Fieldfisher grows Irish footprint in latest European expansion

Fieldfisher has merged with Irish corporate boutique Regan Wall, marking its first expansion outside Dublin and a move it says will lift Irish revenue by more than 20 per cent.

Regan Wall, a two-partner M&A specialist with offices in Dublin and Cork, will join Fieldfisher on 25 November. Led by partners Adrian Wall and Kieran Regan, the merger adds a Cork base to Fieldfisher’s Irish operations and takes its local headcount to 140 professionals, including 18 partners.

European growth

The deal expands Fieldfisher’s corporate and M&A capability in Ireland, where Regan Wall has built a strong reputation advising on deals across healthcare, tech and financial services. The combined team will be jointly led by Fieldfisher corporate partner Feilim O'Caoimh alongside Wall.

Fieldfisher entered Ireland in 2019 through a merger with McDowell Purcell, giving it a long-standing foothold in Dublin. The tie-up with Regan Wall extends that platform south to Cork.

The Irish deal continues a rapid European build-out for Fieldfisher this year. The firm launched in Poland in May with a 32-person team in Warsaw and Krakow, and in July entered Portugal with a 68-lawyer group and offices in Lisbon and Porto.

Irish market moves

The merger also comes in a period of increased activity in the Irish legal market.

In September, Eversheds Sutherland relaunched its Irish business as part of its international LLP after merger talks with William Fry collapsed. Later that month, William Fry picked up a 12-lawyer corporate team from Eversheds’ former Irish arm, led by ex-head of corporate Gerard Ryan.

Fieldfisher Ireland managing partner JP McDowell called the merger "a landmark moment" for both firms, saying it combines "Regan Wall’s outstanding domestic M&A expertise with Fieldfisher’s established presence in the Irish market and our broader international footprint."