James O'Dwyer

Mr O’Dwyer died peacefully with family in New York after a very brief illness, the firm said.

He served as managing partner of the firm for almost two decades, followed by 15 years as chairman and senior partner before his retirement in 2006.

At the time of his death, he was chairman of Rohan Property Group and Lexicon Investments, a director of Stafford Holdings and a member of the Irish Emeritus Board of the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.

He had formerly been a director of a number of companies, including Smurfit Group plc, Goldman Sachs Bank (Europe) plc and Fyffes plc. He was also a founding member of the UCD Law School Development Council.

Ciarán Bolger, chairman of Arthur Cox, said: “James was a visionary leader of our firm for many years, including serving as our chairman and senior partner for fifteen years up to his retirement in 2006, and was one of Ireland’s leading corporate lawyers for over three decades. He had a profound effect on the firm over that period which continues to this day.

“We express our heartfelt sympathies to his wife Barbara and his sons Conor and Declan.”

Mr O’Dwyer’s funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.