Doesn’t rule out training contract and secondment opportunities in Ireland
International law firm Hogan Lovells is opening an office in the Irish capital of Dublin, it announced today.
The new office will initially focus on financial regulatory and antitrust work, with a number of the firm’s lawyers based in London, who specialise in these areas, relocating to Dublin.
Christopher Hutton, Hogan Lovells’ new Dublin office managing partner, said in a statement:
“Putting clients at the centre of everything we do is a strategic priority for the firm, and having a presence in Dublin is about doing just that. Hogan Lovells opening an office there is welcomed by our existing clients, and also presents new opportunities. I am excited to head up the firm’s new offering in Ireland.”
Hogan Lovells hasn’t ruled out offering training contracts or opportunities for trainees to be seconded to the Dublin office. “We would not rule anything out if the right opportunity arises,” a spokesperson for the firm told Legal Cheek. “Staffing and recruitment [including secondments] will be driven, as always, by the needs of our clients and the business.”
Hogan Lovells is the latest law firm to set up a base in Dublin. Ashurst opened an office in Dublin earlier this month, while Dentons launched in the Irish capital last year.
Thousands of solicitors from across England and Wales registered in Ireland in the wake of the 2016 Brexit vote to maintain their EU practice rights. The Law Society of Ireland delivered a blow in the autumn when it said they won’t be entitled to qualify in Ireland unless they have a physical presence in the country.
Other international firms that opened Dublin offices in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum include Dechert, DLA Piper, Fieldfisher and Pinsent Masons. It’s likely several other firms will follow suit so they can continue to practise in Europe.