Addleshaw Goddard expands international footprint with Irish merger

International firm Addleshaw Goddard has acquired an Irish practice and outlined plans to double its size over the next three years.

The business, people and all 25 partners from Dublin-based Eugene F Collins will become part of the Addleshaw Goddard group from next month, bringing the total number of AG offices outside the UK to 10.

The firms say the merger will ‘quickly and directly’ benefit national, UK and international clients operating in, to and from Ireland, particularly in financial service, real estate, retail and consumer, technology and life sciences.

In a joint statement, Addleshaw Goddard managing partner John Joyce and Eugene F Collins managing partner Mark Walsh said: ‘This is an exciting moment for both firms, driven by the recognition that there is great chemistry between us and a shared commitment to finding the smartest ways of delivering the biggest business impact to clients of all sizes in Ireland, Europe and beyond.’

Walsh will become the head of AG in Ireland and said the ability to operate on a global platform in key client markets made ‘good sense’ for all staff and clients of Eugene F Collins. The firm, founded in 1893, acts for blue chip clients, many with Irish headquarters or roots, together with a range of businesses active across the UK and internationally. While the two firms have some clients in common particularly in the financial services, R&C and real estate sectors, their client portfolios are largely complementary.

The merger comes one year after AG launched in Paris and two years after opening in Germany, with nearly 100 staff now working across the two jurisdictions.