More than 60 lawyers arrive in Tullamore, Co Offaly, today to hold an annual meeting of the European network of law firms known as Avrio.
The network was formed 11 years ago and has members throughout the EU states and associate membership in Australia, Lebanon, Egypt and Cyprus.
Only one legal firm from each country is involved in Avrio and the Irish representative is Farrell & Partners, O'Connor Square, Tullamore.
But according to Tom Farrell, there is something unique about this annual meeting - it is the first to be held outside a capital city.
Last year at a meeting in Berne, Switzerland, he suggested that the group come to Ireland but not come to Dublin because of the facilities in the midlands.
"I just thought that it would be a good idea if the delegates could see something more of Ireland than Dublin and they agreed," he said.
He explains that three years ago his firm was invited to join the Avrio group which has European Economic Interest Group Status with the EU. "It is very interesting because it means that our company has direct contact with firms in all the other EU states and they will work for our clients. On the other hand, when any of the companies outside Ireland want anything done in this jurisdiction, they retain Farrell & Partners to do that work." He said the meeting, which will be held in the Tullamore Court Hotel, is significant because of the involvement of a firm from the US for the first time.
"A representative of a law firm in Washington DC called Williams Mullen Christian & Dobbins will be attending and addressing the meeting on Saturday morning," Mr Farrell added. "I understand that this may lead to an arrangement between the European Avrio Group and a similar group in the States." Associate members will be attending an Avrio conference for the first time, including the representative of a law firm from Sydney. In addition, Lebanon and Cyprus will send representatives and two lawyers from Gdansk in Poland are also attending as associate members.