Both lawyers were previously partners at Ogier, where Ms Evans was also head of employment and immigration.

Ms Evans advises employers on all contentious and non-contentious employment law issues. Her experience spans the full employment lifecycle, including employment contracts and policies, TUPE and outsourcing, workplace investigations, disciplinary and grievance processes, protected disclosures and employment litigation.

She also advises on the employment aspects of corporate transactions and regulatory compliance.

She speaks regularly speaks at employment law conferences, delivering insights on workplace regulation, WRC procedures and emerging employment law trends.

She is also a founding member of KELLA, an organisation designed to help organisations retain senior women and strengthen leadership at the top.

Ms Evans said: “I am delighted to join Philip Lee at such an exciting time for the firm. The strength of the employment practice, combined with the firm’s collaborative culture and clear ambition, made this a very compelling move for me.

“I look forward to working with colleagues across the firm to support clients with practical, commercial employment advice.”

Mr Byrnes has joined the firm’s corporate and M&A team with extensive experience advising Irish and international clients on a broad range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructurings and general company law.

He has worked across a variety of sectors and is recognised for providing commercially focused, pragmatic advice to clients navigating complex transactions. He also works with companies setting up in Ireland as part of the firm’s foreign direct investment offering.

His appointment expands Philip Lee’s corporate and M&A team to 18 partners.

Mr Byrnes said: “I am delighted to be joining Philip Lee and its highly regarded corporate and M&A team. I look forward to working with colleagues across the firm to support clients on complex transactions and to contribute to the continued growth of the practice.”

Commenting on the appointments, managing partner Jonathan Kelly said: “At Philip Lee we are always looking for opportunities to invest in exceptional people.

“Bláthnaid and Edon are both highly regarded in their respective fields and bring exactly the kind of experience and perspective that supports our long‑term vision for the firm and our clients.”