Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution
About the Department
Our Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department advises on a broad range of contentious and regulatory issues.
We have a long established practice in arbitration, both in acting for the parties to arbitrations and as arbitrators and have worked within the rules of most of the international arbitration forums. We are particularly aware and make use of all forms of alternative dispute resolution and encourage clients in their usage wherever appropriate. A number of our Partners are accredited mediators.
We represent many international and domestic corporations and institutions with regard to all aspects of litigation and dispute resolution. We have represented clients in all the major investigatory tribunals and investigations set up in the Irish State from the Beef Tribunal in 1991, in which we represented the EU Commission, to the Curtin Inquiry in which we represent the Houses of the Oireachtas.
We have acted for clients in various multi-plaintiff actions including the fishing, pharmaceutical, medical device, entertainment and tobacco industries and represent a number of multinationals through their underwriters in similarly based "class action" claims.
The Department advises in relation to interlocutory procedures, particularly as regards the obtaining, and defending, of injunctions either in Ireland or internationally and on the enforcement implications of any such orders.
The firm also has a dedicated family law group to enhance and supplement our existing provision of integrated advice in all aspects of our clients' lives. Marriage and relationship breakdown can give rise to far-reaching legal, financial and taxation implications which require careful planning and consideration. Our family law group has extensive experience in all aspects of domestic and international family law, to include separation and divorce, the property and financial implications of marital breakdown, high value complex financial affairs, pre-marriage advices (pre-nuptial agreements) and child cases. We are conscious of the many effects of family relationships on businesses, partnerships, trusts and pensions and our aim is to adopt a constructive and commercial approach to obtain the best possible result. In addition to acting in many of the leading court cases in this field, we also have wide-ranging experience in negotiating complex settlements and alternative methods of dispute resolution to include mediation and collaborative law.
The Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department is to the forefront in technology generally and utilises sophisticated litigation support systems in suitable cases.
Please click here to access our Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution brochure
We were ranked as one of the leading commercial litigation and dispute resolution law firms in Ireland by the European Legal 500 2008.
Representative Cases
- advised Ickendel (the owner of Bewley's Cafe on Grafton Street) in respect of an ongoing dispute with their tenant, the Campbell Bewley Group, which was ultimately settled in the Commercial Court
- represented Little Caesars Enterprises Inc and franchisees in trade mark and passing off proceedings
- advising Bearing Point who were selected in a tender process to advise the Courts Service on the proposed implementation of IT systems
- acting for a multinational construction company in its successful judicial review of the actions of the Department of Enterprise and Employment and its Labour Inspectorate
- acted for BT Ireland and Irish Broadband in alleged infringement case
- representing the Health & Safety Authority in non-criminal enforcement and compliance work
- advising a major bank in relation to regulatory inquiries ongoing since 1998 in relation to its banking activities
- representing a multinational tobacco company in multi-plaintiff product liability and regulatory litigation
- representing a major manufacturer in employee hearing loss claims
- representing a multinational manufacturer in respiratory complaint claims
- acting for the Irish Houses of Parliament in relation to various proceedings involving the powers of state-appointed committees which are subject to challenge by way of judicial review
- judicial review of procedures arising out of the Mini CTC signalling project inquiry as appointed by the joint Houses of the Oireachtas
- acting for parties before the Mahon and Moriarty Tribunals
- acting for plastics processing company in defence of multi-party nuisance and environmental claims
- representing multinational pharmaceutical company in defence of claims relating to ingestion of benzodiazepines
- representing distributor in multinational patent dispute in pharmaceutical industry relating to anti-depressants
- representing a multinational pharmaceutical company in multi-plaintiff product liability litigation relating to the MMR vaccine
- advising bank on issues relating to foreign commission of enquiry and potential criminal proceedings
- advised a number of financial service companies on matters arising from reports made to the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority, the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement and An Garda Siochana
- advising multinational medical devices manufacturer in relation to injunction proceedings
- advising leading telecommunications company in relation to High Court competition and regulatory proceedings
- advising State Department in relation to environmental and insurance claim arising from sale of State owned company
- acting for multinational music retail group in copyright and parallel import injunction proceedings related to entertainment industry