International firm Taylor Wessing is to open an office in Dublin as part of a ‘steady expansion’ plan in Ireland in the wake of Brexit.

The Dublin office will focus on technology and life sciences and will be Taylor Wessing’s 29th office worldwide. Corporate partner James Goold and international co-head of life sciences and healthcare Alison Dennis will split their time between London and Dublin for an initial period, and a co-working space will be used at first. 

Goold said: ‘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.’

DLA Piper, Pinsent Masons, Fieldfisher and Dentons have all opened offices in Dublin in recent years. Meanwhile, it was reported last month that magic circle firm Linklaters is in negotiations to open an office in the city.

In March, it was confirmed that solicitors from England and Wales can requalify in the Republic of Ireland again without sitting extra exams. After the Brexit transition period ended in January, there was no route for an English solicitor to requalify in Ireland.

However, the Irish Law Society announced in November that it will no longer issue practising certificates to those based outside the republic. The announcement means that thousands of England and Wales-qualified solicitors who invested in Irish qualifications in order to protect their EU practising rights may have wasted their money.