Mason Hayes & Curran LLP > Dublin, Ireland > Firm Profile
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP Offices
BARROW STREET
DUBLIN 4
D04 TR29
Ireland
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
Ireland > Banking and finance Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP's large banking and finance practice has an excellent reputation for advising on loan portfolio sales and acquisitions, loan on loan deals, warehouse financing, real estate and development finance, and project finance. The firm is close to Irish pillar banks, international lenders, alternative lenders and a large number of borrower clients. The head of the financial services group, Neil Campbell, is a prominent name in loan portfolio sales, and Micheál Grace's workload includes loan on loan deals, real estate and warehouse financings, and distressed asset purchases. Cathy Grant is very experienced in corporate banking, and Karol Fox specialises in development finance matters. Following William Carmody‘s appointment as firm managing partner, Muireann Hernon now heads up the project finance team. Irene Nic Chárthaigh and Alan Burns are key names to note.Practice head(s):
Neil Campbell
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘I work with Neil Campbell regularly and find him to be very commercial and practical in the advice that he provides. Irene Nic Charthaigh is always available and very thorough in the advice that she provides.’
‘To date, I have mostly dealt with Karol Fox who is very knowledgeable in the Banking Sector. Karol is very approachable, easily contactable and always willing to help and go the extra mile for his clients. Overall I have always had an excellent experience dealing with MHC and Karol and his team in particular.’
‘Cathy Grant, in particular, is a firm favourite. She has unrivalled expertise and knowledge of cross-border financings. She delivers superb quality of work and advice every time. ’
‘The MHC team continuously demonstrate their capabilities and ability to deliver. They have keen awareness of key requirements that we have in our business, providing good advice and guidance. Their communication/engagement, commercial mindedness and ability to take a holistic view sets them apart from other firms. It’s easy to pick up the phone and talk through queries, they are very responsive and helpful. ’
‘I deal with Karol Fox mostly in MHC, he has a great knowledge of the banking & finance sector; his communication skills make him stand out from others; he is always available to discuss issues, is very helpful and proactive in dealing with issues.’
‘Irene Nic Chárthaigh was recently announced as a new Partner in the Financial Services sector. She is a highly intelligent and responsive individual who makes the effort to fully understand her client’s business. Her drafting is always presented in a clear, concise and user-friendly manner. Irene’s key attributes include an ability to think strategically and pre-empt issues and manage transactions efficiently from cradle to grave. Irene maintains a high level of transactional landscape awareness, acting as a market maker and bringing together clients from all sides of the financial world to maximise value. ’
‘Micheál Grace runs a very slick operation. Super focussed on achieving the right end-result.’
‘Alan Burns, who recently made partner, is an exceptional lawyer. He is very commercial and provides advice, not just a strict legal opinion. Alan is an expert in non bank lending and alternative debt structuring, which is rare in the Irish market. ’
Key clients
Citibank N.A.
Bank of America, N.A.
RBC Europe Limited
Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c.
Permanent TSB Public Limited Company
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
Arjun Infrastructure Partners
EasyHotel
Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale
Permira Credit Group
Home Building Finance Ireland Lending DAC
EdgeconneX
BAWAG P.S.K.
Work highlights
- Advised Citibank and Bank of America in connection with a $28.5bn senior unsecured bridge loan facility for Amgen.
- Advised Permanent TSB on the disposal of the Project Glenbeigh IV portfolio.
Ireland > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP's large corporate and M&A practice has seen an uptick in renewable energy, life sciences and corporate technology deals. The team is highly regarded for its strength in handling cross-border mandates, often involving US investors, and has a growing presence in the private equity space. Mid-market deals and transactions involving growth companies and start-ups are also included in the group's workload. David O’Donnell is a seasoned practitioner, and Justin McKenna is a key name in the practice for public M&A transactions. Other key practitioners include head of the life sciences team Martin Kelleher, Liam Brazil, corporate governance and compliance expert Claire Lord, and the 'pragmatic and experienced' Conall Geraghty.Practice head(s):
David O’Donnell; Philip Nolan
Other key lawyers:
Justin McKenna; Liam Brazil; Martin Kelleher; Claire Lord; Conall Geraghty; Wendy Hederman; Robert Dickson; William Dillon Leetch; Dermot McGirr; Eimear Lyons
Testimonials
‘I would commend Mason, Hayes and Curran for their work, in particular Dermot McGirr, for his professionalism, courtesy and insight in regard to the legal services we required. Their attention to detail was of particular reassurance to us and reflected the high standards we have come to expect from Mason, Hayes and Curran.’
‘The MHC team (particularly Conall Geraghty) are extremely hard-working, responsive and creative in finding solutions to difficult deals. What sets them apart from other law firms we worked with is that they’re also very pragmatic. They’ll tell you what’s worth fighting over and they understand business perspective. ’
‘Conall Geraghty – very friendly, hard-working, full of empathy (which instead of aggravating the other side, makes the whole conversation more productive), pragmatic and experienced. ’
‘Liam Brazil was excellent. Liam’s knowledge of corporate governance type matters are second to none. Liam stays focused on the outcome and has the tenacity to get the deal done.’
‘I have worked with Eimear Lyons on our projects. She really knows how to manage a project in such a way that requires minimum input from the client, which is highly appreciated. Furthermore, she understands the commercial aspects and business needs behind the purely legal aspects of a M&A deal and therefore knows exactly how to negotiate the terms of the deal, in a swiftly manner.’
‘Talented people, clear leadership, strong commercial mindset, efficient delivery.’
‘David O’Donnell: exceptionally commercial and practical.’
Key clients
DomusVi Group
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Fonoa Technologies Limited
Kinzen Limited
LetsGetChecked
Glenveagh Properties plc
Knegare Nursing Home Holdings Limited
Leaseplan Digital BV
Greencoat Renewables plc
National Maternity Hospital, Holles St.
Meta / WhatApp
Bolt ITX
Work highlights
- Advised the VentureWave Group, along with other investors, on an investment in Funderbeam, an angel investing and trading platform.
- Advised on the acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics plc by Amgen Inc.
- Advised Workvivo on its sale to Zoom Video Communications.
Ireland > Construction Tier 1
The ‘go-to lawyers‘ in Mason Hayes & Curran LLP‘s construction team handle contentious and non-contentious matters for an array of blue-chip clients, including lenders, contractors and developers. The firm has a broad practice spanning the logistics, data centre, office, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and residential sectors, but enjoys a particularly strong reputation in the energy space, with recent highlights including advising on the development of a large-scale offshore wind project. The ‘incredibly knowledgeable‘ Rory Kirrane SC is the key contact for disputes, alongside Hannah Devoy and Robert Rooney, who was promoted to partner in May 2023. Other names to note include energy specialist Eoin Cassidy and the ‘standout‘ Shane Dolan.Practice head(s):
Rory Kirrane SC
Other key lawyers:
Eoin Cassidy; Shane Dolan; David Gunn; Hannah Devoy; Paul Bassett; Robert Rooney; Joanne McGilloway
Testimonials
‘Shane Dolan has been a standout partner for many years now. His approach, concise advice, and consistency is well above the ordinary. Issues are discussed and correspondence is of a positive nature and solution based. He is hands on and will give direction with confidence and overall is an invaluable resource to any project team.’
‘Paul Bassett provides pragmatic and strategic advice that is very much tailored. He is extremely accessible and easy to deal with, and provides a superb service at competitive rates.’
‘The level of expertise is outstanding and is coupled with creative and considered strategic advice. The team works in a very collaborative and seamless way and is consistently thinking ahead to avoid potential pitfalls later on. Overall, a highly professional, outstanding team.’
‘Rory Kirrane SC is incredibly knowledgeable, professional and responsive, and always has a good read of the market/different players. Hannah Devoy has a meticulous eye for detail, is extremely diligent and thorough, and highly skilled litigator. Robert Rooney has excellent knowledge of the construction industry, law and different dispute resolution mechanisms, and delivers sound strategic advice focused on long-term outcomes.’
‘The Mason Hayes & Curran team are exceptionally professional, but more importantly extremely client focused, more so than most. They are able to deliver their legal considerations and reviews in a way that is easily understood by clients, sometimes even in the most complex of legal issues. Their flexibility to address issues under sometime unrealistic client demands is excellent.’
‘Shane Dolan is an excellent client manager, with the ability to deploy resources swiftly.’
‘MHC are the go-to lawyers on infrastructure, construction and energy matters (both contentious and non-contentious) in Ireland. They have one of the largest construction and energy teams in Ireland. They adopt innovative methods while providing detailed risk assessment in each case.’
‘Rory Kirrane SC is very well-respected name in Ireland. He has a wealth of experience across a broad range of dispute resolution. He is extremely knowledgeable and a great negotiator in construction and energy matters. Robert Rooney works well with the clients and experts and effectively manages large disputes.’
Key clients
AXA IM Alts
Fingal County Council
BASF Ireland Limited
SCPI Pierval Sante
West Pharmaceutical
IRES Residential Properties REIT plc
TikTok
Irish Life Assurance plc
Monami Construction Limited
Fingal County Council
Orpea
BBGI Global Infrastructure S.A.
Union Investment Real Estate
DHL
Trippier
McAleer & Rushe
Killeen Properties
Technological University Dublin
St. Vincent’s Hospital Fairview
Hines Real Estate
Quintain Ireland
Glenveagh Homes
Ballymore Group
Cosgrave Group
Clúid Housing Association
Tuath Housing Association
Circle Voluntary Housing
Monster Energy / American Fruits and Flavours
JMK Hotel Group
PJ Hegarty & Sons
Willis Tower Watson
Edgeconnex
Invesco
Bank of Ireland
Allied Irish Banks
BAWAG
Exyte Northern Europe Limited
BAM/Dragados
John Sisk & Son
Great American Insurance
Uisce Eireann
Hitachi Zosen Inova A.G.
Work highlights
- Advising SSE on all aspects of the development of Phase II of the 800 MW, €3 billion Arklow Bank Wind Park.
- Advising Greener Ideas Limited, a joint venture between Bord Gáis Energy Limited and Mountside Partners Limited, on the construction and connection to the transmission system of two circa 100MW dual fuel generation power stations via a joint development structure.
- Acting for St. Vincent’s Hospital Fairview in the sale of 13 acres of development land and former hospital buildings in central Dublin to the Royalton Group, which will construct, in return for the sale of the lands, a new state-of-the-art mental health facility on hospital lands.
