Law firm LK Shields has appointed Richard Curran (pictured, right), currently head of its corporate-and-commercial team, as its new managing partner.

Curran succeeded David Williams (pictured, left), who will continue working for the firm in the financial-services team, on 1 May 2023.

LK Shields has also appointed Gemma Forde to head its Galway office, while David Naughton has been named as head of financial services.

In addition, Lester Sosa Villatoro has been promoted to partner in the firm’s corporate team.

Curran joined in 2005

Curran joined LK Shields as a partner in 2005, and became head of the corporate-and-commercial department in 2018.

He advises a large portfolio of domestic and international clients on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and development-finance transactions.

Gemma Forde joined the firm as a partner in 2022. Based in its Galway office, she advises corporate and commercial clients on the sale and acquisition of companies across numerous sectors.

David Naughton, who joined LK Shields as a partner in 2019, focuses his practice on investment-fund formation, debt capital markets and financial-services regulation.

‘Thriving’

Lester Sosa Villatoro joined the firm as a corporate associate in 2019, and advises clients on matters such as mergers and acquisitions, management and leveraged buy-outs, corporate restructuring, joint ventures and partnerships, and trading agreements.

Curran said that the past number of years had seen continued growth for the firm across its core practice areas.

“We have a thriving domestic and international client base, and we will continue to adapt and innovate in accordance with the needs of our clients and the market as a whole,” he added.