New and notable appointments at A&L Goodbody, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mason Hayes & Curran, Legacy Communications, Squire Patton Boggs, William Fry, McCann FitzGerald LLP, Deloitte, Royal London Ireland, and Hospitality Ulster

Pictured (L-R): David Widger, Managing Partner; Keavy Ryan, incoming Chair; Séamus Ó Cróinín, outgoing Chair.

This week sees new and notable appointments at A&L Goodbody, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mason Hayes & Curran, Legacy Communications, Squire Patton Boggs, William Fry, McCann FitzGerald LLP, Deloitte, Royal London Ireland, and Hospitality Ulster.

By Héloïse Chaudot

Keavy Ryan, Chair
A&L Goodbody

Keavy Ryan has been appointed as the new Chair of A&L Goodbody, succeeding the outgoing Chair Séamus Ó Cróinín, next week. Ryan has been an existing partner at A&L Goodbody in their Corporate Department, specialising in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), corporate restructuring, governance and equity incentives, and benefits.

Commenting on Ryan’s new appointment, David Widger, ALG’s Managing Partner, said, “Myself and the senior management team are really looking forward to working with Keavy. She is one of our leading Corporate partners who has forged strong relationships with clients and other law firms, particularly internationally. Keavy is also a keen advocate for diversity, equality, and inclusion, as well as a mentor and support for colleagues across the firm. I’m thrilled that Keavy will be stepping into the role as Chair of ALG.”

Sinéad McPhillips, Secretary General
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Sinéad McPhillips has recently been appointed as the new Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, announced by Martin Heydon TD. In accordance with the Top Level Appointments Commission (TLAC), McPhillips’ appointment is for a seven-year term.

Sinéad McPhillips is currently the Department’s Assistant Secretary General for EU, UK, and International Affairs. Her responsibilities include leading agri-food negotiations at the EU level, implementing Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan, and managing the Department’s Overseas network. The period ahead will be characterised by profound developments in policy at the EU level, including through new Common Fisheries and Agriculture Policies. Ireland will hold the Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2026, and the preparations for and execution of this responsibility will be a significant focus.

Following McPhillips’ appointment, Minister Heydon commented, “I am confident that under the skilful leadership of Sinéad McPhillips, and through the development and effective implementation of appropriate policy, the Department can provide a platform for a sector that delivers for the Irish economy, for rural and coastal communities, and for economic, environmental and social sustainability.”

Anna Lundy, Of Counsel
Mason Hayes & Curran

Pictured (L-R): Jame Gallagher, Michaela Herron, and Anna Lundy.

Mason Hayes & Curran has recently appointed its regulatory lawyer, Anna Lundy, as Of Counsel in its Life Sciences and Product Regulatory team. In her new role, Lundy will advise across highly regulated industries with a focus on medical devices, pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics.

Additionally, Anna Lundy is a qualified Solicitor-Advocate in England and Wales, and is experienced in representing compânies uner investigation or prosecution by regulators. She is also a member of the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society and the International Association of Young Lawyers.

Commenting on Lundy’s appointment, Michaela Herron, Head of the Life Sciences and Product teams at Mason Hayes & Curran, said: “Businesses face mounting regulatory pressure, from stricter product liability rules to new packaging and sustainability obligations. Anna’s appointment further strengthens our team’s depth and ability to help clients respond to these reforms, manage risk across multiple markets, and maintain momentum in bringing innovative products to consumers.”

Commenting on her appointment, Anna Lundy said: “Companies are grappling with an unprecedented wave of EU regulation that brings real compliance and litigation risks. I look forward to working with clients to address these challenges and support them in bringing products to market with confidence.”

Aisling Hinchy, Senior Account Manager
Legacy Communications

Pictured (L-R): Kevin Moore, Managing Director, Aisling Hinchy, Senior Client Manager, and James Elms, Head of Corporate and Business.

Legacy Communications has expanded its Corporate Communications team with the appointment of Aisling Hinchy in a senior role. Hinchy brings extensive experience in reputation management and crisis communications across sectors, including retail, finance, legal, pharma, technology, and telecommunications.

