Peter Curran - Partner

Peter has extensive experience of drafting and negotiating a wide variety of commercial contracts, including project agreements, outsourcing agreements, agreements for the sale, purchase and licensing of software, hardware and IT systems and related support and maintenance.  In the telecommunications area, he has advised clients for many years on agreements relating to the roll out, management and leasing of mobile and fibre communications networks, IRU, service provision, national and international roaming, interconnect, directory services, call centres, network sharing, content licensing, m-commerce and e-commerce.  He also has significant experience in handling the IT and communications aspects of mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and other major corporate transactions. 

Peter also has a broad experience of advising public and private sector clients on the procurement of major projects and contracts.  He has advised awarding authorities on the procurement of IT and telecommunication systems, energy, waste and transport infrastructure, and a broad range of services across many sectors.  He has also advised private sector bidders on public tendering procedures.

Recent Track Record

Projects/Procurement

• Advising East Belfast Partnership in the development of the Connswater Community Greenway, a major urban regeneration programme in Belfast
• Advising arc21 (a joint committee of 11 local councils in the eastern region of Northern Ireland) on all aspects of its procurement of residual waste treatment facilities (mechanical biological treatment and Energy from Waste) using the competitive dialogue procedure – one of the largest PPP projects ever to be undertaken in Northern Ireland
• Advising SWAMP2008 (a joint committee of 8 local councils in the southern region of Northern Ireland) on all aspects of its procurement of waste treatment facilities
• Advising Driver & Vehicle Agency (an agency of the Dept. of Environment (NI)) on the review of a PFI contract concluded with Romaha Ltd in relation to the provision of vehicle testing facilities in Northern Ireland
• Advising Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (NI) on its procurement of broadband services in remote areas of Northern Ireland
• Advising Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (NI) and Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources (ROI) jointly on all aspects of their procurement of submarine and terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure to service the North West of the island of Ireland (Project Kelvin)
• Advising Department of Social Development/Social Security Agency (NI) on the outsourcing of medical services to support the social security system in Northern Ireland, a strategically significant and high value project being procured using the competitive dialogue procedure
• Advising Department of Communications, Marine (now Energy) and Natural Resources (ROI) on all aspects of its procurement of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) programme establishing local broadband infrastructure throughout Ireland (+€200m capital investment) during both Phase I (27 towns) and later Phase 2 and selecting a Management Services Entity (MSE) on a PPP/PFI basis
• Advising Farrans (Construction) Ltd. on its challenge to Glasgow City Council's procurement of flood defence works and facilities
• Advising Sports Northern Ireland (governing body for sports development in NI) on the roll-out of its Elite Facilities and Investing in Performance Programmes and on related procurement and governance issues
• Advising National Cancer Screening Services Board on all aspects of the procurement of cervical smear testing and cytology laboratory services and associated contractual matters
• Advising National Development Finance Agency on the procurement of technical advisers to the Radiation Oncology PPP project and of financial advisers to OPW Decentralisation project

Technology/Communications and other public sector bodies

• Advising Mobitel Slovenia, Slovenia’s leading mobile telecommunications operator, on its successful challenge to the decision by the national regulatory authority in Slovenia (APEK) to designate Mobitel and SI Mobil with joint dominance in the mobile market and impose various network access remedies, including representing Mobitel before the European Commission.  Also advising Mobitel on a subsequent decision by APEK to designate the operator with being singly dominant in the mobile market
• Advising eircom UK on contractual arrangements with Northgate, supplier of ICT services to Viridian Group
• Advising Vodafone Ireland on its acquisition of the residential and SME broadband and fixed line business of BT Ireland and its acquisition of Perlico Communications
• Advising Vodafone Ireland in its successful appeal to the Electronic Communications Appeals Panel of decisions by the national regulatory to designate Vodafone and O2 with joint dominance in the mobile market in Ireland and impose various network access remedies
• Advising Vodafone Ireland and Vodafone Group on a range of matters since 1998 (as in-house counsel and as external adviser) including advising on:  interconnection, directory services, national roaming agreements, international roaming, various fibre licensing and management agreements, all aspects of the procurement of IT, billing and communications systems, licensing of mobile content, brand management, sponsorship agreements, m-commerce, e-commerce, data protection, consumer law and a range of regulatory and competition law issues and disputes.  Peter also led the in-house team for Eircell (now Vodafone Ireland) in the course of its acquisition by Vodafone Group
• Advising various property development companies (including Treasury Holdings, Chesterfield Developments and Inland Fibre Telecom) on the roll out of telecommunications networks and (in certain cases) outsourcing the management of these networks
• Advising a global electronics manufacturer on the regulation of Voice Over IP services and on establishment of operations in Ireland
• Advising the Rail Procurement Agency on the commercialisation of its telecommunications assets and contractual arrangements with telecommunications companies
• Advising IE Domain Registry in contract negotiations with Commission for Communications Regulation regarding the establishment of an Electronic Numbering (ENUM) Tier 1 Registry Service and on various regulatory issues
• Advising Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies on procurement of ‘Blue Gene' Super Computer technology from IBM (Ireland’s most powerful computer) and negotiating all associated contracts
• Advising Personal Injuries Assessment Board (ROI) on the procurement and outsourcing of key business processes and all associated drafting and negotiation of contracts
• Advising various other entities in relation to a range of public procurement, IT, communications and regulatory law matters, including University College Dublin, Food Safety Authority Ireland, Mincor Resources, Bord Gais Eireann, Abbey Theatre, Failte Ireland, Dublin City University and Fold Housing Association

Education

• Diploma in E-Commerce (2001), Law Society of Ireland
• Institute of Professional Legal Services (1995-1997)
• LL M (European Law) (1994-1995) College of Europe, Bruges
• Paris Chamber of Commerce: Certificate in Commercial French (1993)
• LL B with French (1990-1994) Queens University, Belfast & Louvain University, Belgium

• On Track - Projects Group Newsletter, Spring 2010
• Construction and Engineering, Education, Health and Justice Infrastructure, Energy and Resources, Health and Safety, Manufacturing and Process Engineering, Maritime and Shipping, Project Finance, Projects, Public Law, Transport, PPP and PFI, Waste Management, Water and Wastewater, Public Procurement
• 07.05.2010 | Format:

• Briefing - Procurement (New Year - New Procurement Rules), Belfast, January 2010
• Public Procurement
• 28.01.2010 | Format:

• Projects Brief - Northern Ireland Tender Litigation, Spring 2010
• Projects
• 21.01.2010 | Format:

• Briefing - Public Procurement Belfast, September 2009
• Public Procurement
• 16.10.2009 | Format:

• Briefing - Projects Group Belfast (Tender Litigation), Autumn 2009
• Projects
• 07.10.2009 | Format:

• Getting the Deal Through - Public Procurement 2009, Ireland Chapter
• Public Procurement
• 05.10.2009 | Format:

• Bulletin - Procurement Law Update, May 2009
• Public Procurement
• 29.05.2009 | Format:

• Communications Law Brief - Communications Regulation (Amendment) Act 2007, February 2008
• Communications and Broadcasting
• 25.02.2008 | Format:

• On Track - Projects Group Newsletter, Spring 2008
• Communications and Broadcasting, Construction and Engineering, Public Procurement
• 13.02.2008 | Format:

• Communications Law Brief - Electronic Communications Regulatory Framework, January 2008
• 16.01.2008 | Format:

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