New setup from September 2025
Eversheds Sutherland is set to relaunch a new Irish practice following the collapse of merger talks with Dublin-based firm William Fry.
Eversheds has maintained a significant presence in Ireland’s legal market since 2005. Late last year, its Irish arm entered merger talks with William Fry, one of the country’s “Big Six” corporate firms — a deal that would have created one of Ireland’s largest law firms.
Eversheds has now announced that its Dublin and Belfast offices will operate as part of a “fully integrated” approach under its international LLP. Somewhat confusingly, the legacy Irish firm has also been branded as Eversheds since 2011.
In March this year, partner Pamela O’Neill left Eversheds Ireland amid the talks with William Fry. She has now been tipped to lead the Eversheds Sutherland international presence in Dublin, and the Belfast office by partner Gareth Planck.
Questions remain about what will happen to Eversheds’ legacy Ireland staff — including current managing partner of Ireland (Dublin and Belfast), Alan Connell.
Eversheds’ international chief executive Keith Froud said:
“I am pleased to announce this key, strategic investment underlining our long-term commitment to Ireland, which is an important market for our clients and our firm. It was vital to us that we launch our new operations with the best team possible”.
In a joint statement, William Fry and Eversheds said “we have agreed that the interests of our respective firms are best served by remaining separate”.
