The Dublin firm also specialises in renewable energy, banking and finance, data protection, litigation and dispute resolution, employment, commercial property, insolvency and restructuring, and environmental and planning law.
Growth strategy
Fieldfisher managing partner Michael Chissick said: "Ireland was the last piece in our international growth strategy, and we are now in all the key commercial centres across Europe.
"Ireland is also one of the most successful economies in the EU. It is primarily an export-driven economy, dominated by services, including technology, media and telecoms and financial services – both of which are key sectors for Fieldfisher.”
Infrastructure
Fieldfisher pointed to Ireland’s low corporate tax rate, young workforce, good infrastructure and English-speaking population as drivers for the merger
“With Brexit on the horizon, it will also help us to continue to deliver services to our European clients,” Chissick continued.
“Our US clients, and tech companies in particular, regard Ireland as a business-friendly EU jurisdiction. A large percentage of our client base has Irish operations, and have used Ireland as their EU HQ when expanding across the EU markets.”
Relationship
JP McDowell added: “McDowell Purcell has always strived to look at innovative ways to succeed and grow. We have worked collaboratively with Fieldfisher for a number of years now, and as a result of the strong relationship that has developed between the two firms, this merger is a natural fit for us.
“The merger will allow us to provide clients with new product lines and process-efficient services, and to compete more effectively with the global firms that are now establishing a foothold in the Irish legal market.
New hires
"We are looking at developing our offering in technology, finance and life sciences, and will be announcing new hires in these areas in the coming months.”
Fieldfisher has been the fastest-growing UK-headquartered law firm in the last five years, according to analysis by Legal Business.
Revenue
Its revenue grew by 118% to €239 million between 2013 and 2018.
The addition of McDowell Purcell brings the number of Fieldfisher offices to 25, including branches in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Beijing, Belfast, Birmingham, Bologna, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Guangzhou, Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Manchester, Munich, Milan, Paris, Rome, Shanghai, Turin, Venice and Silicon Valley (USA).