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UK/Ireland: Fieldfisher readies for Brexit with Irish merger

By  |  April 25, 2019
UK law firm Fieldfisher is to merge with Irish firm McDowell Purcell, as the legal sector in England and Wales steps up preparations for Brexit, reported the Financial Times.

Since the June 2016 referendum, lawyers in England and Wales have rushed to join the Irish Roll of Solicitors in an effort to protect their rights to practice in the EU after the UK leaves the bloc.

So far, however, few UK firms have established offices in Ireland: Pinsent Masons opened an office in Dublin in late 2017, while DLA Piper, one of the biggest law firms in the world, has announced plans to follow suit.

“Many of our clients are moving jobs to Dublin, and we’re in the business of supporting our clients wherever they are,” Mr Chissick added. JP McDowell, managing partner of McDowell Purcell, said the merger would allow the joint firm “to compete more effectively with the global firms that are now establishing a foothold in the Irish legal market”.

Full Content: Financial Times

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