Ireland > Data privacy and data protection Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP maintains a strong track record for advising domestic and international companies on GDPR. Acting for a number of notable clients, including Meta, the practice assists data-driven companies, start-ups and government institutions. Philip Nolan leads the practice, primarily focusing on GDPR compliance projects. Oisín Tobin often assists clients with data privacy-related litigation, and investigations by European data protection authorities. Jevan Neilan is well-versed in the development of structures for international data transfers and data flows. Áine Quirke is noted for advising technology companies on their international expansion plans and privacy structures in Europe.Practice head(s):
Philip Nolan
Other key lawyers:
Brian Johnston; James Fenelon; Oisín Tobin; Jevan Neilan; Áine Quirke
Testimonials
‘MHC are at the cutting edge of the post-GDPR data privacy/protection world. They advise many of the world’s biggest companies on GDPR compliance and in ground-breaking regulatory inquiries, and completely up-to-speed on regulators’ views on the key issues facing clients in this space.’
‘Philip Nolan is the very best data privacy lawyer in Ireland. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the law and practice in the area and uses this to provide strategic and commercial advice. Brian Johnston is a fantastic data privacy lawyer who (along with Philip) makes up a dream team for data protection advice and regulatory inquiries.’
‘Sensible, practical and commercially aware advice.’
‘James Fenelon is very commercially aware, helpful and engaged.’
‘Philip Nolan stands out for its outstanding services to new clients and deep knowledge of privacy. His advice is practical and holistic. He listens and tailors his services to the client’s special needs.’
‘The team has exceptional legal and industry knowledge. It is well resourced and very responsive.’
‘Oisin Tobin has exceptional industry knowledge. His advice balances insights on the latest legal developments with an understanding of relevant business considerations.’
‘The DP team in MHC are a perfect mix of being expert in their field at all times, bringing a pragmatism and solution-oriented approach. Because of that reason, they are the sole external support we use in this area. They work extremely well with in-house counsel- partnering with the in-house lawyer to reach a solution that works for their particular industry or business.’
Key clients
Coinbase Global Inc.
Meta Platforms Ireland Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Meta on the data protection commission’s decision in May 2023 regarding personal data transfers from the EU to the US.
- Advised Coinbase on its global privacy policy update.
- Advised Meta on the data protection commission’s investigation and inquiry into Meta’s processing of children’s personal data via Instagram.
Ireland > Dispute resolution Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP has a huge market share of representing clients before the High Court. It continues to be active in ADR and mediation, and is further noted for its specialisation in financial services, technology, life sciences, built environment and energy. The firm is also rated for public law and judicial review cases, and is at the forefront of regulatory investigations. Maurice Phelan leads the team and is a big name in the market. Colin Monaghan is rated for technology cases and regulatory investigations, while Peter Johnston is growing in stature. Former managing partner Declan Black is another senior figure in the team and Liam Guidera heads the white-collar crime and investigations practice.Practice head(s):
Maurice Phelan
Other key lawyers:
Liam Guidera; Colin Monaghan; Colm Farrell; Peter Johnston; James Morrin; Frank Flanagan
Testimonials
‘The MHC Dispute Resolution team brings a sophisticated understanding of their clients’ strategic and commercial objectives to the resolution of commercial disputes. The depth of technical knowledge and expertise means that potentially contentious matters are identified at an early (often embryonic) stage, which, coupled with timely advice, facilitates prompt resolution. MHC personnel are friendly and extremely responsive to their clients’ needs.’
‘Frank Flanagan is unparalleled when it comes to technical expertise across a breadth of subject areas. His facility with complex and obscure issues, coupled with a masterful command of court procedures, results in timely, cost-effective and innovative solutions, both in a court context and otherwise. Where a court application is required, Frank rarely fails to deliver the result.’
‘Peter Johnston is excellent. Possibly the best litigator of his generation in the Irish market.’
‘Colin Monaghan, partner – expert knowledge with a down to earth approach. Provides insightful, pragmatic advice and is a pleasure to work with. Katie Doyle, solicitor – provides clear, practical advice in a friendly and confident manner.’
‘Maurice Phelan reads the room and tailors delivery of his advice accordingly to ensure that it lands. He brings huge experience to complex litigation matters but also brings a calm influence in sometimes heated and difficult circumstances. He is an excellent communicator at all levels.’
‘I found Maurice Phelan to be the best by far I have encountered in terms of dispute resolution. He inspires confidence and combines it with strong communication. Fast response. Urgency when needed. Calmness when needed and, above all else, a deep insight into what the other side is thinking, what they will do next and the understanding of how overwhelmed his client can be in the situation they have found themselves in.’
‘Peter Johnston is a stand-out partner, not just within MHC, but in this field. He is a brilliant litigator with exceptional ability and commitment to client service. But more than that, he focuses strategically on what you as the client require in your industry and tailors his advice accordingly.’
‘Colin Monaghan was extremely competent from the outset and was confident all would be resolved. He put my mind at ease during my first conversation with him, during an incredibly stressful time in my life. Any other lawyer or anyone I spoke to made it clear it would be very very difficult to take a case against the landlord in question (who was using various bullying tactics to intimidate me). All was resolved within a matter of days.’
Key clients
CDB Aviation DAC
WhatsApp Ireland Limited
Bank of Scotland plc
Meridian Global VAT Services
Commission for Communications Regulation
Skysong Innovations LLC
Meta Platforms Ireland Limited
Permanent TSB Plc
Commission for Communications Regulation
Commission for Regulation of Utilities
Work highlights
- Acted for CDB Aviation in its insurance claim to recover the sum of approximately €411m from its insurers, arising from losses sustained from the leasing of nine aircraft to various Russian airlines.
- Acted for Meta in appeals and judicial review proceedings before the Irish High Court, as well as annulment actions before the General Court of the European Union, of four separate decisions of the Irish Data Protection Commission to fine Meta for infringements of the GDPR.
- Acted for Coolmore Stud and Ballydoyle Racing in High Court Commercial List proceedings against Glanbia Foods Ireland.
Ireland > Employment Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP’s team of employment law specialists advise a wide variety of private and public sector employers across the full gamut of contentious and non-contentious matters. The group routinely represents clients in unfair dismissal, termination of employment, disciplinary proceedings and other employment litigation litigation before the High Court and Workplace Relations Commission. Practice head Melanie Crowley assists clients with workplace issues, drafting bespoke employment contracts and HR policies, with a strong focus the technology sector. Ger Connolly advises clients on a wide range of employment issues, with particular expertise in employment-related immigration and TUPE. Ronnie Neville focuses on restructuring, while Elizabeth Ryan is noted for her employee investigations work.Practice head(s):
Melanie Crowley
Other key lawyers:
Elizabeth Ryan; Catherine Kelly; Lucy O’Neill; Ger Connolly; Ronnie Neville
Testimonials
‘Very responsive, timely, practical, understands tech sector, deep experience.’
‘Melanie Crowley is fantastic, a fabulous and collaborative partner. She is practical, commercial, business-focused and prompt.’
‘Catherine Kelly is extremely knowledgeable and experienced in education employment. Give practical advice and support.’
‘Mason Hayes and Curran is well known as a leader in the education space in terms of legal advice and knowledge.’
‘The team provide excellent solutions based on employment legal advice.’
‘All the teams we work with regularly are excellent. Particular praise for partners Melanie Crowley and Elizabeth Ryan and associate Lucy O’Neill. The team are supportive and responsive.’
‘The team is practical and pragmatic with their advice, providing a service that works well with the level of support we need as in-house counsel. They are always friendly and easy to deal with.’
Key clients
Traffic Tech Europe Limited
AB Group Packaging Limited
Comar
An international charity
An international restaurant chain
Work highlights
- Advised Traffic Tech Europe Limited on complex employment litigation.
- Advised AB Group Packaging Limited on complex employment litigation before the Workplace Relations Commission.
- Advised Morgan Stanley Capital Partners on an acquisition by portfolio company Comar of Automatic Plastics Limited.
Ireland > Energy and natural resources Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP has built a strong reputation for its specialist knowledge of the Irish energy market. The firm advises its diverse client base on the acquisition and financing of onshore and offshore wind projects. The team is jointly led by Eoin Cassidy, who is active on power purchase agreements and project financing transactions, and Rory Kirrane SC, who is well-regarded for her experience in energy and infrastructure project financing. Will Carmody regularly assists financial institutions and corporate borrowers with lending transactions. David Gunn and Hannah Devoy are key contacts within the practice.Practice head(s):
Eoin Cassidy; Rory Kirrane SC
Other key lawyers:
David Gunn; Conor Bates; Rob McDwyer; Will Carmody; Hannah Devoy
Testimonials
‘Eoin Cassidy has exceptional knowledge of the energy sector, provides clear and pragmatic advice. David Gunn is technically strong and unflappable. Conor Bates has a bright future ahead of him, and is technically strong and pragmatic.’
‘The Mason Hayes & Curran energy team has significant experience advising public sector clients in a broad range of contentious and non-contentious matters. Their availability, attention to detail, and depth of knowledge (particularly at partner level) set them apart.’
‘Eoin Cassidy is an excellent team lead whose commercial knowledge and skills as a negotiator have been particularly valuable to us as a client. Rob McDwyer stood out to our team through his excellent communication, drafting, and the speed with which he came up to speed on complex matters.’
‘The team is very knowledgeable in the subject matter and involves people of all levels to nurture an environment of knowledge growth.’
‘Eoin Cassidy and his team are very appreciable and available to offer pragmatic and practical advice.’
‘The team members were knowledgeable, approachable and professional. They also put you at ease and set out what the challenges are, and also made it understandable. Being made to feel you are part of the solution creates a very creative and productive outcome.’
‘This team is at the top of its game. Always up to date on the latest legal matters and give sound, bankable advice.’
‘The individuals on this team are like an extension of our team. They are truly passionate about our projects and seeing positive outcomes. They go above and beyond in their turn around times and are always there to support us at short notice.’
Key clients
SSE Renewables
SSE Generation
Irish Water
Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale
EirGrid plc
Fortum eNext Ireland
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
Statkraft Ireland
Elgin Energy
BayWa
Greencoat Renewables
Bord na Móna
Centrica Business Solutions
RWE Renewables
Impax Asset Management Group
FuturEnergy Ireland
Energia
Amarenco Solar Ireland
Société Générale
Encavis AG
Bord Gais Energy
Temporis Aurora
Inis Offshore Wind
Greener Ideas Limited
BNRG
Meta Plaforms Inc.
Work highlights
- Advised SSE Renewables on the development of the 800MW expansion to the Arklow Bank offshore wind farm.
