Managing partners of some of Ireland’s top firms tell Ben Haugh about the biggest legal challenges that businesses should be aware of this year.

CHALLENGES

Undoubtedly our merger with Vincent & Beatty. Whilst operationally a merger is a challenge, this merger creates significant opportunities to broaden our expertise and client base, as well as serving to further our ongoing strategy to expand and diversify our practice to better serve our clients’ evolving needs.

It has strengthened our capabilities in corporate, commercial, litigation, property and employment. It also provides further opportunities for our colleagues to develop professionally.

This merger builds on the success of our previous four mergers, which have strengthened our expertise across multiple areas of law and helped establish Flynn O’Driscoll as a dynamic and growing firm.

OUTLOOK

In an increasingly regulated sector, scale is an advantage and we expect to see further consolidation in Ireland in the commercial legal sector. The firm has consistently expanded its practice through strategic mergers.

We are proud to continue the journey as a leading full-service law firm in Ireland and we look forward to further growth opportunities. Subject to regulatory change, I would also expect to see the development of multi-disciplinary practices backed by private equity.

INNOVATION

Technology represents one of the single biggest cost items for the firm; we have invested heavily and will continue to do so as we explore legal tech tools with a view to creating efficiencies in how we deliver our services to our clients