1 November 2017

McCann FitzGerald appoints Six New Partners

Barry Devereux, Managing Partner McCann FitzGerald, said: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of six partners and a consultant. These appointments reflect the changes currently taking place in the legal profession as technology, the increasing globalisation of legal services and clients demanding more for less means that law firms must improve and adapt their offering, while continuing to ensure the high levels of expertise and client service we are known for. All seven have demonstrated an outstanding ability to consistently deliver a first-class service for their clients in a fast changing world for legal services.”

In addition, McCann FitzGerald also announced three appointments to its management team - Deirdre Barnicle to the new position of Head of Tax Compliance Services, Majella Egan to the position of Head of Residential Sales and Ray Hunt as Head of Company Secretarial & Compliance Services. These three positions are an important part of the firm’s strategy to expand its business in these areas. 

About the new partners and consultant

Michael Coonan – Partner, Dispute Resolution and Litigation

Michael represents and advises clients in the resolution of a variety of complex commercial disputes, principally in the Commercial division of the High Court, and has extensive experience and expertise in civil fraud and asset tracing with a cross border dimension; in corporate and regulatory investigations; and in financial services and securities disputes.

Stephen Holst – Partner, Employment

Stephen advises clients on critical workforce issues, transactional and contentious issues in the workplace in particular, on senior executive appointments and terminations; investigations; employee engagement; and the drafting and negotiation of key employment documentation.  Stephen has significant experience before the various employment law tribunals and the High Court (including the Commercial Court), as well as through mediation.  He also assists clients in conducting complex employee investigations and his work has a particular focus on whistleblowing (including the Protected Disclosures Act 2014).  Stephen is a qualified Chartered Tax Adviser. 

Emily Mac Nicholas – Partner, Real Estate

Emily advises on all aspects of the acquisition, disposal, leasing and financing of commercial property. She advises a broad range of clients including investors, insolvency practitioners, multi-national corporations, statutory bodies, financial institutions and charitable bodies. Emily also provides specialist advice to the corporate, banking, litigation and insolvency teams.

Brendan Murphy – Partner, Corporate

Brendan advises clients on a wide range of corporate matters with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, alternative capital investment strategies and joint-ventures.  In particular, Brendan has significant experience acting in relation to large scale loan sale transactions, both on the seller and purchaser side.  Having previously worked in the firm’s Finance group, Brendan is also in a position to leverage his experience in advising both lenders and borrowers in corporate and property finance transactions.

Shane O’Brien – Partner, Intellectual Property (Disputes)

Shane advises on commercial litigation and, in particular, intellectual property disputes. He advises international and domestic clients on patents, trade marks, copyright, design rights and data protection disputes, with a particular focus on complex patent disputes in the life sciences and technology sectors. He also advises on pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device regulatory matters. Shane is also a qualified Trade Mark Agent.

Éamon Ó Cuív – Partner, Finance

Éamon advises clients on a wide range of finance matters including debt capital markets, structured finance, securitisation and corporate lending transactions for financial institutions, alternative lenders, non-financial corporates and state-owned entities.

Anna Moran – Consultant, Investment Funds

Anna has specific expertise in advising domestic and international fund promoters, asset managers and fund service providers on Irish law, financial services regulation and practice related to investment funds. She has recent experience in the structuring, establishment authorisation and ongoing management of a wide range of investment funds, including UCITS funds, AIFs, hedge funds, feeder funds, real estate funds and money market funds.  Anna is a former member of, and has participated in, a number of Irish Funds industry working groups.