- Advised EirGrid plc, Ireland’s state-owned transmission system operator, on all planning and environmental elements of the Celtic Interconnector Project, including the Strategic Infrastructure Development Planning Application and Foreshore Licence Application.
- Advised Greener Ideas Limited, a subsidiary of Bord Gais and Centrica plc on its €300m investment in the construction and connection to the transmission system of two circa 100MW dual fuel generation power stations.
Ireland > EU and competition Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP continues to stand out for its abilities in merger control, including headline mergers requiring notification at a national and EU level. In this regard, the firm has made a particular impression in media sector mergers, along with those in the energy and technology industries, especially US tech businesses. The group frequently advises private equity houses on merger control and other competition matters. It is also unique in having an economist at partner level in Michael Madden. Beyond merger control, it has a thriving practice in competition law enforcement, including investigations into the ticketing and motor insurance sectors. Competition litigation is another forte. Tara Kelly leads the team, which includes Dorit McCann, who joined from Beauchamps LLP in March 2023. Laura Durning and Liam Heylin are also key partners.Practice head(s):
Tara Kelly
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Unique cross-over from competition, state aid and technology providing full service from advisory to litigation. Sought after for experience in developing area of administrative fines for breaches of EU law. Enviable client roster of US tech and data clients based in Ireland making them market leader in these sectors.’
‘Dorit McCann – new partner hire who is a stand-out competition adviser in Ireland, with practice rights in Northern Ireland and London experience.’
‘Michael Madden is a firm favourite for telecoms matters and tech expertise.’
‘Dorit McCann has outstanding procurement and competition expertise. Michael Madden has excellent telecoms and competition expertise.’
‘I was impressed with their overall project plan and approach to what was an usual engagement. The partner I was dealing with also explained that other specialities within the firm were available at any time.’
‘I was very impressed with Liam Heylin’s attention to detail and his grasp of the brief.’
‘What makes Mason Hayes & Curran the great organisation that it is, is the diversity of the skillsets of its staff. If you have any concerns or issues they will forward your query to the person best able to assist.’
‘Liam Haylin has been excellent and very professional. He also completed a workshop for all of the crisis management team on site.’
Key clients
FBD Insurance Plc
Meta Platforms Inc.
The Carlyle Group
Assa Abloy AB
Fane Valley Co-operative Society Limited
Clayton Dubilier & Rice
Equinor ASA
Statkraft
Science Foundation Ireland
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
Work highlights
- Acted for FBD in the CCPC’s long-running investigation into alleged price signalling in the motor insurance sector.
- Advised Meta on the potential implications of competition law and emerging digital regulation on its data processing operations and GDPR compliance.
- Advised a global healthcare company on a competition law counterclaim arising out of IP patent infringement proceedings against a competing pharmaceutical company before the Irish Courts.
Ireland > Fintech Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP‘s ‘commercial, responsive and knowledgeable‘ practice spans fintech and payments; insurtech; financial services outsourcing and privacy; and AI, where the firm expanded its offering with the arrival of Brian McElligott from an in-house role in January 2023. The team advises an enviable roster of leading fintechs on regulation, e-money and crypto licensing, and on the rollout of new products in the Irish market. It also counts major global tech companies amongst its clients. Liam Flynn, a go-to adviser on insurtech, leads the team with Rowena Fitzgerald, who is a ‘master‘ of fintech regulatory issues. ‘Strong advocate‘ Sarah Cloonan is also noted.Practice head(s):
Liam Flynn; Rowena Fitzgerald
Other key lawyers:
Sarah Cloonan; Mark Fry; Dermot McGirr; Brian McElligott; Katie Keogh
Testimonials
‘It has invested in key people in certain sectors with deep industry knowledge, great communications and events for clients, as well as an open and engaging manner when dealing with clients.’
‘Sarah Cloonan is a strong advocate for her clients with the regulator who makes herself available as necessary to clients and delivers for them every time.’
‘They offer a wide-variety of services and are always providing advice/seminars that are bespoke to your market area.’
‘They are always available, responsive and give the correct advice.’
‘Dermot McGirr provides commercially-focused expertise to managing outsourcing contracts and a range of related matters, such as privacy and sector-specific regulatory issues. He is a good strategic partner for in-house lawyers.’
‘The team is commercial, responsive, knowledgeable and approachable.’
‘The team have the ability to convey their expertise in a practical and approachable manner, which is essential when obtaining advice on complex financial services law.’
‘Rowena Fitzgerald stands a head and shoulders above others in the market. Dynamic, un-stuffy and the master of her area.’
Key clients
Stripe
Companjon Insurance DAC
Work highlights
- Continuing to provide legal advice to Companjon to support the development of its innovative digital add-on insurance business.
- Advising Stripe on all aspects of the adoption of ChatGPT.
Ireland > Healthcare and life sciences Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP has a large, multidisciplinary team with an excellent record in both healthcare and life sciences. The highly-specialised team covers a range of sub-sectors, notably medical litigation, healthcare and life sciences IP, corporate healthcare and life sciences, product liability and healthcare governance and regulation. It continues to defend clients against high-value clinical negligence claims and has a major market share of cases before the Cervical Check Tribunal. Martin Kelleher is a standout practitioner in corporate life sciences transactions. Kevin Power, a former doctor and surgeon, heads the healthcare and medical team, while Michaela Herron leads the life sciences regulatory team. Ciara Deasy and Mark McCabe have been promoted to partner. David Hickey and Katie McAuliffe are rising stars.Practice head(s):
Kevin Power; Martin Kelleher; Michaela Herron
Other key lawyers:
Keelin Cowhey; Gemma Coady; Jennifer Henry; James Gallagher; Brian Horkan; Ciara Deasy; Mark McCabe; Katie McAuliffe; David Hickey; Katie Bermingham-Thomas
Testimonials
‘Katie McAuliffe, who is a senior associate, manages a good number of cases. I would describe Katie as extremely knowledgeable. She is professional, yet empathetic. She has a calming reassuring manner with clinicians. She also understands that there is a human factor on both sides to the cases she manages. Katie also investigates her cases so well. She is absolutely forensic, which I love.’
‘I am in constant contact with Keelin Cowhey and David Hickey, who are both passionate, professional and supportive in all of their interactions. I co-ordinate legal matters for a hospital, however I do not have a legal background. I have been so appreciative of Keelin and Davids support in assisting me in understanding the processes we are both involved in, their patience and consistent communication have enabled me to learn and grow in my own role. Unlike other firms that I also deal with, MHC provide a superior level of customer service which I how found invaluable.’
‘Kevin Power has outstanding medical knowledge and can get through the most complex cases very quickly converting the most technical aspects of a case to understandable instructions. Gemma Coady is the most experienced birth injury practitioner that I know. Keelin Cowhey has experience of hundreds of medical cases and has outstanding instincts in terms of knowing how a case will pan out. Jennifer Henry brings experience from prior firms and a spread of knowledge across litigation and products that really assists.’
‘MHC is highly pragmatic in its approach. Cuts down complexities into solutions. MHC is very relationship driven so really strong with clients and with service providers such as counsel. There is a great balance between youth and experience, they seem to have the team thing down so younger associates are let flourish, brought on but experienced partners keep an eye but in a light touch, highly effective way. Good electronic briefing systems. Very user friendly, happy firm to deal with.’
‘All the partners are excellent, with Kevin Power, Ciara Deasy and Mark McCabe being excellent members of the younger generation. Among the associates, David Hickey stands out for his attention to detail and hard work. He gets on very well with clients and the doctors he represents and has an excellent and sympathetic touch in difficult cases, such as coroners’ matters.’
‘Keelin Cowhey is a very impressive solicitor who is an integral part of the team which is led by Kevin Power. All of the solicitors I work with are capable and it is obvious from their work that they are well supported.’
‘Brian Horkan is hands on, collaborative, and clearly provides great leadership and support to his team. Katie Bermingham-Thomas is exceptionally professional, hardworking, and competent. She’s great to work with because she’s on top of every case and it always runs smoothly with her.’
‘Ciara Deasy is very approachable and practical in terms of her advice. Distills down the key issues in an easily understandable fashion.’
Key clients
Clinical Indemnity Scheme of the State Claims Agency
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
Health Service Executive
Child and Family Agency (Tusla)
The Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland
The Irish Medical Council
St Patrick’s Mental Health Services
Medisec/MedPro
Allergan Limited
Voluntary Healthcare Forum
Work highlights
- Acted for the State Claims Agency in the defence of a catastrophic birth injury action, in which the plaintiff alleged their diagnosed development delay and autism were caused by negligence at the time of delivery.
- Acted on behalf of Quest Diagnostics Incorporated in the defence of professional negligence claims arising from the alleged misreading of cervical smear samples in the context of the ongoing fallout from the cervical check controversy.
- Acted for LetsGetChecked in a $150m Series D funding round led by Casdin Capital.
Ireland > Information technology Tier 1
The technology, sourcing and innovation team at Mason Hayes & Curran LLP continues to work with both established and upcoming clients on the full range of technology matters, with specific expertise in data privacy and consumer protection. The team has witnessed a notable uptick in casework associated with artificial intelligence, including advising on the ramifications of the forthcoming EU AI Act. Practice head Philip Nolan has longstanding experience of advising on GDPR compliance, while Robert McDonagh assists clients with security incidents and privacy-related claims. Wendy Hederman and Mark Fry specialise in outsourcing and licensing contracts, while Dermot McGirr’s practice focuses on advising on technology contracts and regulatory matters in both the public and private sectors.Practice head(s):
Philip Nolan
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Mason Hayes & Curran have developed a deep knowledge of the context where their clients operate. They can provide tailored advice, allowing clients to make risk-based decisions promptly. Their experience is a great added value.’
‘MHC lawyers are always available and always have a dedicated resource with the right expertise to support their clients. They also provide practical advice, and their professionals are humble and confident when dealing with in-house lawyers.’
‘Unrivalled legal and industry knowledge. They are the go-to firm for anything information technology related.’
‘Philip Nolan has incredible in-depth knowledge of all things IT. He would be my go-to person if I had any IT or data protection query.’
Key clients
Meta Platforms Ireland Limited
WhatsApp Ireland Limited
Strava
Yahoo
Ancestry
Airbnb
Avant Money
Etsy Ireland
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals
Irish Life
Allied Irish Bank
Royal London
Axa Life Europe
Google/Fitbit
Slack
Work highlights
- Advised Stripe on aspects of adopting and deploying generative AI.
- Advised Meta and WhatsApp on the negotiation of bespoke commercial arrangements incorporating complex product terms.
- Advised Ancestry on its online user terms and its platform online interfaces to assess compatibility with various e-commerce and consumer protection laws.
