FOIL Ireland Structure

Cormac has practised throughout his career in the fields of commercial law, litigation and dispute resolution. He is former chairman of the Business Law Committee of the Law Society and a former President of the Southern Law Association. Cormac is a CEDR Accredited Mediator and a member of the New York Bar Association

Mary has 27 years’ experience, in both public and private practice, in all aspects of defence litigation, at all court levels, across all court circuits. She previously worked worked in a leading Dublin Defence Litigation firm. This Firm did an extensive amount of work for the London Market/Lloyds Syndicates, which involved attending provincial Circuit and High Court venues on all of the Circuits. During her time with them she built strong working relationships with colleagues, counsel and expert witnesses on these circuits and a strong understanding of the form of sitting Judges, opposing colleagues and counsel. She had a similar role whilst working in house with CIE Solicitors, which she built on, on her move to private practice and which she continues to work on.
Mary has extensive experience in the provision of in-house services and in dealing with insurance. companies and self-insured entities in Ireland and the UK. She worked in house with CIE solicitors department from January 1996 to August 1999. For approximately two years of that time she was acting Head of the Defence Litigation Department, whilst Mr. Colm Costello was on secondment to the Luas Project.
Mary takes an active involvement in the management of client relationships. She is a “people” and relationship person, who conducts regular face to face meetings with clients and always makes herself easily accessible to them. Mary is also admitted as a solicitor in England, Wales and New York.
Specialist knowledge highlights includes advising:
• in High and Circuit Court cases concerning complex and serious injuries arising out of construction, RTA, EL, PL and Property Damage claims and Bullying and Harassment and Defamation claims;
• the Medical Defence Union (MDU) in relation to clinical negligence claims and general medical legal issues and given similar advices to Marketform in relation to claims arising out of Alternative Medicine medical procedures and Cosmetic Injury claims; and
• in relation to and attending a number of inquests and defending the subsequent civil fatal injuries claims and HSA prosecution.

Rachel Halligan is a partner in the Dispute Resolution and Litigation Department in Dillon Eustace. She advises on a broad range of commercial litigation and arbitration cases and has particular experience in the defence of professional negligence claims and in insurance coverage disputes.

Declan Devereux is a solicitor with over 35 years experience in insurance defence and recoveries litigation claims acting for insurers and self-insured clients in a broad range of liability, motor, property, professional indemnity and medical negligence claims.

Declan currently acts for a number of leading London Market and International insurers and high end self-insured corporations handling public, employer and product liability, casualty and motor claims.

His experience extends to general and commercial litigation where he has been involved in a broad range of cases including medical negligence, defamation, specific performance of land sale contracts, financial products mis-selling and debt recoveries acting for consumers, health, law, accounting and building professionals, retailers, developers and financial institutions.

Declan was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Ireland in 1985 and in New South Wales, Australia, in 1990 where he practised as a solicitor for a period following study and re-training.