Major firms top list of top 'Brexit transfer' firms for 2019

Top three 'Brexit transfer' firms have more than 700 solicitors on the Irish roll

Major firms top list of top 'Brexit transfer' firms for 2019

The Law Society of Ireland has revealed the top “Brexit transfer” firms of 2019, dominated by the largest UK and international law firms.

Topping the list is Allen & Overy, which now has 297 solicitors on the roll in Ireland. That’s an increase of 187 from 110 in 2018.

In terms of increase, however, fellow Magic Circle law firm Linklaters has Allen & Overy beat. Linklaters now has 259 solicitors in the roll in Ireland, an increase of 206 from the 53 it had in 2018.

International firm Eversheds Sutherland now has 165 on the Irish roll, up just 33 from the 132 it had last year, when it topped the list. At fourth this year is Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer with 162, up 31 from last year when it came in second after Eversheds Sutherland.

Elite US firm Latham & Watkins, which has 161 on the Irish roll, lands the fifth spot. It increased its ranks in Ireland from 92 in 2018.

At sixth is Slaughter & May with 148 solicitors in the country. That’s up by 39 from 109 last year, when it was the fourth largest “Brexit transfer” firm.

Completing the top 10 are White & Case with 87, up from 15 in 2018; DLA Piper with 85, an increase from 26 last year; Dentons with 71 and which didn’t rank in the top 20 last year; and Herbert Smith Freehills with 62, up from 44 last year.

The Law Society of Ireland said that the only firms that have an office in the jurisdiction are Eversheds Sutherland, DLA Piper, and Pinsent Masons, which ranked 15th with 42 on the roll.

Here are the firms that complete the top 20 in 2019:

Both Skadden and the in-house BNP Paribas team did not crack the top 20 last year.