build trust. They are knowledgeable, commercial and motivated.’

‘Collaborative approach to working with clients, good oversight of other legal firms when working with multiple parties.’

‘Strong commercial legal opinions and quick turn around times.’

‘Sinead O’Connor, Jack Sheehy and Peter Walker are always approachable and knowledgeable.’

‘One unique aspect of the firm is it employs a senior adviser, Eugenée Mulhern, who has over 20 years corporate finance experience. Eugenée is able to apply her detailed knowledge of the Listing Rules with her vast knowledge of precedent transactions over the past two decades.’

‘I worked primarily with Darran Nangle, partner. Darran was very responsive, very knowledgeable and very keen to assist. Eugenée Mulhern, senior adviser, assisted when a detailed knowledge of the listing rules was required. Eugenée was extremely thorough with her approach and gave very detailed advice.’

‘A leading full service M&A firm in Ireland, with the capabilities to deliver on the most complex projects.’ 

‘Mark Ward is a serious operator and is able to quickly identify (and resolve) the key issues.’

‘We retained the services of A&L Goodbody in an acquisition of an Irish company last year. We were very pleased by their expertise and responsiveness. I would highly recommend Sheena Doggett and her team to anyone looking for help in this area.’

‘Sheena Doggett led our M&A team at A&L Goodbody. She has fantastic experience and did a great job leading the entire transaction, from start to finish. Her team, mainly Eoghan Brown and Gina Keating, also did a wonderful job. Highly recommended.’

‘Technically very strong team with the ability to access other specialist expertise in their wider firm.’

‘Very accessible and provided good insight during process.’

‘Having worked in a law firm and with other construction teams I can safely say that ALG’s team is the best out there. The standard of the lawyers is above any I have seen. They know their practice area inside out and are acutely familiar with the nuances of the market.’

‘I worked with Jamie Rattigan recently on a very long and difficult funding deal. Jamie was exceptional. His ability to analyse and work through complex legal drafting is second to none. Jamie at all times tries to see the bigger picture and views everything through a commercial prism. He knows our business very well and as a result knows how to strategically advise us.’

‘Excellent turn around times. Pragmatic and sensible advice.

‘The very personal approach is the driving characteristic that sets this team apart from others.’

‘We value the people and the quality of the work.’

‘Andrea Lawler is diligent and thorough.’

‘The ALG team are simply sublime. They provide expert guidance and counsel and are good people. I find their strategic thinking and approach to be refreshing and they are always looking at potential risks to the business (rather than purely legal).’

‘In terms of the partners and associates, they are extremely responsive, personable, and highly skilled in their respective areas. In particular Sarah Murphy.’

‘Great response times and to correct level or expertise.’ 

‘Joe Kelly – a sublime operator, great in front of the Board Room and clearly an expert in his field.’

‘Ciaran O’Conluain – diligent, commercially aware with expert knowledge and great presence.’

‘Mairéad O’Brien – up and coming associate with a great attention to detail and strategic thinking.‘

‘They ask great questions and always want to understand the business case when providing support and advice. They have adapted extremely well to Covid restrictions and have even represented us in virtual mediations through use of technology.’

‘Very reachable. Excellent client contact. At the top of their game. Very client focused.’

‘All the advice I have ever received has been pragmatic and grounded in business realities. All the individuals I have worked with are superb collaborators, advisers and above all professionals. They are experts in their field and display this expertise in a way that shows they understand their clients.’

‘The employment team has an extensive client base in the technology sector and are uniquely placed to advise their clients on common issues that arise within the sector and how these issues are generally being approached by their clients. This makes the employment practice at A&L Goodbody unique and stand-out from its competitors. Each member of the employment team is a pleasure to work with.’

‘Michael Doyle is an exceptional employment lawyer. He immerses himself in the detail of any issue or case and really puts himself in the client’s shoes. He has a natural ability to think of every potential pitfall and applies his legal expertise with a common sense and commercial approach when problem solving. Michael’s exceptional legal skills, good humour, sincerity and reliability are qualities which make him stand out as a world class employment lawyer.’

