Arthur Cox is 18th largest law firm in Europe, finds study

ARTHUR COX remains Ireland’s largest law firm by turnover, according to a new survey, and comes 18th in a league table of 100 European firms, which excludes those based in the UK.

Turnover at Arthur Cox rose marginally, to €106 million, from the €105 million estimate contained in last year’s list, when the firm came 14th.

The list of European firms was drafted by the online publication TheLawyer.com

The data behind the list is sought from the firms, although most of the Irish firms on the list did not disclose information and their figures are based on estimates by the publication. Estimates are put to the firms for comment, according to the publication.

The entry on Arthur Cox notes that it scooped the job of advising the Government on its dealings with the International Monetary Fund.

Its revenue per partner is listed as €1.02 million.

The next ranked Irish firm on the list is McCann FitzGerald, which comes 20th with an estimated turnover of €100 million. The is the same estimate for the firm that appeared on last year’s list.

The entry notes that the firm has eight fewer lawyers and two fewer partners than it had last year. Revenue per partner was €1.49 million.

At 23rd place comes Matheson Ormsby Prentice, with an estimated turnover of €97 million, €2 million more than last year’s figure.

The entry notes that the firm had “a somewhat difficult year, losing a number of its partners to other law firms. The losses included a three-partner team that launched offshore firm Walkers’ Dublin office”.

AL Goodbody came 25th on the list, with an estimated turnover of €89.2 million.

“Managing partner Julian Yarr reported a solid year for the firm, with Ireland’s financial restructuring keeping fee-earners busy,” the entry says.

The next-ranked Irish firm is William Fry, which had an estimated turnover of €58 million. The firm was ranked 47th. Mason Hayes and Curran was ranked 70th on the list, with a turnover of €36 million.

It is the only Irish firm for which the turnover figure was not an estimate.

There was no comment yesterday from Arthur Cox or McCann FitzGerald in relation to the list.

The managing partner of Mason Hayes and Curran, Emer Gilvarry, said it was the only law firm in Ireland to publish its turnover. She said new figures were due to be released in May and turnover was expected to increase slightly on 2009.

Based on current growth rates, the firm expected it would hire another 50 staff in the coming year, she said.

Irish law firms have more female partners than most of their European counterparts on the list. Women make up 28 per cent or more of the partnership at five of the six Irish firms featured while for the sixth, AL Goodbody, 21 per cent of the partnership is female.

The top place on the list is held by Spanish firm Garrigues, which had a turnover of €352 million last year, according to the publication.