Ireland > Insolvency and corporate restructuring Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP has a tremendous record in insolvency and restructuring matters, including large-scale examinerships and out-of-court rescue processes. The team is also active in distressed asset and non-performing loan sales in Ireland. It advises a range of insolvency practitioners, creditors, debtors, distressed investors and other stakeholders in restructuring and insolvency engagements. Judith Riordan is an outstanding practitioner in corporate insolvency and related litigation, having further experience in out-of-court rescue processes. Maurice Phelan is head of the dispute resolution team and has an extensive record in contentious insolvency matters. Frank Flanagan is noted for loan portfolio sales.Practice head(s):
Maurice Phelan
Other key lawyers:
Judith Riordan; Frank Flanagan; James Morrin
Testimonials
‘Judith Riordan is prime point of contact. Always responsive and willing to take a practical approach to all issues.’
‘Excellent advisors on insolvency and restructuring assignments. Clear and concise advice is always provided, with commercial impacts thoroughly thought through and very well considered. An excellent firm to have by your side on complex assignments and highly recommended.’
‘Judith Riordan, insolvency partner, goes the extra mile and is highly committed to successful outcomes. Dedicated practitioner who provides top quality advice that considers both legal and commercial impacts and is very much solutions-focused, innovates and is always available. Highly recommend Judith and her team.’
‘The MHC teams offers expert service with first-class delivery. Their advice balances risk, commercial acumen and technical legal points to deliver top-class service to achieve outcomes. The team are responsive and top quality to deal with.’
‘Judith Riordan and James Morrin are the go-to people for insolvency and restructuring advice. Approachable and contactable with a genuine passion for assisting their clients and delivering a quality service.’
‘The firm has a breath of service capability and is multi disciplined, which is both convenient and reassuring in dealing with a specific issue, which may have a number of distinct facets. ’
‘MHC insolvency team brings a mix of experience, commerciality and innovative thinking to complex problems. The team is very well supported by other areas of expertise around the firm as needed. ’
‘Maurice Phelan is a go-to insolvency lawyer in the Irish market and has a huge amount of experience in insolvency matters alongside his expertise in general litigation and dispute resolution.’
Key clients
Allied Irish Banks
BDO
EY
Kirby Healy
KPMG
Grant Thornton
McStay Luby
Friel Stafford
Bank of Ireland
Mazars
Work highlights
- Advised David O’Connor, of BDO, as liquidator of the SIAC Group.
- Advised OBI in successfully challenging a bankruptcy order and setting new legal precedent as a result, where the court recognises a duty of candour in debtor bankruptcy applications.
Ireland > Insurance Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP applies significant resources and expertise to non-contentious and contentious matters. The breadth of its contentious practice covers medical negligence, personal injury, aviation, product liability, professional indemnity, data breach litigation, and construction cases, among others. It acts for a range of domestic and international insurers and reinsurers, along with the State Claims Agency. Led by Liam Flynn, the non-contentious team has worked on a series of insurance business asset sales, investigations, corporate governance and regulatory issues. Rachel Kavanagh leads the insurance and risk (disputes) group and has an excellent record in cases across the insurance sphere, including personal injury claims, property damage claims and product liability. Deirdre Munnelly is noted for defending clients against public and employer’s liability, motor and product liability claims. The senior bench is backed by a highly-rated group of associates.Practice head(s):
Liam Flynn; Rachel Kavanagh
Other key lawyers:
Deirdre Munnelly; Rowena Fitzgerald; Sarah Cloonan; Laura Keane; Joanne Costello; Laura Prendiville; Sarah Burns; Jill Valentine; David Culleton; Richard Hogan
Testimonials
‘The team itself is lead by a very experienced individual in Rachel Kavanagh. Rachel encourages and empowers the people on her team. It always strikes me that Rachel has surrounded herself with smart people so they don’t have to be told how to do their job. The members of the team are encouraged and empowered to think and perform independently. Because of that the team functions extremely effectively.’
‘The main individuals I engage with are Rachel Kavanagh, Laura Prenderville, Sarah Burns and Jill Valentine. I couldn’t speak more highly of each of them. Rachel is extremely experienced and is always seemingly available to discuss cases with the people under her direction. She is, to be frank, an absolute rock of sense, extremely practical and invested on behalf of her clients. Laura is a brilliant operator. She is highly intelligent and efficient. She has a great way with the clients who engage with her and is patient and considerate with them. Recently I watched her engage first hand with a client from another jurisdiction and engaged patiently until the client’s concerns were elaborated by them in their entirety and to the client’s satisfaction, which was very impressive to observe when dealing with a language barrier and complex international litigation.’
‘Sarah Burns has a brilliant way with clients and dealing with people when they are in naturally stressful scenarios. Her assured presence puts clients at their ease. She is always available to talk about cases and is a very clear and concise communicator. Jill Valentine is an independent thinker who is brilliant to work with as she will often have thought of an element of a case I wouldn’t have appreciated. Jill is also very efficient and effective in what she does. I could not recommend this group of people and team to any prospective client.’
‘Rachel Kavanagh is truly outstanding. Totally on top of her clients needs, her case load, shrewd, practical, great in negotiation and at trial, one of the best, if not the best partner in this area. Deirdre Munnelly, Laura Prendiville, David Culleton are part of a very efficient team who have a super attitude. Rachel Kavanagh is a great leader.’
‘The combination of Deirdre Munnelly’s experience, attention to detail and her legal knowledge and ability make her an exceptional lawyer. Deirdre consistently achieves excellent results for her clients. Richard Hogan’s skill in identifying and probing the pertinent facts of a case is exceptional. Richard’s industry sector and jurisdiction knowledge is excellent. The quality of his responsiveness and his communication skills stand out above his peers.’
‘I work with Laura Prendiville. Laura is extremely knowledgeable and always makes herself available to assist when asked. Laura takes a pragmatic approach. She provides very clear advice and direction on files. It is a pleasure to work with Laura.’
‘Liam Flynn is a unique lawyer in the Irish market. He brings years of London market experience, in-house insights and a strong private practice background. There is no better insurance lawyer in the Irish market.’
‘The team are experienced, diverse, committed, collegiate and their informed commentaries provide insight that is essential for strategic planning at executive and Board level. Their combined knowledge base is vast, wide-reaching and global and the customer is always king. They find a solution no matter what the problem or the tight timescale and they always deliver on their promise and on time. They have key strengths in risk, product development, governance, competition law and financial regulation. The only insurance practice in Ireland to provide a full-service offering, with a leading insurance regulatory and advisory practice combined with an award winning insurance claims team. Key capability in sustainable finance regulation.’
Key clients
AIG
Allianz
Aon Claims Management
Chubb Insurance
Davies Ireland
HDI Global
State Claims Agency
Zurich Insurance Plc
Zurich UK
Companjon Insurance DAC
Aviva PLC
AXA Group
UniPol Re DAC
Cmutual Insurance/Peopl Insurance
Work highlights
- Advised AXA Life Europe DAC on a Central Bank of Ireland regulatory enforcement procedure that concluded in settlement and payment of a €3.6m fine in December 2022.
- Advised Ulster Bank Ireland DAC on the sale of its life and pensions and general insurance distribution businesses to Irish Life and Aviva Insurance, respectively, in 2022 as part of its phased exit from the Irish financial services market.
- Advised CDB Aviation Lease Finance DAC on multi-million-euro insurance claims against London and international insurers relating to the loss of aircraft due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Ireland > Intellectual property Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP handles the full range of contentious and non-contentious IP matters for clients from a wide range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, retail, IT, financial services, and entertainment. Key services include advice on registering trade marks, IP litigation, and management of IP portfolios. The practice is led by litigation expert Gerard Kelly, who regularly represents clients in high-profile IP litigation before all levels of the Irish courts. Hazel McDwyer is a recognised IP rights practitioner who regularly assists clients with matters related to brand protection and patent infringement. Other key contacts include Eimear O’Brien, Jane Bourke, and John Milligan.Practice head(s):
Gerard Kelly
Other key lawyers:
Hazel McDwyer; John Milligan; Ciara Browne; Eimear O’Brien; Jane Bourke
Testimonials
‘Hazel McDwyer is a standout – extremely responsive, hard-working, commercial and has a good understanding of our sector and business environment.’
‘Clear, knowledgeable and efficient trade mark experts. A very safe set of hands.’
‘Hazel McDwyer is a very knowledgeable trade mark expert. She is responsive, concise and clear. We have no hesitation in trusting Hazel with our trade mark prosecution work in Europe.’
‘MHC are a delight to work with on IP matters. They are experts in their field, extremely responsive and achieve the desired results for us and our clients. They are my go-to firm in Ireland for IP matters.’
‘Gerard Kelly leads an excellent team.’
‘Gerard Kelly is very impressive. Very intelligent and a true expert across all IP rights. John Milligan has what exactly you need from outside counsel – fast, responsive and pragmatic.’
Key clients
Meridian Global VAT Services Limited
SIS Media Limited
Novartis Pharma AG
Neuraxpharm Ireland and Laboratorios Lesvi SLU
Sandoz AG
Ashbourne Visitor Centre Limited
Glenveagh Properties plc
Monster Energy Company
MD Orthopaedics, Inc.
Kinzen Limited
Powercut Clothing Limited
Cult Drinks
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals
Work highlights
- Represented Meridian in complex Commercial Court proceedings related to breach of confidence.
- Represented SIS in Commercial Court proceedings against two individuals for infringement of the client’s copyright in its broadcasts.
- Assisted Monster Energy Group with the maintenance and management of its global trade mark portfolio, including brand enforcement and opposition procedures.
Ireland > Media and entertainment Tier 1
The media and entertainment practice at Mason Hayes & Curran LLP regularly advises on advertising, broadcasting licence applications, content regulation, media rights and production agreements. The practice acts for several notable clients from the television and media industries, including Meta, Discovery and Yahoo. Michael Madden heads up the practice and has expertise in handling matters relating to online safety, media regulation and Irish audiovisual media services law. Luke Murray has a particular focus on Irish and EU media and communications regulation and the related competition law aspects.Practice head(s):
Michael Madden
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Strong understanding of clients in the relevant space, client products, commercial drivers and complex legal requirements.’
‘Michael Madden has excellent, in-depth knowledge, commercial practicality and an understanding of complex overlapping new legal regimes.’
‘Michael Madden combines exceptional industry knowledge with practical, business-focused advice.’
Key clients
Meta
DAZN
Discovery
Yahoo
Work highlights
- Advised Meta-owned Facebook on a range of regulatory obligations including the Irish implementation of the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive and Ireland’s Online Safety and Media Regulation Act.
