IFL Mission to New York City
3rd – 5th September 2024
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In September 2024, Minister of State James Browne TD; David Barniville, President of the High Court, Rossa Fanning SC, Attorney General of Ireland and several senior legal practitioners formed the Ireland for Law delegation on our Trade Mission to NYCE 2024, to promote Irish law and the use of Irish legal services.
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To learn more about the lead delegates, speakers and panellists from this mission, click here.
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The Ireland for Law Mission to NYC 2024 was a resounding success, featuring a series of key discussions and networking opportunities with prominent figures from the legal and governmental sectors.
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A number of events were held in locations around Manhattan, which focused on the following topics:
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Ireland’s Commercial Court - The case for US/Irish Cooperation.
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Significant Legal Changes and Precedents In Ireland and New York (In Association with Arbitration Ireland)
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Corporate Restructuring & Corporate Insolvency - The Case for US/Irish Cooperation
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Financial Services: Why Ireland is the Ideal European Legal Partner​​
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On Tuesday evening, the Ireland for Law Trade Mission to NYC kicked off with an event in Alston & Bird focussing on Financial Services and why Ireland is the ideal European legal partner.
The event featured an opening address from James Browne, Irish Minister of State for Justice, followed by a panel discussion which included the Attorney General of Ireland, Rossa Fanning SC; Vanora Madigan (Waystone); David Walsh (Dillon Eustace); and Catriona Cole (Matheson LLP). This panel focused on the promotion of Irish law and its application in global legal services.
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On Wednesday morning, we were hosted by Paul, Weiss, for a panel discussion on Ireland's Commercial Court, and the case for US/Irish cooperation. The panel for this event consisted of Justice Joel M. Cohen (New York State Supreme Court); Aidan Synott (Paul, Weiss); The Honourable Mr Justice David Barniville, President of the High Court of Ireland; Peggy O'Rourke SC (The Bar of Ireland); Paul McGarry SC (Arbitration Ireland); and Gerard Kelly (Mason, Hayes & Curran LLP). Discussions centred on cross-border legal collaboration and the role of Irish law in international arbitration.
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On Wednesday evening, we were kindly hosted by Reed Smith for an event organised by Arbitration Ireland, focussing on significant legal changes and precedents in Ireland and New York.
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We learnt why New York and Ireland are both excellent locations for legal practice, sharing similarities that make them appealing for U.S. lawyers; Why Dublin is an ideal choice for arbitration for U.S. businesses with substantial European operations; and the utility of Ireland's common law jurisdiction for enforcement, while also offering convenient access to major European financial hubs.
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This panel was moderated by The Honourable Mr Justice Richard J. Sullivan (United States Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit), included speakers such as James P. Duffy (Reed Smith); Paul McGarry SC (Arbitration Ireland); and Conna Weiner (JAMS), highlighting arbitration and dispute resolution between Ireland and the U.S.
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On the final day of our NYC 2024 Mission, we began with a morning session hosted by JAMS looking at corporate restructuring and corporate insolvency, featuring James Browne (Irish Minister of State for Justice); Rossa Fanning SC (Attorney General of Ireland), The Honourable Mr Justice David Barniville (President, High Court of Ireland); Peggy O'Rourke SC (The Bar of Ireland); Matt York (JAMS); Imogen McGrath SC (The Bar of Ireland); and Fergus Doorly (William Fry) for a robust discussion on Irish legal services and their international impact.
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Our expert panel explained how the overall Irish framework is both creditor-friendly and flexible, featuring processes which are capable of facilitating the rescue and restructuring of complex corporate groups, and touched on the significant body of case law showing that Ireland can deal with large complex cross-border restructurings and provide the required certainty for debtors and creditors.
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Finally, the NYC 2024 Mission concluded with a networking event hosted by the Bank of Ireland Hub. After a welcome address from Tony Dunne (Bank of Ireland, US Country Manager), Darren Lehane SC (Vice Chair, The Bar of Ireland) gave his reflections on the mission over three days and introduced our guest speakers including Helena Nolan (Consul General of Ireland in New York) and Minister James Browne, who were both keen to celebrate the growing role of Irish law in global legal matters and foster further transatlantic cooperation.​
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