Team size: 4

Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?

In 2012, two years after qualifying, I was keen to work abroad and accepted a role as an associate with leading Luxembourg law firm, Arendt & Medernach, specialising in Private Equity funds. This was a fantastic experience and one that I view as formative for my career. In addition to working in a team of 18 people with ten different nationalities, the challenge of working predominantly in French and adjusting to a similar but different corporate culture was enjoyable and rewarding. It was also highly beneficial to get an inside view of the Luxembourg funds industry and the structures they use to make them an attractive domicile for investment funds. This knowledge has been useful in Ireland, both during my years in private practice and in my current role as Head of Legal – Funds for an Irish domiciled AIFM. In addition, the network of contacts I made during my time in Luxembourg, both within Arendt (and other law firms) and within ALFI, the Luxembourg investment funds body, has been a great resource to call on when needed.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

While the role of a successful and impactful in-house counsel requires a multitude of attributes, in my view, key amongst them is an ability to embrace change and react in an ever-changing business environment. As an investment manager, we have to be alive to market conditions at all times, which means that what the business requires from me and my team can change dramatically from month to month, or even week to week. This means we have to be ready to engage with new and shifting priorities as they arise and be able to provide key advice and deliver operational solutions within tight deadlines. In order to do this effectively, in-house counsel must be very good at analysing and often trouble-shooting instructions and communicating with internal and external stakeholders in an effective and timely manner.