- Advised Etsy on the relevant aspects of the Digital Services Act and Online Safety and Media Regulation Act.
- Advised Yahoo on its media products in the context of the Digital Services Act and Online Safety and Media Regulation Act.
Ireland > Pensions and employee benefits Tier 1
The team Mason Hayes & Curran LLP primarily advises employers, pension scheme trustees and pension providers on pension scheme funding, pension-specific data protection issues, and liability management projects. The team is led by Stephen Gillick, who has vast expertise in the pension aspects of corporate acquisitions and IORP II pensions legislation. Peggy Hughes provides ongoing support on the full range pension scheme matters, from establishment to the wind-up of schemes, while Patrick O’Connor focuses on the drafting of pension scheme documentation.Practice head(s):
Stephen Gillick
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Very good knowledge and experience and a pleasure to deal with. This is true of all the staff I have dealt with in the business.’
‘Three individuals in the practice stand out for me: Stephen Gillick, Peggy Hughes and Patrick O’Connor. Great knowledge, friendly and approachable, nothing is a problem, will give you their time freely.’
‘The pensions team has a very practical and business-orientated approach to issues.’
‘Stephen Gillick and Patrick O’Connor are always accessible.’
‘Depth of experience and expertise. Timely, accurate and commercially focused advice.’
‘Peggy Hughes communicated very clearly with us at all times.’
Ireland > Planning and environment Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP’s planning and environment team is known for advising on some of the most high-value and high-profile recent domestic and cross-border infrastructure projects. Deirdre Nagle heads the practice and regularly assists clients from the energy sector with planning and consent applications. Hannah Gallagher and Grainne Tiernan specialise in contentious matters and are experienced in representing clients in judicial review proceedings and injunctions. Other key members of the team include Jay Sattin and Elaine Keating.Practice head(s):
Deirdre Nagle
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The strength in depth of the team and their robust knowledge of technical planning and environmental laws always lends itself to the MHC team delivering solid, pragmatic, and commercially minded advice to clients.’
‘Jay Sattin is very knowledgeable and offers practical solutions to clients on what they need to do to secure planning permission and environmental consent.’
‘Deirdre Nagle is a leading expert in planning and environmental matters in the Irish market. Grainne Tiernan is a talented lawyer and provides great service.’
‘MHC’s client-focused approach is very welcome. Urgent items are always prioritised, and the team are always accessible to talk items through.’
‘Accessibility is one of MHC’s strengths, which makes it stand out above its competitors. The short time it takes to turn around tasks is also a MHC trait. Deirdre Nagle stands out in this regard.’
‘A knowledgeable, dynamic team. Presentation of easily understandable information. Responsive and quick turnaround on providing advice.’
‘A strong, experienced team in environmental and planning matters that has worked on several state utility and private projects. Good access to strong legal counsel and fully abreast of planning and environmental matters.’
‘MHC provide a high level and quality of service thanks to their team’s experience of providing comprehensive legal advice to the Irish energy sector.’
Key clients
Elgin Energy Limited
SSE
RWE
Ørsted
FuturEnergy
EirGrid
Statkraft
Glenveagh
Ashcroft Developments
Uisce Eireann
Work highlights
- Represented Ashcroft Developments in an appeal to the Supreme Court against an order of the High Court dismissing the client’s judicial review proceedings relating to the de-zoning of its lands in Co Meath from ‘residential housing’ to ‘community infrastructure’.
- Advised Uisce Éireann on various matters related to the ongoing upgrading works of Ireland’s water and water treatment systems.
- Advised SSE on all aspects of the planning and environmental elements of Phase II of the offshore Arklow Bank Wind Farm.
Ireland > Public sector Tier 1
Praised for the ‘trustworthiness, expertise and wisdom‘ of its public law team, Mason Hayes & Curran LLP has an excellent reputation for handling regulatory investigations and litigation, with standout recent highlights including its advice to Meta and WhatsApp in high-profile data protection inquiries. The firm also acts for a host of public sector bodies in relation to judicial review proceedings and statutory appeals, fitness to practise inquiries and governance issues. The ‘exceptional‘ Catherine Allen heads the practice. Lisa Joyce and Niall Michel, who are noted for their expertise in information law, Aoiffe Moran, who was promoted to partner in May 2023, and Laura Rattigan are also key contacts.Practice head(s):
Catherine Allen
Other key lawyers:
Lisa Joyce; Niall Michel; Brian Horkan; Aoiffe Moran; Laura Rattigan
Testimonials
‘The area in which we operate is highly specialised. The team leader has an exceptional experience in this area and is highly competent, as a result of which we have great confidence in quality of the advice being given. From a technological point of view, and given the highly confidential nature of our work, the file sharing software system is particularly good.’
‘Aoiffe Moran’s accessibility and experience in this area of the law coupled with her practical approach to issues as they arrive mean that we feel that we are at all times in safe hands.’
‘Mason Hayes & Curran’s public and regulatory law team provide excellent advice in all matters relating to Freedom of Information (FOI) and Access to Information on the Environment (AIE). They are keenly aware of changes in the law and recent decisions of the courts and the various commissioners, which is invaluable in such a changeable area of the law.’
‘Lisa Joyce stands out for her practical knowledge of dealings with the Information Commissioners. Her advice is never limited to a dry recital of the law, but are always accompanied by useful and workable suggestions which are cognisant of her client’s particular needs. Aoiffe Moran has been an invaluable help to us as a company in advising on several sensitive matters. Her availability for urgent queries and depth of knowledge are both excellent.’
‘I value, in particular, the trustworthiness, expertise and wisdom of the solicitors. I have mostly dealt with Catherine Allen, who has been exceptional.’
‘Aoiffe Moran’s knowledge of her specialised area of law is second-to-none. Aoiffe has a very practical and solution-driven approach which gets the results required for her clients. Aoiffe goes above and beyond the call of duty. She is always available and extremely responsive and I would recommend her to anyone who wants a strong, competent and professional lawyer on their team who can get the desired results.’
‘The team are very skilled in providing excellent regulatory advice. Client relations and turnaround times are key for us as a client. We have had a lot of dealings with Lisa Joyce and we find she is professional, excellent technically and able to set out the regulatory position in a way that enables practical application and solutions to be developed.’
‘Lisa Joyce has unrivalled regulatory knowledge and expertise. She excels in her field and is able to consider wider issues to provide a robust and practical application. Catherine Allen provides expert legal advice efficiently and diligently.’
Key clients
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
Health Insurance Authority
Health and Safety Authority
Environmental Protection Agency
Eirgrid
Commission for Communications Regulation
Commission for the Regulation of Utilities
Commission for Aviation Regulation
Regulator of the National Lottery
Inland Fisheries Ireland
Sea Fisheries Protection Authority
Child and Family Agency
Housing Agency Ireland
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal
Department of Communications Climate Action and Environment
National Museum of Ireland
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin
Electricity Supply Board
Medical Council
Veterinary Council of Ireland
Adoption Authority of Ireland
Meta
National Gallery of Ireland
The Pensions Authority
Work highlights
- Advised Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd on the most significant data protection inquiry conducted in Europe to date, relating to Meta’s ability to transfer the personal data of its European users to the US in connection with the Facebook service.
- Acted for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in successfully defending recent judicial review proceedings in which the applicant, an electricity generator, sought to quash a decision of the Single Electricity Market Committee.
- Acted for the Irish Aviation Authority in its defence of a high-profile statutory appeal brought in the High Court by Dublin Airport Authority (daa), challenging a regulatory decision of the IAA which sets the maximum levels of airport charges that can be collected by daa for the period 2023-2026.
Ireland > Real estate Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP’s ‘excellent‘ team acts for a host of key players in the Irish real estate market, ranging from international and domestic investors and developers to housing associations and multinational tenant occupiers. The firm is a particularly strong performer in acquisitions, disposals and leasing matters in the office sector, but its broad practice also spans the retail, energy, PRS and social housing spheres. The ‘technically superb‘ Vanessa Byrne and Michael Doran, who has a focus on advising major investors, co-head the practice. Tom Davy (a specialist in the tech occupier space), Jamie Fitzmaurice, Oliver FitzGerald, Janet Cafferky and Áine Quigley are also names to note.Practice head(s):
Vanessa Byrne; Michael Doran
Other key lawyers:
Tom Davy; Jamie Fitzmaurice; Rachel Carney; Marcus Kennedy; Áine Quigley; Oliver FitzGerald; Janet Cafferky; Caoimhe Cusack
Testimonials
‘The team is extremely commercial, solutions oriented and cost conscious.’
‘The property team at MHC are really excellent. They are experts, and are extremely knowledgeable and competent in their area. They are excellent guides while navigating the complex world of property rights and contracts. They are extremely customer focused; they deal with requests rapidly and are always available when needed. They are extremely professional and communicate with clients extremely clearly and regularly as we work through different matters. Overall, they are an excellent team.’
‘Mason Hayes & Curran provides consistently excellent service in all areas of real estate. The team are experts in their field and importantly provide a level of responsiveness and duty of care for their clients which sets them ahead of other firms in my view.’
‘Michael Doran provides excellent and practical advice. He has a calm manner and can unravel complex issues to provide a workable solution.’
‘Tom Davy leads his team in a very hands-on way whilst at the same time letting the team develop. Between them, Tom and Áine Quigley provide consistently sound and rapid advice and act as sounding boards when decision making is difficult. Tom is always available.’
‘Janet Cafferky is a talented lawyer. She is a rare breed of real estate lawyer as she understands and focuses on achieving commercial objectives rather than academic analysis. She is supremely able, responsive and a delight to work with in all transactions, from both the client and counterparty perspective. A lawyer that gets deals done.’
‘Vanessa Byrne is technically superb and commercially very astute. The advice she gives is clear and solution oriented. When matters get complicated Vanessa’s vast experience comes to the fore. She always exceeds expectations and focuses on the best outcome for the client. Vanessa knows the market inside and out.’
‘Oliver FitzGerald is very personable and professional. He is readily available and keeps on top of projects.’
Key clients
Irish Life
DomusVI Group
Irish Residential Properties REIT plc
Aviva Real Estate Investors
Hammerson
AXA Investment Real Estate
BNP Paribas
Hines
Kennedy Wilson
Mission Critical
Allied Irish Banks
NewsCorp
Quintain
SSE Airtricity
ORPEA
Xerox
Union Investment
Statkraft
McAleer & Rushe
Fingal County Council
Work highlights
- Represented Irish Life Assurance plc on all matters regarding granting the leases for the Cadenza building, a cutting-edge modern office building in Central Dublin.
