Our People

• University College Dublin, Ireland (BBLS)

• Irish Society for European Law
• Procurement Law Forum (Organising committee member)

Robert is a Partner in Mason Hayes & Curran's Commercial Department. He studied at University College Dublin where he obtained a Bachelor in Business and Legal Studies. His client base includes both public and private sector clients. 

Robert advises public and private sector clients in relation to commercial contracts and outsourcing, information technology, intellectual property and data protection.  Robert also has a focused regulatory practice, particularly in the area of public procurement where he advises on all forms of ICT, Construction, Energy and other projects as well as public procurement disputes.

Robert is a committee member of the Irish Society for European Law and is on the organising committee of the Procurement Law Forum. He contributed the Irish Chapter of 'B2B e-marketplaces: A legal analysis of unfair trade practices within the European Union' published by the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Robert contributed the Irish chapter of National Registration for Producers of Electronic Waste published by Springer.

Areas of Expertise:

• Public Procurement
• Regulation
• Commercial Contracts
• Information Technology
• Data Protection

Representative Experience:

• Robert has advised public bodies and utilities extensively in relation to public procurement matters including topical issues such as Local Labour, Fair Trade and Green Public Procurement, as well as in relation to the establishment of frameworks, large scale IT, Construction and Energy projects and smaller scale public sector contracts.
• Robert has recently been involved in a number of multi-million euro outsourcing transactions and complex IT projects and has also assisted both public and private sector clients develop a suite of standard contracts.
• Robert has advised extensively on contentious procurement matters including High Court and Commercial Court procurement proceedings. He successfully represented a private sector client in its complaint to the European Commission which resulted in the decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union in Commission v Ireland (Case C‑226/09).
• Robert is currently advising in relation to a number of matters arising from the implementation of the Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services Directive.
• Robert frequently advises on data protection and privacy issues. He has advised in relation to some of the most high profile data breaches in recent times, and also advises on more day to day data protection matters.

Speaking Engagements and Teaching:

• Robert developed the Procurement Law module of the Dublin Institute of Technology Diploma in Public Procurement. This diploma was developed specifically for the National Procurement Service in the Office of Public Works. Robert is a lecturer and examiner on the diploma.
• Robert has lectured and tutored on the Law Society of Ireland Professional Practice Courses for over five years in a number of areas including Information Technology, Intellectual Property, Data Protection, Commercial Contracts and Consumer Law.
• Robert was previously a guest lecturer on the Law Society of Ireland Diploma in e-Commerce course and the Law Society of Ireland Diploma in Commercial Law course.
• Robert regularly speaks on the Public Affairs Ireland courses in the area of Public Procurement and has provided in-house public procurement training for clients.

Recommendations: 

Chambers Europe - Europe's Leading Business Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, 2013.
Robert is recommended in the area of 'Technology, Media and Telecommunications' category. Robert McDonagh is advising the Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources on the procurement and roll-out of the postcode system in Ireland, a process involving a number of complex IT agreements. Interviewees describe him as an “excellent technical lawyer who always gives a precise answer," and praise his "cautious, measured manner.”

Chambers Europe - Europe's Leading Business Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, 2012.
Robert is recommended as an 'Up and Coming Lawyer' in his Field of ‘Technology, Media and Telecommunications' category.  'Robert McDonagh handles commercial contracts, procurement and IT contracts. Clients feel “in safe hands: he challenges us to make sure we consider everything and constantly thinks whether we have things covered and if we need to take a different approach”.'

‘Who’s Who Legal’, The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, 2012.
Robert McDonagh is recommended as one of the Leading Irish lawyers in his field in the ‘International Who’s Who of International Procurement'.

Which Lawyer? Practical Law Company, 2012.
Robert is recommended as a lawyer in the area of 'Public Procurement'.