Sharon Daly
| Location: | Dublin |
| T: | + 353 1 232 2000 |
| D: | + 353 1 232 2119 |
| F: | + 353 1 232 3333 |
| E: | sharon.daly@mop.ie |
Practice Areas and Professional Experience
Sharon is a partner and head of the Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department at Matheson Ormsby Prentice. She is also head of the firm's Contentious Insurance Law Group. The Group practices in all areas of insurance and reinsurance law providing advice on policy wordings and coverage. The group mediates, litigates and arbitrates coverage disputes and direct and subrogation claims on behalf of our insurance clients. Sharon has extensive experience on financial lines policies including E&O, D&O and Bankers’ blanket bond policies.
Sharon’s practice by its nature involves large scale disputes for insurance companies or their insured, many of whom are large financial institutions. These disputes are litigated in the Commercial Court and many are being resolved through mediation. Sharon is a strong advocate of alternative dispute resolution, which provides the means to resolve disputes in a cost effective, time efficient, confidential and creative manner.
Given the regulated nature of insurance, Sharon and her group provide crisis management advice for clients dealing with investigations and enquiries from the Financial Regulator, the ODCE and the Gardaí. Sharon has handled numerous administrative sanctions cases for financial institutions.
On the non-contentious side, Sharon has been involved in numerous portfolio transfers arising from reorganisations and/or mergers and acquisitions, and advises on policy wordings. Insurance clients include Marsh Ireland, Chubb SA, AIG, ACE, GE, AXA, Lloyds underwriters including Catlin & Beazley and Novae.
In addition to Sharon’s insurance practice, she is also an intellectual property practitioner, mainly in the area of entertainment law. Sharon has extensive experience in copyright disputes and represents IMRO and MCPS and has been involved in some of the most significant copyright cases before the Irish High Courts in the 1990s. Sharon represents FIFA and actively assists in the protection of FIFA’s intellectual property rights in this jurisdiction. She also acts for a number of publishing companies and has extensive experience in the protection of authors and publishers rights.
Representative Cases
- acting for Chubb and WR Berkley in coverage proceedings arising from Chubb’s declinature of Michael Lynn Solicitor’s practice due to non disclosure of material fact
- acted for Goshawk and Cavell in proceedings against Life Receivables Ireland firstly determining the law on lis pendens and thereafter determining issues of alleged fraud
- acting for 99 co-owners of an investment property in a complex investment dispute
- acting for investment intermediaries in multi party mis-selling litigation
- acting for Marriott International in a dispute in respect of the management of the Shelbourne Hotel
- acting for Anglo Irish Assurance in a dispute with investors
- managing and handling claims for various Lloyd’s insurers including Catlin and Beazley including three architects liability claims with values in excess of €10 million
Recommendations
Clients appreciate her tenacity: “She is a tough litigator who defends her clients passionately.”
Dispute Resolution: Chambers Global and Chambers Europe 2010
Sharon Daly is known for her ability to “defend clients to the hilt in tough cases.”
Insurance: Chambers Global and Chambers Europe 2010
"With an up-to-date knowledge of case law and a strong commercial approach, Sharon Daly handles a large volume of work primarily for banks and other large financial institutions. She also heads the firm’s litigation team, making her a valuable asset when cases get to court."
Insurance: Chambers Europe 2009
Sharon Daly boasts a "pragmatic and knowledgeable approach".
Insurance: European Legal 500 2009
Sharon Daly is a ‘top-notch’ litigation specialist.
European Legal 500 2008
Sharon is also recognised as a leading lawyer by a number of international legal directories, including Chambers Global, European Legal 500, PLC Which Lawyer, Euromoney Expert Guides and Who’s Who Legal.
Professional Memberships and Activities
Sharon is a member of the International Bar Association and is country chair for the litigation committee. She is a council member of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Copyright Association of Ireland and the International Association for the Protection of Industrial Property. Sharon lectures in the Law Society on the Commercial Court and mediation and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences.
Education
University College Dublin, Bachelor of Commerce