Ireland > Telecoms Tier 1
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP is a go-to firm for domestic and international clients, from both the public and private sectors, seeking advice on commercial and regulatory affairs within the telecommunications sector. The team manages a comprehensive array of contentious and non-contentious matters, including spectrum auctions and licenses, as well as issues related to consumer protection and product safety. Michael Madden heads the practice and works closely with associate Luke Murray to advise on the implications of Irish and EU telecoms regulation. Frank Flanagan is highly active on the contentious side, assisting clients with commercial and regulatory issues.Practice head(s):
Michael Madden
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The core team at Mason Hayes & Curran has an understanding of the regulatory framework and our internal processes, and their advice and assistance continue to reflect this understanding. For example, the MH+C team is highly accessible, pragmatic and solutions-focused in their delivery of services and readily appreciates and responds to the tight time pressures we are constantly under.’
‘The key members bring quite different but, importantly, highly complementary experience, expertise and perspectives in their advice and assistance. Similarly, they are quick to bring in additional and varied expertise should the need arise.’
‘As noted above, Michael Madden and Frank Flanagan bring quite different but, importantly, highly complementary experience, expertise and perspectives. Michael readily understands our objectives and perspective, contributes extremely well to policy discussions, and provides a highly accessible, engaging, responsive and primary point of contact between our teams. Frank readily understands complex, technical issues, has superb attention to detail, and provides invaluable advice and assistance.’
‘The team provides a breath of legal expertise across the different aspects of our projects, for example, regulatory, competition, litigation, data security and procurement. The team is headed up by a lead partner and supported by other partners and associates. The legal advice is solid and evidence-based, provided with a depth of understanding backed up by complimentary disciplines. The team is exceptional and a solid addition to any critical project.’
‘MHC has had a large and renowned TMT team for many years. I encounter them frequently with shared clients and am confident that the project will be handled expertly. Their reputation and quality of work are excellent.’
‘Partners and associates have excellent subject matter expertise and commercial knowledge. Partners relationship with points of contact on the side of demanding clients is impressive and inspiring.’
Key clients
Commission for Communications Regulation
Starlink (SpaceX)
Huawei
Comcast
Virgin Media
Tata Communications
Sprint Corporation
RingCentral
Genesys
Work highlights
- Advised the Commission for Communications Regulation (“ComReg”) on the design and implementation of its auction of the hugely valuable 700 MHz spectrum band.
- Advised ComReg on its High Court proceedings against Eir in which ComReg sought a restraining order against Eir requiring it to cease breaching rules relating to overcharging customers.
- Advised Facebook and WhatsApp on the interpretation and application of the European Electronic Communications Code.
Ireland > White-collar crime Tier 1
The investigations and white-collar crime team at Mason Hayes & Curran LLP is sought after by a range of clients, with particular strength in the technology sector, where it assists IT corporates with regulatory investigations and those conducted by the Data Protection Commission. The practice is led by Liam Guidera, who handles a variety of fraud and corporate misconduct matters and investigations. Peter Johnston and Colin Monaghan work with domestic and international clients on contentious regulatory matters. Conor O’Leary is well-known for handling fraud-related affairs for clients from the financial services sector, and Shane Reynolds has built a strong reputation for representing local councils and state bodies in regulatory proceedings before all levels of Irish courts.Practice head(s):
Liam Guidera
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team’s key strength is the ability to distil complex legal issues into comprehendible advice.’
‘Shane Reynolds stands out. He has vast experience as a criminal practitioner and provides insightful advice to clients with great clarity and empathy in complex legal cases.’
‘The Mason Hayes & Curran LLP is highly experienced in Ireland. They have a very sophisticated level of understanding of the Irish and EU regulatory framework for industry and strong insight into trends in white-collar crime, anti-money laundering, and regulatory offences. The team is very responsive to client needs, well-resourced and highly efficient in delivering quality legal services.’
‘I have worked with several partners in Mason Hayes & Curran LLP, including most recently Liam Guidera. He is very personable, client-focused, and cares about customer outcomes. He is committed to delivering high-quality legal services which respond to client needs. He is a highly efficient manager of complex litigation projects and works very effectively within litigation teams to maintain excellent working dynamics.’
‘The MHC team is peerless in its expertise. It leaves no stone unturned in providing a blue-chip service to its clients. Its people are thorough, methodical, reliable and diligent. But above all, the MHC team radiates talent.’
‘Liam Guidera is an expert tactician. He is exceptionally calm in the face of adversity and always measured and reassuring in a crisis. He is one of the most highly respected litigators in the Irish market who has spent his career acting for many of the biggest names in the jurisdiction. Conor O’Leary is renowned for his mastery of detail and commitment to his clients. He gets on top of complicated problems quickly and expertly navigates the most challenging of situations. A rising star.’
‘Partner-led approach providing expertise, responsiveness and a thoroughly pragmatic approach throughout.’
‘Pragmatism, proactive, deep knowledge and understanding and timely response.’
Key clients
Banque National de Paris Paribas
Meta
Portakabin UK Ltd.
Impedans
International Transport Workers’ Federation
Central Bank of Ireland
Allied Irish Banks plc
Bank of Ireland
Health Service Executive
Gas Networks Ireland
Kilkenny County Council
Commission for Regulation of Utilities
Child and Family Agency (TUSLA)
UBIL (a division of NatWest)
Waterford City and Waterford County Councils
Work highlights
- Represented Meta in multiple complex landmark DPC investigations and Irish and General Court of the European Union proceedings.
- Represented a number of witnesses, including the Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach), in the Siteserv Commission of Investigation established in June 2015.
- Represented the International Transport Workers’ Federation in allegations of human trafficking in the Irish fishing industry.
Ireland > Asset finance Tier 2
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP is active in a wide spectrum of aviation and asset finance matters, often acting for aircraft manufacturers, lessors, aviation investors, banks and other financial institutions in the space. ECA financing is a key pillar of strength for the team, which is adept at handling securitisations, warehouse financings, sale and leaseback transactions, and structured finance work, among other areas. The department is home to David McGovern and Christine O’Donovan, the chair of the firm; both are highly regarded asset finance specialists. Head of tax Niamh Caffrey is a key name.Practice head(s):
David McGovern
Other key lawyers:
Christine O’Donovan; Niamh Caffrey; Andrea Gleasure
Testimonials
‘This is a very strong team that is growing with the arrival of David McGovern. David is very experienced and knows as much as anyone in his position in the industry. ’
‘David McGovern – goes above and beyond to build and look after the relationship. Very approachable and commercially focused. ’
‘Excellent, user friendly, great turnaround times.’
‘Very responsive, proactive and supportive on transactions. ’
‘David McGovern: excellent lawyer with a in-depth knowledge of the the industry. Andrea Gleasure: excellent lawyer, organised, proactive and keen to find solutions to problems that come up.’
Key clients
Airbus Financial Services and affiliates
Avia Solutions Group
Azorra Aviation
Icelease Aviation
Lobo Leasing Limited
Bpifrance (French Export Credit Agency)
BNP Paribas
Chinese Aircraft Leasing Company (CALC)
CMB Leasing
Euler Hermes (German Export Credit Agency)
Work highlights
- Acted for Lobo Leasing Limited, which have established a joint venture with EMP Structured Assets GmbH on the purchase a portfolio of six new and used helicopters from subsidiaries of the Avincis Group in Spain and Italy.
- Advised CALC Global Leasing Limited on the sale and novation of five Airbus A320 aircraft on lease to an Indian lessee and acted as Irish transaction counsel.
- Acted as counsel to EDC on the lease and secured financing of up to 20 Airbus A220-300 aircraft.
Ireland > Capital markets Tier 2
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP continues to handle a steady workflow of DCM, structured finance and derivatives work. The department has seen an increase in structured finance matters, as well as in asset-backed securities and secured notes programmes. Daragh O’Shea, who heads up the DCM, structured finance and derivatives practice, 'stands out for his vast experience of debt finance generally and his methodical and proactive approach to problem-solving, and he brings commercial acumen and pragmatism in managing transactions and negotiations'. In the ECM space, led by the 'stand out capital markets partner' Justin McKenna, the group has a solid track record in handling equity deals and IPOs, notably advising Fulcrum Metals on its IPO on the AIM stock exchange. David Mangan left the firm in March 2023.Practice head(s):
Justin McKenna; Daragh O’Shea
Other key lawyers:
Donna O’Leary; Eoin Traynor; Jamie MacDonald; Andrew Gill
Testimonials
‘Mason Hayes & Curran LLP comes highly recommended because of its professionalism, experience of working in and for private businesses and international financial institutions, commitment, efficiency, proactive approach and deep knowledge of financial instruments and regulatory requirements.’
‘All the MHP team is exceptional, still I would like to stress that Daragh O’Shea and Andrew Gill are always my preferred port of call – professionalism, quality, fast and proactive response and high work ethics.’
‘The team at MH&C listens to the client’s concerns and therefore accurately addresses the issue at hand. When the issue is complex and has many nuances, this is crucial. The team is very responsive, accurate and dependable. The quality of the legal analysis goes without saying. ’
‘The team we work with (which includes Daragh O’Shea, Eoin Traynor and Jamie MacDonald) is very attentive to clients; requests, responsive, proactive and efficient. Quality of advice is superb. The team we can certainly rely on with great confidence.’
‘Justin McKenna is a stand out capital markets partner. He has good knowledge of the law and gives practical and strategic advice. I would highly recommend him.’
‘Eoin Traynor has deep knowledge of the regulations related to structured finance, as well as experienced in advising different issuers to know the best practices. Responsive, rigorous, professional and always available. Eoin is a formidable lawyer, always taking care of response times and the quality of work. Daragh O’Shea is a great expert and vast expertise in the fields of debt capital markets & structured finance. A pleasure to work with him. Vey available and creates a sense of trust. He combines a remarkable commercial sense with outstanding technical skills. Great management of his team. Donna O’Leary: amazing professional with great technical knowledge and high degree of attention to detail. Always available to resolve any issues that are raised quickly and diligently.’
‘Daragh O’Shea stands out for his vast experience of debt finance generally and his methodical and proactive approach to problem-solving. In addition, with his experience of working internationally and in-house, Daragh brings commercial acumen and pragmatism in managing transactions and negotiations. This kind of reliability and practical experience is priceless when dealing with high-stakes matters in the capital markets, and he has effectively acted as our guide to the Irish debt capital markets sector generally. Eoin Traynor: a senior associate who is impressive in his responsiveness and remarkable attention to detail. Whenever a client has questions or concerns, Eoin is quick to address them, providing timely updates and reassurances along the way, which is especially valuable when managing multiple documents in capital markets transactions.’