James Elms, Head of Corporate Communications, Legacy Communications, said, “Our growth in just over a year shows that Legacy can compete at the very highest level. With Aisling joining the team, we are building a corporate PR offering that helps clients navigate critical issues like ESG, leadership, and trust.”

Lisa Shannon, Senior Lawyer
Squire Patton Boggs

Pictured (L-R): Dennis Agnew, Managing Partner, and Lisa Shannon, Senior Employment Lawyer.

Lisa Shannon has been appointed as Squire Patton Boggs’ Senior Lawyer. She will lead and establish the Labour and Employment practice in Ireland.

Shannon’s work involves acting for a wide range of domestic and international companies with respect to workplace disputes, disciplinary matters, day-to-day compliance, and mergers and acquisitions, with a particular specialism in employment advice for regulated financial services providers. Shannon’s recent work highlights include advising the board of a plc on the running of an investigation into allegations of wrongdoing against its CEO, advising on a no-fault termination and associated severance agreement of the CEO of a plc, and advising multiple clients on redundancies or terminations of individuals holding roles regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Dennis Agnew, Managing Partner in Ireland, commented on Shannon’s appointment, “We are delighted to welcome Lisa to the firm. Lisa’s arrival forms part of the strategic expansion of our offering in Ireland, where we’ve added real estate, tax and now employment capabilities to augment our cross-border M&A practice and increase the range of specialist advisory services we provide to our multinational client base.”

Various appointments, Corporate/M&A Practice
William Fry

Irish law firm William Fry has announced the appointment of a 12-member Corpoare/M&A team from Eversheds Sutherland Ireland. This addition enhances William Fry’s corporate offering as one of Ireland’s largest Corporate/M&A practices. Among the team of 12, four partners are joining William Fry:

Gerard Ryan, former Head of Corporate at Eversheds Sutherland Ireland, with over 25 years of experience in M&A, private equity and venture capital transactions, with a particular focus on cross-border matters and technology-related transactions and companies.

Enda Newton brings over 20 years of experience in M&A, equity capital markets, private equity, venture capital and financial regulation to William Fry. He previously served as Senior Corporate Lawyer at the Department of Finance, advising on major transactions during Ireland’s banking crisis, including the restructuring of the Promissory Note element of Ireland’s legacy banking debt, the liquidation of IBRC and the sale of Irish Life to Great West Lifeco.

Gavin O’Flaherty brings over two decades of experience advising on domestic and international M&A, with particular expertise in the financial services, agri-food, and healthcare sectors. He also has extensive experience in corporate reorganisations and investments, including guiding foreign corporates on foreign direct investment into the Irish market. As a Chartered Tax Adviser, Gavin specialises in advising private equity and venture capital firms on their investments in or acquisitions of Irish companies. He has been involved in several of the largest private equity transactions in and through Ireland in recent years.

Maria O’Brien joins as a Corporate Partner, advising domestic and international clients in a variety of sectors on M&A, fundraising, governance and shareholder arrangements. Her career began at FEXCO, and since transitioning to private practice, she has developed a strong focus on M&A transactions, private equity, and venture capital investments.

Andrew McIntyre, Head of William Fry’s Corporate/M&A Department, commented, “We are thrilled to welcome this exceptional team to William Fry. Their deep experience and proven ability to navigate sophisticated transactions will significantly enhance our client offering. Their arrival strengthens the breadth and depth of our Corporate/M&A practice, firmly positioning us as the go-to law firm in Ireland for M&A transactions.”

Mairéad Cullen, Chief Technology Officer
McCann FitzGerald LLP

Pictured (L-R): Mairéad Cullen and Maedhbh Clancy

Mairéad Cullen has been appointed as McCann FitzGerald’s new CTO, a newly created role that reflects the firm’s focus on innovation and digital transformation. She joins the firm with more than 30 years of experience in technology leadership, including her most recent role as Chief Information Officer (CIO) and executive team member at Vodafone Ireland. She has led major transformation programmes across the network, IT and digital domains, and currently serves as a non-executive director of .ie and Kinia.

