McCann FitzGerald LLP maintains its strong and broad regulatory, transactional and contentious insurance offering. Darragh Murphy leads the regulatory and corporate team, which advises domestic and international clients on regulatory compliance, corporate governance and product distribution, as well as portfolio transfers and other corporate transactions including M&A. The contentious team, led by Brian Quigley, covers business interruption, professional indemnity and public liability mandates, with noted experience in complex and high-profile coverage disputes and claims in the oil and energy sector. The team also has a niche specialism in insurance administration. Helen Kilroy is a go-to for professional negligence disputes, as is Catherine Derrig. Patrick Longworth made partner in 2025, and Stephen Fuller and Clare Gillett are also recommended.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- The team is super responsive, knowledgeable, and dependable. I no longer instruct elsewhere given that the service is excellent, represents good value for money, and I like working with Clare and Darragh. There is good depth of knowledge in the team.
- Clare Gillett is great to work with. She is super knowledgeable and provides solid advice. As distinct from competitors, she represents value for money given the excellence of the product provided.
- ‘Patrick Longworth is excellent to have on a coverage dispute with a deep understanding of interpretation of complex contracts (including insurance policies).’
- ‘The individuals combine great legal expertise and experience with sound judgment and an ability to identify the core issues. They have an excellent work ethic and are sensitively attuned to client demands.’
- ‘Brian Quigley is a master strategist and the attention to detail of Michael Coonan and Gerard Sadlier is simply exceptional. Helen Kilroy remains the stand-out practitioner in Ireland in the area of dispute resolution.’
- ‘Darragh Murphy is technically excellent, and always my first port of call for complex insurance matters that also require a pragmatic solution.’
- ‘Great knowledge, depth and litigation management capabilities. Fully embedded in our company's way of thinking and doing business. Can see around corners, to make everything run as smoothly as possible.’
- ‘Brian Quigley, Michael Coonan, Gerard Sadlier - a great team to work with who clearly look after their associates very well and train them brilliantly. Litigation knowledge is exceptional and they are brilliant on the detail.’
- ‘Darragh Murphy is really business-oriented and provides valuable advice; understanding the insurance business in an exceptional way.’
- ‘A strength of this practice is the collaboration both within the insurance practice and across other practices (to which the insurance issue might relate) which provides a responsive and focused approach with appropriate resources allocated at a level that ensure an excellent outcome without incurring unnecessary expense.’
Key clients
- SMBC Aviation Capital Limited
- General Motors
- Irish Life Assurance plc (Irish Life)
- Vhi
- Allianz
- AIG Ireland Limited
- Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (in Special Liquidation)
- Irish Life Assurance plc (Irish Life)
- Just Retirement Limited
- MetLife Europe DAC and related companies
- Great West LifeCo Inc./ Irish Life Assurance plc
- Greenval Insurance DAC
- Allianz (AWP Health & Life)
- White Horse Insurance Ireland DAC
- Europ Assistance S.A.
- European Refreshments Unlimited Company
- Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board
- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
- Just Group PLC
- Zurich Life Assurance Plc
Work highlights
Advised White Horse Insurance DAC (WHIID) in respect of the sale of White Horse Administration Services Limited (WHASL) as well as the procedure by which WHASL could reduce its share capital with a view to facilitating the payment of a larger pre-sale dividend in favour of WHIID than might otherwise be permitted.
Represented SMBC Aviation Capital in commercial litigation arising from the detention of aircraft in Russia, with insured losses totalling $1.7bn.
Providing insurance law related services to Vhi, covering a wide range of areas including complex litigation on competition law, advisory work on judicial decisions affecting healthcare liabilities, regulatory matters, compliance with sector-specific legislation, high-value commercial contracts with healthcare providers, and guidance on State aid and public procurement rules.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Darragh Murphy; Brian Quigley
Other key lawyers
Catherine Derrig; Helen Kilroy; Stephen Fuller; Clare Gillett; Conor Cunningham; Gerard Sadlier; Patrick Longworth; Michael Coonan