‘Jamie MacDonald and Andrew Gill have been on hand throughout the delivery of a number of regulatory pieces of work and have delivered exceptionally as and when needed, and at short notice.’
Key clients
MM Capital Limited and Elgin Property Limited
Davy Stockbrokers
J&E Davy
Fulcrum Mining
Normax Ltd.
CIX Capital International DAC
Berenberg
Longspur
Work highlights
- Advised Fulcrum Metals on its IPO.
Ireland > Investment funds Tier 2
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP has demonstrated a strong commitment to the UCITS field and has worked intensively in funds sector M&A and corporate reorganisations in the area. The firm has achieved further growth in AIFMD matters, private equity and venture capital. The investment funds team has an expanding client base, including leading asset managers. Conor Durkin is a prominent name in UCITS and hedge funds.Practice head(s):
Conor Durkin
Other key lawyers:
Matthew Skelly
Testimonials
‘The firm is very responsive and commercially oriented rather than just focusing on the legal aspect of any issue.’
‘Conor Durkin and his team are excellent to deal with.’
‘Strong technical and commercial approach.’
‘They are practical, efficient, commercial and results-focused. Both Conor Durkin and Matthew Skelly managed to combine tactics and strategy to achieve a compliant and commercially effective outcome to a challenging situation.’
‘Easy access and availability of the team when needed.’
‘Willingness to engage in a conversation or discussion without always having to be “on the clock”. Conor Durkin in particular.’
Key clients
Estela ICAV (Moravia)
Stable Opportunities ICAV
H&A ATNF
Estela (Garnacha)
Oberweis
FAM Evolution 16 funds
Crawford Fund Management
Inveniam fund
Irish Student Investment Fund – removal of IM and change of administrator
Octopus Renewables
Work highlights
- Represented Estela Capital ICAV in amending the investment policy of the Moravia Capital Fund.
- Acted for Irish Student Investment Fund Unit Trust in extending the duration of the sub-funds to the unit trust, undertaking a review and doing a full update of the prospectus of the unit trust and implementing various amendments to the sub-funds of the unit trust.
- Represented Fineco Asset Management DAC on updates to be made to 16 sub-funds of FAM Evolution ICAV.
Ireland > Projects and PPP Tier 2
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP has built a strong reputation for advising on some of Ireland's most important public sector projects for public sector companies, investors, and developers. The team is equally active in relation to commercial development and renewable energy projects. Rory Kirrane SC has extensive expertise in handling complex construction disputes, as well as representing clients before the Irish Commercial Court, and jointly heads the team with Eoin Cassidy, who specialises in the energy sector. Shane Dolan and Hannah Devoy handle the full range of contentious and non-contentious construction law-related matters. David Gunn and Muireann Hernon are also recommended.Practice head(s):
Rory Kirrane SC; Eoin Cassidy
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Incredibly responsive, particularly for urgent matters, and excellent industry knowledge.’
‘The Mason Hayes & Curran team are exceptionally professional, but more importantly, extremely client-focused, more so than most. They can deliver their legal considerations and reviews in a way that is easier understood by the client, sometimes even regarding the most complex of legal issues.’
‘Shane Dolan is an excellent client manager and deploys resources swiftly.’
‘They make a formidable team.’
Key clients
SSE Renewables
SSE Generation Limited
Equitix
Torc Sustainable Housing
Amarenco Solar Ireland
Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale
Bank of Ireland
Irish Water
Hines
Allergan Pharmaceutical Ireland
IMRF Frascati Ltd Partnership
Statkraft Ireland
Centrica Business Solutions
Equisisk (a JV of Equitix and John Sisk & Son (Holdings) Limited)
John Sisk & Son (Holdings Limited)
Torc Sustainable Housing (a JV of Equitix and Kajima)
Bord na Móna
BAM Civil Limited
Dragados Ireland Limited
Coillte
FuturEnergy Ireland
Allied Irish Banks plc
Elgin Energy
Greencoat Renewables
Bord Gais Energy
Exyte
House Building Finance Ireland
Fortum eNext Ireland
Société Générale
ESB
Uisce Éireann
Tik Tok
Work highlights
- Advised Torc, the successful bidder for the Social Housing Bundle 2 PPP, on various contractual matters relating to certifying completion of the project and also advising on finance and hedging arrangements.
- Advised Fortum eNext on its contract with South Dublin County Council to develop Ireland’s first large-scale district heating scheme.
- Advised Amarenco on the development and financing of a portfolio of eight solar parks in Ireland.
Ireland > Tax Tier 2
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP's tax team has extensive experience in corporate and M&A transactions, including transatlantic deals, and has a fine record in the life sciences, technology, built environment, energy and financial services sectors. Corporate reorganisations and aviation financings are fortes too. It is also noted for tax disputes. Niamh Caffrey and Kevin Mangan co-head the tax group, the latter ‘a stand out addition to the team‘ having joined from Google in 2023.Practice head(s):
Niamh Caffrey; Kevin Mangan
Other key lawyers:
Aisling Buckley
Testimonials
‘The tax team of Mason Hayes is very resourceful, has a strong knowledge of the market and business needs. They are responsive and accurate.’
‘I have always enjoyed working with Niamh Caffrey. She is always very available responsive and creative.’
‘Kevin Mangan – clear and comprehensive advice. Kevin is highly articulate, clear, comprehensive and concise. His advice is best-in-class. Commercial acumen – Kevin consistently displays an ability to understand business needs and non-tax considerations in projects. This is invaluable, as it ensures the tax solutions he proposes take into account important non-tax considerations. Strategic – Kevin is highly strategic, and his advice is both practical and comprehensive. Responsiveness – very timely and quick responses.’
‘I often work with Niamh Caffrey. She is very experienced and talented and knows how to get the deal done. The MHC team brings an unique set of skills to the table that help us provide top-notch services to our client. Very pleased with the input and the responsiveness of the team.’
‘This practice has better people than any other practice I have used before. I know there is a cliche about merely stating that the people are what makes a company better. However a balance of emotional intelligence, profound natural ability, resilience and most importantly being easy to work with is what the various people have in common. I noticed this from the junior members of staff and the senior ones. They also have a variety of people to call upon and they don’t take risks by guessing important issues, they have the self discipline and intelligence to pull in the right people in each scenario.’
‘Niamh Caffrey advised me on issues around tax, governance and other various items. She was stunningly patient with me. I had many people telling me how to save money on tax. She worked through each scenario with me and allowed me to be informed enough to make my own choices. I felt comfortable, never pressured and very importantly, never stupid. Niamh was challenged by people from the other side, but my feeling was that she had my absolute true best interest at heart. She showed knowledge, patience and reliance as well as a depth of knowledge to back it up. I also loved the way she was happy to discuss any option with anyone. She was unflappable in circumstances where the other side was needlessly irate. I couldn’t recommend her highly enough and she undoubtably saved me from future issues.’
‘Niamh Caffrey was outstanding from start to finish and always available. Aisling Buckley delivered consistently and in clear, concise terms.’
‘Kevin Mangan is a stand out addition to the team. His advice is always clear, concise and commercially grounded. He is calm under pressure and extremely knowledgeable. ’
Key clients
PerkinElmer Group
Biohaven
Workvivo Limited
Kinzen
Biosynth
Arjun Infrastructure Partners (“Arjun”), Watson Farley & Williams
Fox Williams LLP/Volaris Group Inc.
Export Development Canada
Empower the User (ETU)
Glenveagh Properties Plc
Work highlights
- Advised PerkinElmer Group on the Irish legal and tax aspects of a very significant global transaction involving the sale of its applied food and enterprise services business to New Mountain Capital.
- Advised Biohaven pharmaceutical Ireland DAC on a sale of its innovative migraine therapy to Pfizer Plc.
- Advised Workvivo on its sale to NASDAQ Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
Ireland > Transport Tier 2
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP‘s transport team stands out for its expertise in the aviation sector, where its practice was significantly bolstered by the arrivals of David McGovern, who joined from Walkers in August 2022, and Julie-Ann Sherry, from an in-house role in August 2023. The team is frequently active in advising on complex aviation finance transactions, in addition to handling high-profile litigation in the sector. The firm also has a presence in shipping matters, where construction partner Rory Kirrane SC takes the lead. Firm chair Christine O’Donovan is also highly regarded for aviation finance.Practice head(s):
David McGovern; Rory Kirrane SC
Other key lawyers:
Christine O’Donovan; Julie-Ann Sherry
Testimonials
‘A very professional and experienced team. They go above and beyond in delivering their services. Seems to be a happy team and that makes working with them very nice. Very responsive and one of the best in the industry. Proud to use them.’
‘David McGovern is very commercially driven and his attention to detail is unique.’
Key clients
CDB Aviation Lease Finance DAC
BAM Civil Limited
Dragados Ireland Limited and Dragados S.A.
Traffic Tech Europe Ltd
DHL Supply Chain (Ireland) Limited
Irish Life Assurance plc
Irish Aviation Authority
FBD Insurance
Export Development Canada
Zurich Insurance
Bolt ITZ Limited and Bolt Operations OU
Work highlights
- Representing CDB Aviation Lease Finance DAC in multimillion-euro insurance coverage litigation against London and international insurers in the Irish Commercial Court, under its contingent and possessed insurance cover, arising out of the loss of several CDB-owned aircraft due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
- Representing BAM and Dragados, the joint venture responsible for the design and construction of the N25 New Ross Bypass PPP Scheme, in complex, multi-party Commercial Court proceedings associated with the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge.
- Advising DHL Supply Chain (Ireland) Limited on the procurement of fit out works at a new logistics facility at Unit 1, Quantum Logistics Park, Dublin.
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP > Firm Profile
The firm: As legal and regulatory responsibilities become more complex, progressive organisations need the right advice to help realise their ambitions. The expertise Mason Hayes & Curran brings is rooted in unrivalled knowledge of the industries in which its clients operate, so advice is always set in its commercial context. The lawyers empower their international and domestic clients by giving focused recommendations and a clear understanding of their options.
Mason Hayes & Curran is a business law firm with over 108 partners. The firm understands the challenges international organisations face when investing or locating in a foreign country; assisting them during initial establishment and in meeting their ongoing legal and commercial imperatives. The firm has offices in London, New York and San Francisco, three important conduits for inward investment to Ireland.