The creation of a CTO role reflects McCann FitzGerald’s evolving approach to leadership in a digital-first legal environment. Cullen will have responsibility for shaping and executing the firm’s technology strategy, ensuring that digital capabilities continue to enhance client service, operational excellence and long-term growth.

Mairéad Cullen, Chief Technology Officer at McCann FitzGerald LLP, said, “Emerging technologies like AI are reshaping how legal services are delivered, creating new opportunities to enhance value for clients and transform how firms operate. McCann FitzGerald is rightly embracing this shift by investing in intelligent, scalable platforms and embedding innovation and greater digital resilience into every part of the business. This is an exciting time for the firm, and I look forward to working with the excellent team here.”

Owen O’Sullivan, Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission
William Fry LLP

Owen O’Sullivan, former managing partner and current Consultant in its Litigation & Investigations Departments, has been appointed Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission at William Fry LLP. Starting his new role on 1 November, O’Sullivan’s position is for a five-year term.

O’Sullivan was Managing Partner of William Fry from 2020 to 2024 and from 2005 to 2020 was head of the Firm’s Litigation & Investigations Department. He specialises in large-scale commercial disputes, particularly shareholder and investment disputes, as well as disputes and advisory work in the financial sector. He has considerable experience in regulatory proceedings across many industry sectors as well as in Tribunals, Inquiries and Investigations.   Owen’s current role as a Consultant at William Fry is unaffected by this new appointment.

Commenting on the appointment, Stephen Keogh, Managing Partner of William Fry, stated, “On behalf of all at William Fry, I extend my warmest congratulations to Owen on his appointment as a Commissioner to the Irish Law Reform Commission. This prestigious role is a testament to Owen’s exceptional legal acumen, integrity, and unwavering commitment to the advancement of justice. We are immensely proud to see his expertise recognised, and I have no doubt he will make a significant contribution to law reform in Ireland.”

Dessie Kilkenny, Managing Director
Deloitte

Dessie Kilkenny has been appointed Deloitte’s Managing Director (MD), with responsibility for Real Estate Mergers & Acquisitions. Deloitte has just created this position, reflecting its commitment to strengthening its business by advising clients in all aspects of Real Estate transactions.

Over the last 20 years, Kilkenny has advised clients on many of Ireland’s largest real estate transactions, the most recent of which was the sale of the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre.

Speaking on his appointment, Dessie Kilkenny, Managing Director, Deloitte Real Estate, said, “Ireland is in a unique position as we are likely to see continued population growth over the next 15 years. As a result of this, Irish real estate will need to develop and evolve. I look forward to helping all those active in Irish real estate investment navigate this change.

Brendan Cummins, Senior Broker Consultant
Royal London Ireland

The former hurling player Brendan Cummins has been appointed as a Senior Broker Consultant at Royal London Ireland. Cummins brings over 25 years of experience in financial services, spanning banking, life insurance, pensions, and broker consultancy. Additionnally, he is also the Tipperary under-20 hurling team manager.

In his new role, Brendan Cummins will work closely with Financial Brokers across Tipperary, Kilkenny, and Waterford, providing expert guidance on Royal London Ireland’s life and pensions solutions.

Reflecting on his new position, Brendan Cummins said, “I’m delighted to be joining Royal London Ireland and look forward to helping Financial Brokers in Tipperary, Kilkenny and Waterford to get the best results for their clients. Over the years working in financial services, I’ve seen how a strong partnership with a broker consultant giving good quality support and service to a broker can make life easier for clients and therefore grow the business.”

Michael Cadden, Chair
Hospitality Ulster

Michael Cadden, Managing Director of Pat’s Bar Enniskillen, the Lusty Beg Island Resort, and the Enniskillen Hotel, has been appointed as the new Chair of Hospitality Ulster. The firm’s main goal is to press for action on key issues such as energy costs, VAT competitiveness, and business rates reform to secure the long-term vitality of the sector.