‘Always someone to turn to – very responsive – truly take the time to get to know your company culture and ways of work and working styles of leadership teams – very supportive’

‘A&L Goodbody represent the highest standards of professionalism when it comes to legal advice across a range of subject matter areas. The following attributes help make A&L stand out from the competition: Highest standards of professional advice Very responsive to requests at all times; Excellent collaborative approach/style; Demonstrate a practical business savvy approach’

‘They have excellent experience in the energy sector and are able to adapt contracts to bespoke deals as the lawyers have a good commercial understanding.’

‘We really appreciate Ross Moore and David McElroy – both have done excellent work for us this year.’

‘We valued the availability, flexibility and commitment of the team members throughout the complex process of the operation.’

‘John Dallas has amazing availability and was very helpful to us in an Irish context that we did not know well. He did a lot of work with the other law firm advising us to avoid loss of time, and helped a lot through his advice, with very valuable inputs and comments. Aisling O’Donoghue was very efficient in the context of the closing. David McElroy was very precise and gave us a lot of relevant advice during the documentation process.’

‘Very responsive and competent. The advice provided is both legally sound and commercially viable.’

‘Depth of experience and expertise sets them apart. Highly responsive and engaging.’

‘Anna-Marie Curran is excellent, she provides practical advice and communicates in a way that can be forwarded to the business in a very understandable and clear manner. She is also excellent at negotiating a position with regulators on behalf of her clients.’

‘Alan McCarthy is very user friendly and knowledgeable.’

‘Alan McCarthy is a trusted and valued advisor on competition matters.’

‘Our organisation is a long standing client of A&L Goodbody, which is itself a testament to our high level of satisfaction with the service they provide. The knowledge base within A&L Goodbody is extensive and any interactions my colleagues and/or I have had with A&L Goodbody personnel have been hallmarked by their attention to detail and even when on occasion they are delivering advice that may be unwelcome they do so in a collegiate manner.’

‘Readily available and the excellent advice and support provided by Cliona Christle was exhaustive and thorough. Cliona’s knowledge of our sector is second to none in Ireland. The project was lengthy and involved a high degree of detail – Cliona was absolutely central to the successful conclusion of the project.’

‘The team are accessible, knowledgeable and solution providers.’

‘In addition to the comments made above, I have found Brian O’Malley to be both courteous and decisive.’

‘Mark Traynor is exceptional; very responsive, diligent and efficient. His advice is always pragmatic and commercially focused.’

‘This team is peerless in the Irish market. The experience, insights, client centric attitude, stellar service levels are second to none. Their practical and solution focused approach is ideal for any in-house lawyer in the sector.’

‘James Grennan and Laura Mulleady are exceptional. Each has a wealth of experience behind them which allows them to guide clients through tricky situations in the most skilful way. They are both extremely responsive, pragmatic and solution focused.’

‘Depth of experience and expertise sets them apart. Highly responsive and engaging.’

‘Laura Mulleady is a trusted and valued advisor. Laura has a practical and commercial approach and is highly responsive, pro-active and engaging. James Grennan really is “one in a million” in terms of the depth of his knowledge, expertise and ability to understand the most complex of issues and provide solutions.’

‘Their key strengths are the consistent access to partners and very commercially focused advice. They are a pleasure to deal with. I must also mention that access to the firm’s KnowledgePlus website is a huge advantage. The recent Corporate Crime & Regulation Summit was exceptional.’

‘John Whelan consistently gives concise, relevant, commercial advice. He is very approachable and his depth of knowledge and experience is very reassuring.’

‘For our needs, what differentiates a great lawyer from an average one is their business acumen and ability to strategise and negotiate, rather than just knowledge of the law. The team has proven to be very well rounded and effective as advisers.’

‘John Whelan is an exceptional strategist who understands business and knows how to negotiate within the confines of the law. He was able to help us navigate very difficult situations and conclude matters quickly and save significant amounts in settlements based on his acumen.’

‘Hands-on approach. Very responsive.’

