The team advises a broad spectrum of industry participants, including life / non-life insurers, reinsurers, intermediaries, private equity investors and significant industry associations on the largest and most innovative domestic and cross-border transactions in the insurance sector in Ireland.

Keeping up with the pace of regulatory changes in the current business environment is one of the greatest challenges facing our clients. In Ireland, as part of the European Union, the regulatory landscape is constantly evolving and regulatory focus is increasing in areas such as sustainability, governance, risk and accountability.

Our technical ability, coupled with our emphasis on effective management and service means we can advise our clients on the challenges and risks they encounter due to these developments, as well as the opportunities they may present.

Our insurance sector focus is completed by both our Insurance disputes team and our Investigations team; which form part of our market-leading Litigation, Dispute Resolution and Investigations Group.

Relevant Experience

• Advising leading French mutual insurer Covéa on Irish law aspects of their acquisition of the Partner Re Group, the Bermuda-based global reinsurer wholly-owned by EXOR for a total cash consideration of $9 billion
• Advising Société Générale and ALD Automotive on Irish law aspects of its acquisition of LeasePlan, including the acquisition of LeasePlan’s Irish insurance undertaking, Euro Insurances DAC
• Acting for CNP Assurance on Irish law aspects of its acquisition of Aviva’s life insurance businesses in Italy, including the taking over of majority stake in a joint venture with UniCredit
• Advising numerous insurers, reinsurers and intermediaries on regulatory matters (including acquiring transaction notifications to the Central Bank of Ireland, regulatory capital issues, outsourcing of critical or important functions and corporate governance), policy wording, claims coverage/disputes and distribution arrangements .
• Acting for numerous insurers on complex Irish High Court sanctioned portfolio transfers and cross-border mergers, as well as associated reinsurance treaties, including RSA, AIG, Rothesay, Zurich and Randall & Quilter
• Advising Swiss Re on a number of matters regarding its Irish assets including ReAssure’s acquisition of the Guardian Group, including the acquisition of Ark Life, investment by MS&AD in Reassure and sale of Reassure to Phoenix Group
• Advising Assicurazioni Generali SpA on Irish law aspects of its investment in the Cattolica group and subsequent internal reorganisations
• Advising the shareholders of Gallivan Murphy Insurance Brokers (GMIB.ie), one of the largest independently owned brokers in Ireland, on its sale to AssuredPartners, a large US private equity-backed insurance broking group, and subsequently advising AssuredPartners on bolt-on acquisitions, such as O’Callaghan Insurances
• Advising Great West Life Co on the acquisition of Ireland’s largest life inurer Irish Life Group for €1.3 billion