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US Law Firm Clark Hill Combines With Eames Solicitors in Next Phase of Expansion in Ireland

January 11, 2022

Leading US law firm Clark Hill has announced a merger with boutique Irish law firm Eames Solicitors. Eames Solicitors is well-known throughout Ireland for its commercial litigation, regulatory advice and inquiries, defamation/reputation litigation, mergers and acquisitions, telecommunications, and private client work. Four solicitors will join Clark Hill’s Dublin office as a result of the merger, including Eames Solicitors founder and managing partner Aidan Eames. The merger builds on the continued growth of Clark Hill’s Dublin office and brings the number of solicitors to 26.

“The addition of the Eames Solicitors group to our Dublin office with their deep connections in Ireland is an important strategic step in our overall plan to expand our capabilities in Ireland,” said John Hensien, CEO of Clark Hill. “With the fastest growing economy in the EU, and heightened interest in investment in Ireland from multinational companies resulting from Brexit, Ireland offers a value proposition that is attractive to our US and global corporate clients, reinforcing our commitment to developing a significant presence on the ground.”

In addition to a premier commercial litigation practice at the Irish High Court, Eames Solicitors represents clients in regulatory inquiries and national and international arbitration. The firm has been involved in virtually all of the property and contractual work connected with the build out of Ireland’s wireless network, and also has a presence on the west coast of Ireland where the alternative energy potential is an attractive fit for US energy clients.

“The addition of Aidan and his team provides our US based and multinational clients with additional top tier transactional and commercial litigation capabilities in a key market,” noted Kirby Tarrant, Partner in Charge of Clark Hill’s Dublin office.  “They are all exceptional, well-regarded lawyers with substantial connections to the Irish business, non-profit and legal communities and will make a significant contribution in building out the already strong service offering of our Dublin office.”

In January 2019, Clark Hill merged with O’Gradys Solicitors, substantially building on the growth of its Dublin office established in 2018. Clark Hill’s Dublin office offers a broad range of legal services in areas including M&A, financial services, commercial litigation, bankruptcy, restructuring, and commercial property. It also has capital markets, fintech, data security, and cybersecurity capabilities.

“Clark Hill offers us the opportunity to leverage the firm’s platform to offer our clients broader capabilities and services,” Eames said. “The expanded geography and resources of a large law firm will be very helpful in opening doors to new opportunities for our clients and our firm.”

In addition to their commercial litigation, transactional, telecommunications, and private client work, Eames Solicitors has developed a local and international reputation for their capabilities in representing providers, suppliers, and regulators in wireless and broadband infrastructure matters, including navigating complex regulatory issues.  They have also represented software developers and other information technology sectors.

Clark Hill has over 650 lawyers and 26 offices in the US, Mexico, and Ireland, and provides a full complement of legal services to an international client base doing business in and through Ireland, complementing its full service offering in the US.

Aidan Eames, the founder and managing partner of Eames Solicitors is joining as a consultant in the Litigation practice group. Eames represents large national and global commercial clients in complex commercial litigation matters before the High Court and Supreme Court of Ireland and advises technology and media clients in matters involving regulatory agencies, including the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the Commission for Communications Regulation, and the Data Protection Commissioner.  He also has extensive experience representing private entities in shareholder litigation matters and has represented private companies in corporate governance matters both in Ireland and before influential courts interpreting corporate law in Delaware, Maryland in the US.  Additionally, Eames represents high net worth private clients with an international presence in the telecommunications, media and hospitality industries, and has represented them in contract, regulatory, defamation, and  reputation related and business disputes. A resident of Dublin and Galway, Eames advises the renewable energy sector regarding wind and water projects in the west of Ireland.

Eames has been involved in a number of policy organisations relating to Irish enterprise and technology and has extensive experience as an advisor and member of state and private entities. He was a board member of IBRC appointed by the Irish government to oversee the winding down of the former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society before it was placed in formal liquidation in 2013.

Advising as a member and chairman of numerous charitable organisations, Eames acts as chair of Hospice Africa which provides palliative care to patients and palliative care training for providers across Africa.

In addition, the group of solicitors within Eames who are joining the Clark Hill Dublin office have well-earned reputations for representing companies across many industries, including telecommunications, manufacturing, alternative and renewable energy, utility services, and automotive, in matters involving mergers and acquisitions, equity and loan investments, restructuring and financing transactions, shareholder disputes and corporate governance issues, and general corporate matters. They have advised on numerous complex telecommunications and regulatory issues, including advising on the rollout of a 3G telecommunications network, and the drafting of licence agreements, inter operator agreements, and all matters pertaining to the rollout of infrastructure networks.

The Eames group joining Clark Hill represents Irish and multinational companies, high net worth individuals, and SME’s in complex commercial litigation, financial services litigation, shareholder disputes, investigations, employment disputes, and public interest litigation before the Irish Courts including the Commercial Division of the High Court.

They also represent commercial and private clients regarding both property and estate planning issues.  This includes real estate transactional work, including the sale, acquisition, and leasing of commercial and residential properties where they have reputation for an in-depth knowledge and experience of property law and complex transactions.

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