‘As a whole, the team is very experienced, knowledgeable and reliable.’

‘Excellent, knowledgeable, helpful, proactive and insightful’

‘Take the time to get to know their clients and understand their business’

‘Strong team, good access to partners. Take feedback well.’

‘Brian McDermott – Brian has extensive knowledge, is considered and clear with his advice and always offers a pragmatic solution to matters.’

‘ALG’s breadth of knowledge, attention to detail, responsiveness and assured advice all contribute to an overall service office that is pretty potent.’

‘The team is highly experienced, dedicated and provide practical solutions. They always get a clear understanding of their clients.’

‘Openness, availability, friendly. Each individual within the firm is very approachable and very generous with their time and always willing to take the time to listen and understand a client’s problem.’

‘The team at A&L Goodbody are exceptional to deal with. They seek to work in partnership with their clients and are very keen to develop a strong professional relationship. They are flexible, creative and always willing to listen.’

‘David Main – very safe hands and easy to deal with. David Francis – technically very strong, commercial and able to think outside the box for solutions to tricky issues. Chris Comerford – technically very able and commercial; covers all the points’

‘Best resourced and up to date knowledge. Commitment to clients. Excellent overseas associates.’

‘David Francis: Superb support -available at all times, always has best interest of client in mind.’

‘Fantastic pensions client base – a wealth of relevant experience across the group.’

‘Excellent knowledge of their subject area and very responsive compared to other teams. Well resourced and commercially minded.’

‘Alison Fanagan is absolutely outstanding in her commercially minded solutions, responsiveness, understanding of the business and quality of advice generally.’

‘A very strong team with consistently high standards. The A-team in planning in Dublin.’

‘Jason Milne is superb. He is responsive, available and sticks to timelines, with top-quality advice.’

‘Alan Roberts’ understanding of Ireland’s planning law is detailed and his knowledge on the topic extensive. I found his attention to detail and ability to adequately evaluate the big picture to be particularly helpful. Alan was a pleasure to work with, as was Brendan Curran; I found them to be professional at all times and I would have no hesitation in working with them both again.’

‘Very strong technical expertise, sound commercial awareness and a high level of partner engagement. Very easy to communicate with and get along with.’

‘Alison Fanagan has an unparalleled knowledge of the planning and environmental sector and a great ability to apply the relevant rules to the commercial issues facing a client.’

‘By a country mile, the number-one team to go to for procurement law advice in the public sector. While other firms know the law, this team’s practical and common-sense approach is valuable in running tenders and dealing with procurement law issues in the public sector.’

‘Anna-Marie Curran is extraordinary! She is the master of procurement law in Ireland. I wouldn’t use anyone else. She has an extensive knowledge of the law and can easily refer to case law at the drop of a hat. She is a rock of common sense and can tell you things about your business that even you don’t know. She gives very practical and strategic advice. I would be lost without her.’

‘They are good at getting straight to the matters that count, dealing with issues in a pragmatic matter, and balancing the legal element with the commercial reality.’

‘Great experience and expertise in their respective fields. Deep team and access to a range of internal supports. A top-tier firm.’

‘We have been working with the real estate team at A&L Goodbody for a number of years and have found the quality of their advice and their grasp of commerciality, ability to find workable solutions and attention to detail all extremely strong. These I believe are the firm’s biggest strengths.’

‘The real estate team is in my view the best in the market. They are commercial, practical and solution focused with a keen attention to detail and legal nuances. Very strong negotiators and able to take on the most complex of deals.’

‘David Fitzgerald makes himself available, brings commercial matters to the fore and deals with the legal and technical elements. He has excellent knowledge of the market.’

‘Ger O’Toole is very strong on detail and legal knowledge. He anticipates the client’s requirements and needs, often before we do. Jamie Rattigan is an excellent all-rounder who is very engaging and competent, meets deadlines and works well with his peers.’

‘Andrew Ion is an exceptional lawyer – he is very personable and the kind of lawyer you can pick up the phone to and work through a problem with easily. Ger O’Toole is a stalwart in the market with a very strong reputation.’

