Our People

• University College Dublin (BBLS and LLM in Financial Services Law)
• ACCA (Professional Accountancy Exams)
• Certificate in Luxembourg Fund Operations (ALFI)

   

• Law Society of Ireland

Mark is a Partner in the Financial Services Department and in the Investment Funds and Financial Services Regulation practices. Mark has over 10 years experience in the funds industry and advises on all aspects of the structuring, establishment and ongoing operation of investment funds in Ireland, as well as in regard to issues affecting service providers such as administrators, custodians, distributors and investment managers. Mark practised as an Attorney-at-Law specialising in hedge funds in the funds practice of a leading firm in the Cayman Islands for four years and advises on the redomiciliation of offshore funds to Ireland and the restructuring of hedge funds as UCITS. He advises alternative fund managers upon the impact of the AIFMD. He previously worked in the investment funds department of another large Irish firm and for a leading global custodian in Luxembourg.

In addition to specialising in investment funds, Mark advises with regard to a range of issues affecting the financial sector including MiFID, anti-money laundering regulations, e-money and payment systems, data protection, distance selling and with regard to internet-based products and investments.  Mark is admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales (not practising) and as an Attorney-at-Law in the Cayman Islands (not practising) as well as an Irish solicitor and is an affiliate of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. He is a regular contributor to financial journals and is recommended by Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners' "Europe's Leading Business Lawyers" under the heading of 'Investment Funds'.

Areas of Expertise:

• Investment Funds
• Financial Services Regulation

Representative Experience:

• Investment Funds advisory work
• UCITS advisory work

Recent Publications: 

• "The Role of the Depository under the AIFMD", March 2013 
• "Delegation of Investment Management under the AIFMD", Eurekahedge, February 2013
• "Alternative UCITS for Offshore Fund Managers", AIMA Journal, Q2, 2012
• "Key Issues for Managers of Offshore Hedge Funds Launching Alternative UCITS"  Eurekahedge Report, April 2012
• "Maximinising International Restructuring Opportunities under UCITS IV" AIMA Journal, Q4,2011
• "Alternative Investment Fund Manager Directive Update", European American Chamber of Commerce Journal, December 2011
• "Offshore Funds – the Irish Dimension” Eurekahedge, September 2011
• "Moving Offshore Funds Onshore - A Practical Guide”, Eurekahedge, April 2011
• "Redomiciling Offshore Investment Funds to Ireland, the European Gateway”, The Hedge Fund Law Report, March 2011
• “The European AIFM Directive – New Distribution Opportunities for Hedge Funds”, Eurekahedge, February 2011
• “Further enhancements to Irish QIF regime” Lexology, October 2010
• "Top hedge fund centres approved for fund redomiciliations to Ireland for first time” Finance Dublin, September 2010

 Sample Speaking Engagements:

• Spoke on "UCITS IV, V and VI" at the Offshore Investment Conference, Dublin, May 2013;

• Panel member for the discussion "AIFMD - Challenges and opportunities for Depositaries and Custodian Liabilities" at the Offshore  Investment Conference, Dublin, May 2013;

• Spoke at a seminar on “Property Funds in Ireland and the UK”, Dublin, February 2013;

• Spoke at the 2nd Annual Offshore Investment Funds Summit in Sao Paulo, Brazil regarding Irish fund structures, September 2012;

• Chaired and spoke at a seminar on “Troubled Funds Litigation - International Perspectives”, Dublin,  June 2012;

• Spoke on Irish regulatory issues at a ULI seminar on "REITs and QIFs in the Irish Context", Dublin,  April 2012;

• Spoke on AML issues impacting on international fund structures at an international investment seminar in Davos, Switzerland, February 2012;

• Spoke on regulatory issues impacting on Irish fund governance at a seminar on the Weavering Case and its implications, Dublin, January 2012;
• Spoke on the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive at a Seminar hosted by the European American Chamber of Commerce in New York in November 2011;
• Spoke on the use of Irish fund structures to boost international distribution at a Seminar on “Hedge Fund Marketing and Capital Raising” hosted by the Hedge Fund Association in New York in November 2011.

 Recommendations:

Chambers Europe - Europe's Leading Business Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, 2013.
Mark Browne is recommended in the 'Investment Funds' category, where he is described as a “responsive, thorough and diplomatic" lawyer.

Legal 500 - Investment Funds, 2013.
Mark Browne is recommended in the 'Investment Funds' category as an "internationally experienced" lawyer.

Chambers Europe - Europe's Leading Business Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, 2012.
Mark Browne is recommended in the 'Investment Funds' category, where he 'enters the ranking on the back of strong feedback from impressed clients, citing him as “responsive, obliging and amenable. He is constructive – there is always a solid commercial reason for his comments.” He previously worked in the Cayman Islands, where he gained particular experience in advising on the redomiciliation of offshore funds.'