Areas of practice
Corporate: The firm’s corporate lawyers are recognised as the leading advisers on all types of domestic and international corporate transactions across a broad range of industry sectors. They have acted in some of the most high profile, innovative and complex M&A deals in Ireland. With extensive experience in all types of corporate transactions, they combine transactional skills with specialist expertise in banking, property, competition, employment and tax.
Contact: David O’Donnell
Email: dodonnell@mhc.ie
Dispute resolution and commercial litigation: The dispute resolution team is routinely involved in complex, high profile commercial court litigation.
The team is frequently retained by international clients on multi-jurisdictional disputes which involve providing strategic guidance driven by the different systems of rules and practices worldwide.
Contact: Maurice Phelan
Email: mphelan@mhc.ie
Employment and benefits: The firm’s combined experience offers a unique
understanding of the challenges faced by employers in all sectors and industries. It provides a tailored approach to meet the individual needs of each client. The team empowers employers to confidently make the right decisions. Employers rely on its comprehensive and integrated service offering. The team provides commercial and strategic advice on all workplace issues from recruitment to retirement.
Contact: Melanie Crowley
Email: mcrowley@mhc.ie
Financial services and banking: The financial services team provides high calibre advice to domestic and international clients. It regularly advises on international corporate lending, renewable energy, acquisition, asset and structured finance, debt capital markets, investment funds and regulation. Clients include leading domestic and international banks and insurers operating in Ireland.
Contact: Neil Campbell
Email: ncampbell@mhc.ie
Projects and energy: The team has advised on some of the largest Irish energy transactions in recent years. Notably, the combined generation capacity of our renewable energy projects in Ireland represents almost half of the total amount installed on the Irish grid. Clients include a number of Ireland’s most significant and strategically important players. It has unrivalled expertise in advising on the project finance, development and acquisition of electricity generation, both thermal and renewable.
Contact: Eoin Cassidy
Email: ecassidy@mhc.ie
Real estate: With the largest and best resourced Real Estate team in Ireland, the lawyers provide the highest quality service to clients and handle the largest and most complex real estate projects. The real estate practice spans sectors including the Built Environment, Energy, Healthcare and Technology.
Contact: Vanessa Byrne
Email: vbyrne@mhc.ie
Technology: The Technology team are the ‘go to’ lawyers for multinational technology companies. They provide cutting edge advice on a range of complex legal matters to the world’s leading tech and data driven companies.
Contact: Philip Nolan
Email: pnolan@mhc.ie
Taxation: The Tax team comprises internationally experienced tax law partners and professionals and provides pragmatic solutions and risk-based advice on significant corporate and financial transactions to international and domestic clients.
Contact: Niamh Caffrey
Email: ncaffrey@mhc.ie
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Aviation, International Asset Finance | David McGovern | dmcgovern@mhc.ie | |
Managing Partner | William Carmody | wcarmody@mhc.ie | |
Dispute Resolution | Maurice Phelan | mphelan@mhc.ie | |
Real Estate | Michael Doran | mdoran@mhc.ie | |
Real Estate | Vanessa Byrne | vbyrne@mhc.ie | |
Construction | Rory Kirrane SC | rkirrane@mhc.ie | |
Energy | Eoin Cassidy | ecassidy@mhc.ie | |
Technology | Philip Nolan | pnolan@mhc.ie | |
Corporate / M&A | David O'Donnell | dodonnell@mhc.ie | |
Competition & Antitrust | Tara Kelly | tkelly@mhc.ie | |
Intellectual Property | Gerard Kelly | gkelly@mhc.ie | |
Employment & Benefits | Melanie Crowley | mcrowley@mhc.ie | |
Financial Regulation | Rowena Fitzgerald | rfitzgerald@mhc.ie | |
Financial Regulation | Liam Flynn | lflynn@mhc.ie | |
Tax | Niamh Caffrey | ncaffrey@mhc.ie |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Ms Catherine Allen | Partner, Head of Public, Regulatory & Investigations | View Profile | |
Mr Declan Black | Partner, Dispute Resolution | View Profile | |
Mr Ron Boucher | Partner, Corporate | View Profile | |
Mr Liam Brazil | Liam is a Partner on the Corporate team. He advises clients in relation… | View Profile | |
Ms Vanessa Byrne | Partner, Co-head of Real Estate | View Profile | |
Ms Niamh Caffrey | Partner, Tax | View Profile | |
Ms Niamh Callaghan | Partner, Head of Charities & Not-for-Profit | View Profile | |
Neil Campbell | Partner, Head of Financial Services | View Profile | |
Mr William Carmody | Managing Partner | View Profile | |
Ms Rachel Carney | Partner, Real Estate | View Profile | |
Mr Eoin Cassidy | Partner, Construction, Infrastructure & Utilities | View Profile | |
Mr Ger Connolly | Ger is a partner in Mason Hayes & Curran’s Employment Law &… | View Profile | |
Ms Melanie Crowley | Partner, Head of Employment Law & Benefits | View Profile | |
Mr Tom Davy | Partner, Real Estate | View Profile | |
Mr Michael Doran | Partner, Co-head of Real Estate | View Profile | |
Mr Conor Durkin | Partner, Investment Funds | View Profile | |
Mr Paul Egan SC | Of Counsel | View Profile | |
Mr Paul Egan SC | Of Counsel | View Profile | |
Ms Rowena Fitzgerald | Partner, Co-head of Financial Regulation | View Profile | |
Jamie Fitzmaurice | Jamie is a partner in the Real Estate team. He has significant cross… | View Profile | |
Mr Liam Flynn | Partner, Head of Co-head of Financial Regulation | View Profile | |
Mr Karol Fox | Partner, Financial Services | View Profile | |
Mr Stephen Gillick | Partner, Head of Pensions | View Profile | |
Mr Edward Gleeson | Partner, Public, Regulatory & Investigations | View Profile | |
Ms Micheál Grace | Partner, Financial Services | View Profile | |
Mr Liam Guidera | Partner, Dispute Resolution | View Profile | |
Mr Jason Harte | Partner, Debt Recovery | View Profile | |
Ms Wendy Hederman | Partner, Technology | View Profile | |
Ms Michaela Herron | Partner, Life Sciences Regulatory | View Profile | |
Mr Brian Horkan | Partner, Head of Health & Prosecutions | View Profile | |
Ms Peggy Hughes | Partner, Pensions | View Profile | |
Ms Rachel Kavanagh | Partners, Head of Insurance & Risk | View Profile | |
Mr Martin Kelleher | Partner, Corporate; Head of Life Sciences | View Profile | |
Mr Gerard Kelly | Partner, Head of Intellectual Property | View Profile | |
Mr Rory Kirrane SC | Partner, Head of Construction, Infrastructure & Utilities | View Profile | |
Mr Rory Kirrane SC | Partner, Head of Construction, Infrastructure & Utilities | View Profile | |
Ms Claire Lord | Partner, Head of Corporate Governance | View Profile | |
Mr Michael Madden | Partner, Media & Telecoms | View Profile | |
Ms Dorit McCann | Dorit is a Partner in the Competition & Antitrust and Public Procurement teams at Mason… | View Profile | |
Mr Robert McDonagh | Partner, Technology | View Profile | |
Mr David McGovern | Partner, Head of Aviation, International Asset Finance | View Profile | |
Mr Justin McKenna | Partner, Corporate | View Profile | |
Mr Peter McLay | Partner, Construction, Infrastructure & Utilities | View Profile | |
Mr Niall Michel | Niall is a litigation partner in the Public, Regulatory & Investigations team… | View Profile | |
Mr Colin Monaghan | Partner, Dispute Resolution | View Profile | |
Deirdre Nagle | Partner, Head of Planning & Environment | View Profile | |
Mr Jevan Neilan | Partner, Technology | View Profile | |
Mr Ronnie Neville | Partner, Employment Law & Benefits | View Profile | |
Mr Philip Nolan | Partner, Head of Technology | View Profile | |
Mr David O'Donnell | Partner, Head of Corporate | View Profile | |
Ms Christine O'Donovan | Partner, Firm Chair | View Profile | |
Daragh O’Shea | Partner, Head of Debt Capital Markets | View Profile | |
Mr Maurice Phelan | Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution | View Profile | |
Mr Kevin Power | Kevin leads the Healthcare and Medical Law team at Mason Hayes &… | View Profile | |
Ms Áine Quirke | Senior Associate, Technology | View Profile | |
Ms Judith Riordan | Partner, Restructuring & Insolvency | View Profile | |
Mr Liam Riordan | Liam is a Partner in the Employment Law and Benefits team. He specialises… | View Profile | |
Ms Elizabeth Ryan | Elizabeth (‘Liz’) is a partner in the Employment & Benefits team. She… | View Profile | |
Mr Oisín Tobin | Oisín is a Partner in our Technology and Privacy and Data Security teams. He is an… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of fee-earners : 300Languages
French German Italian Portuguese Russian SpanishOther
Contact : Will Carmody, Managing Partner Other offices : London Other offices : New York Other offices : San FranciscoDiversity/Community
Mason Hayes & Curran’s Approach to Diversity and Inclusion
What is Diversity at MHC?
Diversity means the differences between us, including our perspectives, life experiences, social and cultural backgrounds.
What is Inclusion at MHC?
Inclusion is acceptance, understanding and respect for these differences. We recognise and we value that each staff member is unique and brings a different perspective to the firm. All employees have a role to play in embracing this culture.
Our Goals
- To acknowledge and encourage diversity and inclusion within the firm
- To welcome and respect individual views and experience for the benefit of colleagues and clients
- To recognise and formalise our existing culture of openness and inclusivity=
Culture & Background
We are focused on creating a firm where race, religion, ethnicity, experience and culture are appreciated for the diverse perspectives they bring.
Gender
We strive to create and sustain a truly equal and gender balanced firm with equal opportunities and treatment for all.
Disability
We understand that disability includes both physical and mental health and we actively provide support to those who need it.
LGBT+
We encourage all staff to simply be themselves irrespective of gender or sexual orientation.
Families
We recognise and understand that our people have responsibilities to their partners, parents, siblings and children.
- Banking and finance
- Commercial, corporate and M&A
- Construction
- Data privacy and data protection
- Dispute resolution
- Employment
- Energy and natural resources
- EU and competition
- Fintech
- Healthcare and life sciences
- Information technology
- Insolvency and corporate restructuring
- Insurance
- Intellectual property
- Media and entertainment
- Pensions and employee benefits
- Planning and environment
- Public sector
- Real estate
- Telecoms
- White-collar crime
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Asset finance
- Capital markets
- Investment funds
- Projects and PPP
- Tax
- Transport