Bird & Bird > Dublin, Ireland > Firm Profile

Bird & Bird > The Legal 500 Rankings

Ireland > Healthcare and life sciences Tier 3

Bird & Bird's status as a global titan in life sciences is evident in the nascent Dublin office, where it represents a number of major multinationals on contentious and non-contentious IP matters, data protection and regulatory issues. The Dublin team frequently works with colleagues around the world on headline cross-border instructions. It is especially active in trade mark infringement and patent revocation matters. In partners Michael Finn and Ann Henry, the latter joining in February 2024, it has two senior IP specialists who are deeply embedded in the life sciences sector. Deirdre Kilroy leads the commercial team and also has a major focus on life sciences.

Ireland > Information technology Tier 3

Advising on a growing stream of technology-related mandates, Bird & Bird's team handles license agreement reviews, data processing agreements, and outsourcing contracts. The firm routinely assists both domestic and overseas clients, prominently in the telecoms industry, with both contentious and non-contentious matters, including technology transactions. Practice head Deirdre Kilroy leads on the data privacy and goods and services mandates for major technology companies, while regulatory data protection work is core to Anna Morgan's practice. Litigator Ann Henry also comes recommended, with deep expertise in high-profile IP disputes.

Ireland > Media and entertainment Tier 3

Bird & Bird acts for a diverse client list of international and domestic clients in the full range of media and entertainment mandates. Key areas of strength for the practice include commercial transactions, data protection, regulatory enforcement, and intellectual property matters. Deirdre Kilroy heads the practice and is noted for advising on technology, gaming and gambling, content, and data-rich industry regulations in Ireland. Co-head Anna Morgan handles a broad range of digital gaming and social media-related mandates.

Ireland > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 4

Bird & Bird launched a corporate practice in August 2023 with the hire of Brendan O’Brien from Walkers. He and the new team have made an immediate impact, particularly in technology M&A, private equity, growth capital and venture capital transactions. The department also works regularly on cross-border transactions, across multiple sectors, and often works alongside colleagues in other European offices.

Ireland > Dispute resolution Tier 4

Bird & Bird is especially rated for patent litigation. Having launched a Dublin office in June 2022, it has brought its global standing to the Irish market with two senior IP litigators in head of the Dublin office, Michael Finn and Ann Henry, the latter joining from Pinsent Masons LLP in 2024. The office has worked on a series of headline patent revocation proceedings and patent infringement proceedings. It is particularly well suited to cross-border disputes, including oppositions at the European Patent Office and litigating in many key patent litigation jurisdictions. Competition litigation is also a forte.

Ireland > Intellectual property Tier 4

Bird & Bird offers comprehensive advice on the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious IP matters, with a focus on patent and trademark disputes. The department is jointly led by IP litigators Michael Finn and Ann Henry, who frequently represent clients from the life science, technology, entertainment, and food and beverages sectors in trademark and patent infringement matters.

Ireland > Data privacy and data protection