EXPERTISE
Donal specialises in general and commercial litigation. He has extensive experience in property related disputes and litigation and extensive expertise of dispute resolution including advising clients in arbitration and mediation arising from property, building contract and commercial disputes. He acted in a number of matters before the Commercial Court and under case management of the High Court including large scale discovery applications. Donal has acted in large scale funds related litigation involving multi-jurisdictional legal issues and has acted in both the prosecution and defence of professional negligence actions against professionals.
Donal has extensive experience in all aspects of Intoxicating Liquor licensing including advising receivers with regard to licensing matters in general.
Recent experience includes advising:
- The liquidators of two separate Cayman Island hedge funds in large-scale professional negligence claims against a third-party service provider valued at €280m and €600m respectively.
- Since 2009 acting for Irving H Pickard, the court-appointed trustee under the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) for the liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC arising from the largest known fraud in relation to all aspects of litigation in Ireland against Custodians, Sub-Funds and other parties. Such advice and services included potential recovery claims by the Trustee, the service of US Court processes in Ireland and in taking depositions from Irish based witnesses in US Complaints relating to Madoff.
- Civil engineering contractors and house builders including Pierse Contracting, McInerney Homes and M&B Construction in prosecutions by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) arising from fatal workplace accidents and other alleged breaches of health and safety regulations. Also acting for a multi-national supplier of industrial and speciality gases in an HSA investigation arising from a patient fatality.
- Tifco Hotel Group, Staycity Group, SuperValu franchise holders, Walsh Whiskey Distillery and Marks & Spencer (Ireland) Ltd in advising on alcohol licence requirements and all related court applications for licences.
- AXA XL in an arbitration involving their insured who is an Irish based contractor of complex engineering projects relating to alleged defects in a wind farm.
- Publications
- Better Late Than Never - The Introduction of Consumer Class Actions in Irish Law - Ireland
- A New Era - The End of Warship >
- Tender Mercies – reform of personal injuries procedures in Ireland
- Will you have another? Streamlining the alcohol licensing system in Ireland
- Swimming against the tide >
- The Day After Judgement Day – Ireland >
- An Arm and a Leg >
- With Eileen Grace contributed the Ireland chapter to “Directors’ Liability and Indemnification, Fourth Edition“, published by Global Law and Business Ltd.
- A Civil Service >
- Dial a Drink - Issues with Online Sales of Alcohol >
- An Irish Solution to an Irish Problem - Outdoor Dining and Service of Alcohol in Ireland >
- A New Hope - Business Interruption Claims and Covid-19 >
- The Force Awakens - Business Interruption Claims and Covid-19 >
- Landlord and Tenant break options: vacant possession vs a vacant building >
- Stormy Weather >
- Pandemic Policy Panic - Disruption Claims & Covid-19 >
- Independence Day - How independent are in-house counsel? >
- FORE! Unincorporated Associations and Legal Liability >
- Can't get no satisfaction - Accord and disatisfaction in Irish Law >
- Languages
Basic German
- Education
- Admitted as a Solicitor in 1994
- Diploma in Legal Studies, Dublin College of Commerce 1983
- Professional Memberships
Member of the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association and of the Health & Safety Lawyers’ Association of Ireland