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International law firm Bird & Bird has announced plans to open its first Irish office in Dublin this summer. The firm, which has over 1,400 lawyers in 30 offices across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, said its Irish base would initially focus on the areas of privacy and

Eugene F Collins LLP and international law firm Addleshaw Goddard LLP have announced a formal agreement to merge with effect from today. The combined business will trade as Addleshaw Goddard LLP, with EFC managing partner Mark Walsh becoming head of Ireland for a three-year period. All EFC partners,

Plans to enhance and reform the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) in a bid to encourage more claimants and respondents to use it have been given the go-ahead by ministers. The government has approved the general scheme of the Personal Injuries Resolution Board Bill and has now given the gree

Legislation to make decisions taken by Northern Ireland's charity regulator before 2019 lawful has cleared all stages in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Charities Bill was introduced in response to concerns raised by the charity sector following the Court of Appeal's ruling in McKee & Others

Our regular round-up of deals involving Irish law firms. Submit your deals to newsdesk@irishlegal.com. Matheson has advised JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. on the restructuring of its existing EU credit institutions by way of a simultaneous cross-border merger of JPMorgan banks in Ireland, Luxembourg and

Three lawyers have been appointed to Northern Ireland's Civil Legal Services Appeal Panel, which adjudicates appeals against civil legal aid decisions. Séamus McIlroy, a barrister and former solicitor who served as director of legal services for the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland from

A draft bill to strengthen protections for whistleblowers in Ireland has been published. The Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022 will transpose the EU Whistleblowing Directive into Irish law, and will extend the scope of existing laws to provide protections for volunteers, shareholders, boar

Six people have been appointed to the board of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), allowing it to resume functioning. Virginija Petrauskaite, a solicitor with the Irish Refugee Council, has joined the board alongside George Maybury, Stephen Driver, Sinead Gogan, Barry O'Brien and Brendan McGin

Two directors at Cleaver Fulton Rankin have been shortlisted at the Women in Business NI Awards 2022. Kerry McCloy, innovating and legal technology director, has been shortlisted for the 'Outstanding Innovation' award, which recognises an individual that has used entrepreneurial flair and innovation

Proposals to reform the compensation scheme for victims of violent crime and place it on a statutory basis have been put out for consultation by the Law Reform Commission. The consultation paper, published today, examines the nature of awards of criminal injuries compensation; who is eligible to rec

A lawyer has been fined after he said female barristers were “hysterical” and “overemotional”. Feliks Kwiatkowski, 66, who called to the bar in 1977, was fined £500 and reprimanded.

Jurors in a high-profile criminal case in Quebec have been supplied with cannabis to pass the time until they reach a verdict. The jury has been sequestered while considering kidnapping charges brought against a local businessman. The jurors are staying in a hotel and will not be allowed to return h

Insurance risk and commercial law firm BLM is expected to hike NQ pay across the UK, according to reports. The firm, which has offices in Belfast and Dublin, currently offers newly-qualified solicitors a starting salary of £45,000 (roughly €53,400) in London and £32,000 (€38,00

Justice minister Helen McEntee is to be asked why the Courts Service enjoys a private parking arrangement outside Cork’s circuit courthouse building, the Irish Examiner reports. The development follows a debate over the arrangement that arose after bollards were installed to protect the parkin

The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) has launched an online survey for recently qualified solicitors and barristers who are currently not practising. The LSRA is seeking the views of individuals who have qualified as a barrister or solicitor in or after 2014 by completing professional trai