Waterford firm celebrates 50 years in business
Waterford solicitors’ firm Nolan Farrell & Goff is celebrating 50 years in business at its premises in Newtown Lodge in Waterford City.
One of the largest provincial solicitors’ practices in Ireland, the firm was formally established in 1975, though its origins go back as far as 1914.
The firm has grown over the years, and currently comprises eight partners, five solicitors, five legal executives, an office manager, and a large team of administrative staff.
Managing partner Graham Farrell said that the firm’s continuing strength was evidence of the farsightedness and ambition of the founding partners.
On 1 January 2021, Nolan Farrell & Goff became Nolan Farrell & Goff LLP.
Origins
George A Nolan & Co, which was founded in 1914, and R J Farrell (later Farrell & Farrell), which was founded in 1920, merged in 1975 and, together with Jim Mulhern, the new firm became Nolan Farrell and Goff.
Iain Farrell later spoke about how the firm was created. Referring to John PC Goff, he said: “On the question of merging our two offices, he (Goff) was affable as long as I could win over George Nolan.
“I wanted it to be Farrell Nolan & Goff, as there were two Farrells; George wanted it to be Nolan Farrell and Goff because he was older. So he offered to toss for it, and I lost!”
Donal O’Connell, a member of the original 1975 founding team, remains with the firm. Having been admitted to the partnership in 1979, he later served as managing partner for 19 years.