Brexit opens floodgates for Ireland

Brexit opens floodgates for Ireland

Taylor Wessing joins Hogan Lovells and Ashurst among UK law firms to expand into Ireland following Britain's divorce from the European Union

Taylor Wessing has joined the bandwagon of several UK law firms to expand into Ireland and open its office in Dublin in order to professionally adjust to the post-Brexit trading opportunities.

Taylor Wessing announced its plans to set up operations in Dublin and said that the move is subject to regulatory approvals. The firm plans to focus on two of its core sectors -- tech and life sciences.

James Goold, Corporate partner and executive board member of Taylor Wessing and Alison Dennis, the firm's international co-head of life sciences and healthcare, will initially divide their time between London and Dublin to help set up the new office.

The firm is currently in discussions with legal experts in the market and has said that it would provide further updates in the due course.

"Our strategy is focused on representing our clients in the major technology and life-science hubs and, therefore, it is a natural step for us to expand into Ireland with that focus in mind," Shane Gleghorn, Taylor Wessing's managing partner, said.

Goold had joined Taylor Wessing as a partner in London from Jones Day in 2012 when his previous employer and former city firm Gouldens was acquired by the US firm in 2003. Dennis is a relatively new recruit having joined Taylor Wessing in May 2020 from Fieldfisher, where she spent almost 12 years. She was head of life sciences and healthcare for approximately a decade. Dennis was also previously at Reed Smith.

"Dublin is a thriving, dynamic city and the surrounding areas of Cork and Galway continue to be recognised as amongst the leading tech and innovation hubs in the world. Our strategic growth plans offer opportunities for us to support international technology and life sciences sector organisations with leading advice that will deliver continued success for their businesses," Goold said.

Several British and international law firms are in the process of setting up offices in Dublin following the UK's divorce from the EU. These include the likes of Hogan Lovells and Ashurst.

EU has placed restrictions on practising EU law outside of the 27-nation bloc, forcing firms that served EU clients from London previously, to set up new offices outside Britain. Dublin and Brussels have emerged as the desired destinations for such firms to continue serving their EU clients.