HARRY FEHILY
‘In any period of disruption there is always opportunity’ Managing Partner Holmes O’Malley Sexton
ACTIVITY As a full-service law firm, some areas have been challenged by the pandemic while others have been very resilient, so the medium term outlook is positive. In March 2020, we took immediate steps towards conserving cash for what was then – and is still – an uncertain period. Our staff members had a meaningful voice in the decisions being taken and could understand the firm’s strategy – this was critical to achieving buy-in across the last 12 months.
Covid-specific needs have arisen in construction contracts, and we foresee an uplift in employment claims and restructuring and insolvency as government supports are weaned off. Family law has also seen an uplift. We have advised extensively on Covid business interruption claims to insurers, and we are engaged in the defence of a significant number of claims by a well-known entertainment group against their brokers and insurers. Clients have also sought our advice on facilitating the safe return to work of employees from an employers’ liability standpoint, as well as data protection issues arising from remote working.
REMOTE WORKING Being forced to engage exclusively with clients remotely has highlighted for me the benefit of high-quality personal interaction and I look forward to the opportunity to do so again when restrictions permit. Investment in our IT infrastructure has paid dividends as it provides for seamless continuity of service.
OUTLOOK The most resilient sectors across our client base have been connected with renewable energy and infrastructure, and the healthcare and medtech sectors have also seen a significant uptake in activity. In M&A we have seen a noticeable acceleration of consolidation, particularly in services such as later living, insurance brokerages and wealth management.
In any period of disruption, there is always opportunity. For the past number of years, our strategic growth has been focused around evolving current service lines, building new service lines and expanding our national footprint in our Dublin, Limerick and Cork offices. We see huge opportunity to grow and evolve the firm coming out of this pandemic.