‘Mairead Sherlock’s can-do attitude is standout. She works extremely hard and nothing is ever a problem. She is commercial in her approach to all advice, particularly on tricky points. She is relentlessly committed to getting a deal done. Fantastic. I could not recommend her highly enough.’

‘Responsive, innovative, expert, practical and good value.’

‘Peter Maher is excellent.’

‘A very engaging, responsive and thorough team of lawyers. A very good fee structure.’

‘Marie O’Brien is very approachable and manages her team very well.’

‘A&L Goodbody is the top firm in Ireland for transportation finance. They are extremely knowledgeable and provide outstanding client service.’

‘Séamus Ó Cróinín is outstanding on cross-border issues. David Berkery provides top-notch legal analysis and outstanding client service.’

‘The transport team at A&L Goodbody has had a fantastic reputation for many years. Their depth and experience is bar none. They are involved in many of the novel transactions in the aviation space and are leaders in their field.’

‘Marie O’Brien is very much in the know when it comes to setting up aircraft leasing platforms in Ireland. David Berkery is another strong partner in the team with several years of practice in London and New York. He is very experienced in joint ventures, structured finance and capital markets.’

‘Séamus Ó Cróinín and David Berkery have great transactional experience and cross-border legal knowledge.’

‘We enjoy working with this clever and knowledgeable team. Their huge experience shines out, and they have great strength and depth. They are able to turn around complex matters with great speed and skill. They always know the right questions to ask to get the best out of us and produce the best result for us.’

‘Dario Dagostino and Mark Devane are exceptional. Dario should be praised for his huge knowledge of all things “regulator”. He has such vast industry experience that he is great at reading the nuances and knowing how we should react to and interpret things. Mark Devane has superb attention to detail. His probing questions mean that we produce our best work and give the best account of ourselves.’

‘Joe Kelly and Katie O’Connor are extremely responsive and proactive in their advice and in responding to us and advising us. They understand our concerns and our business needs and adapt their advice accordingly.’

‘Katie O’Connor and Joe Kelly are practical, efficient and responsive and give advice that has business and real world application as opposed to being a high-level repetition of legislation.’

‘ALG anticipated our needs and prepared us for all of the procedural steps of our legal process before they occurred. That aspect alone was invaluable. ALG is very strong with technology and offers IT solutions to make otherwise overwhelming tasks effortless. ALG has expertise in various domains of law, which helped with finding experts for our specific legal issue. The lawyers impressed me with their interpersonal skills in our relationship. They did it without unnecessary and tacky strategies such as having “client relationship managers”. The deep expertise of the lawyers is immediately obvious. Their billing is very transparent. Our partner made sure to forecast the costs of their services, of experts and of outside counsel as early as possible.’

‘The quality of Katie O’Connor’s work is exceptional, and this was combined with remarkable availability on her part. Although I know that this is not factually true, it felt like my company was her only client. Her meetings were short and on point, and her written advice immediately clear. ALG is strong on anticipating the client’s needs.’

‘Joe Kelly is wise, considered, independent and tough – both with clients (giving appropriate realism) and the authorities (defending clients’ interests). He is well supported by Mairead O’Brien.’

‘They’re a very pragmatic team who offer advice that is business-savvy and client-specific. Their negotiation skills assist in getting a good deal done for their client. The service isn’t standalone and it takes into account previous advice provided and involves really listening to the client, compared to some other firms where they don’t always take the client’s commercial agreement into account.’

‘Alison Quinn is clear-minded, highly professional and personable. Her advice displays a real understanding of her clients’ business. John Whelan is highly experienced in advising in commercial, IP and media-related agreements and gets to the core of an issue instantly. Andrea Lawler displays a real concern for her clients’ business.’

‘The ALG team have an inherent understanding of the ever-evolving telecoms sector. They are flexible and commercially minded in their approach to resolving disputes.’

‘John Whelan has a depth of knowledge which is second to none. Not only that, he is responsive and a pleasure to work with.’