William Fry to lose seven of its partners

Seven partners have indicated they intend to leave the high-profile Dublin corporate law firm, William Fry, it has confirmed.

Two high-profile partners specialising in corporate transactions, David Fitzgibbon and Susanne McMenamin, are leaving for the rival Dublin firm, Matheson. Both lawyers were part of the team that advised Smurfit Kappa Group during a recent hostile takeover bid by US group, International Paper.

Mr Fitzgibbon also previously advised the Department of Finance on its holdings in AIB and Bank of Ireland.

Another unnamed partner is leaving William Fry for the nascent Dublin operation of the global legal powerhouse, DLA Piper. It is understood that four more partners are leaving William Fry for personal reasons.

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Recruitment

William Fry has about 80 partners at the firm, which has a roster of blue-chip corporate clients. It is understood that it has recruited about eight new partners in the last 12 months. In 2018, however, three of its partners left en masse to go to rival firm, Arthur Cox.

The partners of Irish law firms are currently in high demand, following an influx of major British firms to Dublin following the 2016 Brexit vote. Opening an office in this State guarantees them access to their European Union clients.