We are pleased to announce that two of our senior solicitors have been designated as senior counsel by the government. This is a welcome recognition of the calibre of our lawyers in the Irish market.
The appointments follow the change in the law which, for the first time, has permitted solicitors to be designated as senior counsel in addition to barristers. The designation of senior counsel can only be applied on the basis of proven excellence and specialist expertise.
Senior partner and head of Construction, Infrastructure & Utilities, Rory Kirrane and senior corporate lawyer, Paul Egan, are the two of only 17 solicitors in Ireland to receive this honour.
Rory leads the firm’s construction, infrastructure and utilities team. He represents contractors, developers and institutions involved in large-scale domestic and international construction projects, many valued in excess of €1 billion. Rory is currently representing clients on numerous multi-million euro claims in the Irish courts and arbitration. Rory conducts his own advocacy at arbitrations, which is unusual in Ireland, but can be of great benefit for clients.
Paul is of counsel at Mason Hayes & Curran, where he has worked for over three decades advising on corporate transactions and complex company and securities law matters. Paul is a former member of the Irish Takeover Panel and currently chairs the statutory Company Law Review Group, which advises the Irish government on company law.
The appointments underscore the firm’s pre-eminent practices in complex corporate transactions and in construction disputes and in arbitration.
Commenting on the appointments, managing partner Declan Black said “I’m delighted to see Paul and Rory recognised by the government as senior counsel. Both have been leaders in their practice areas for decades. The opening up of the senior counsel designation to solicitors has allowed the State to recognise outstanding solicitor practitioners as senior counsel and this in turn helps clients with their choice of lawyer. Therefore it is a welcome development indeed and Rory and Paul are worthy first recipients of the title.”
