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Don McAleese

Don McAleese
Location: Dublin
T: + 353 1 232 2000
D: + 353 1 232 2213
F: + 353 1 232 3333
E: don.mcaleese@mop.ie

Practice Areas and Professional Experience

Don is a Partner and Head of the Information Technology Law Group with twenty years' experience in information technology law covering computer contracts, software licensing, outsourcing, data protection and e-commerce.

Don advises on all legal aspects of computer, communications, e-commerce, internet and telecommunications technology. His particular focus is in contracts for the sale and purchase of all types of information technology systems and services. He advises some of the largest IT companies in the world on the establishment of their operations in Ireland and he advises Irish and international organisations and companies in the legal aspects of all areas of IT. He has been involved in some of the largest information technology contracts and projects in the country with extensive experience of acting for both suppliers and purchasers alike.

Representative Transactions

  • advising some of the largest IT companies in the world that have established operations in Ireland
  • advising one of the world’s largest internet search engine companies on the establishment and running of its Irish operations
  • leading the Matheson Ormsby Prentice team that advised the Department of Public Enterprise in the drafting of the Electronic Commerce Act 2000
  • advising a national public transport company on an ongoing basis in relation to the procurement of IT systems and services
  • advising a national services company in relation to the contract for the computerisation of its counter positions throughout its extensive network of offices countrywide
  • advising a major public sector company in relation to the contract for the implementation of a new information system
  • advising major hardware company in relation to the implementation in Ireland of its global merger with another leading hardware company
  • advising major US card processing company in its contracts with two leading Irish banks for the provision of card processing services
  • advising a major multi-national software company on the operation of its Irish software licence compliance program
  • advising a number of Irish financial institutions on the establishment of their e-commerce platforms and the legal framework and legal models deployed

Recommendations

Don McAleese is “a tremendous driving force within the IT sector”.
Information Technology: Chambers Europe 2010

Clients highlighted Don McAleese as “Mr IT”.
TMT: European Legal 500 2010

“Don’s been there from the start,” commented one source, “and fully deserves to be where he is – at the top of the market.”
Information Technology: Chambers Europe 2009

Don McAleese is considered a "leader in the field".
TMT: European Legal 500 2009

Don McAleese is “consistently the most impressive external counsel I work with, bar none,” was typical of the ringing endorsements received by this star of the IT scene. Probably the most respected IT lawyer in Dublin, and acting for some of the biggest names in the technology sector, he “anticipates client concerns and provides accurate and creative advice that addresses the needs of the client’s business and the applicable commercial realities”.”
Chambers Europe 2008

Don is also recognised as a leading lawyer by a number of international legal directories, including Euromoney Legal 500, Euromoney Expert Guides and PLC Which Lawyer. 

Professional Memberships and Activities

Don is a Board Member of the International Technology Law Association (ITechLaw) (formerly the Computer Law Association).  He is Chair of the e-Commerce Committee of ITechLaw and also one of the Irish local representatives for ITechLaw.  He is a former member of the European Commission Legal Advisory Board on the Information Market and of the Legal Issues Advisory Group to the Irish Information Society Commission which was established by the Irish Government. He was a member of the Focus Group convened by the Irish Department of Public Enterprise to consider the Irish legislative proposals for electronic signatures. He is a former council member of the Irish Internet Association where he was Chairman of the Legal Working Group. He is a former board member and Chairman of the Legal Issues Group of the Electronic Commerce Association of Ireland.  He was a member of the Support Group of Legal Experts to the Legal Rapporteurs for the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Working Party for Facilitation of International Trade Procedures in the action program on the Legal aspects of EDI.  He is a former member of the editorial board of the Electronic Communications Law Review published by Graham & Trotman/Martinus Hijhoff.  He is a member of the Irish Computer Society, the Irish Internet Association, the Society of Computers and Law and ITechLaw.  He is also a member of the Law Society of Ireland.

Education

Trinity College, Dublin BA Mod Legal Science