Tax
Martin Phelan
Simmons & Simmons
Phelan spent two decades at William Fry where he built up the firm’s tax practice before leaving to join Simmons & Simmons. He is said to count well-known business people such as Denis O’Brien, the telecoms mogul; Paul McGuinness, the former U2 manager; and Aimee Connolly, of Sculpted by Aimee fame, as clients. He wears a lot of hats, being a chartered accountant, tax adviser and barrister, but he is most well known as head of tax at the international firm which opened a Dublin office in 2018.
He is also secretary general of CFE Tax Advisers Europe, a Brussels-based association; has advised leading banks; and was president of the Irish Tax Institute. Phelan also enjoys sharing his two cents about a wide variety of subjects, telling the Business Post earlier this year that Irish economic success was “more of a fluke than it was by design”.
Phelan is said to count well-known business people such as Denis O’Brien, the telecoms mogul; Paul McGuinness, the former U2 manager; and Aimee Connolly, of Sculpted by Aimee fame, as clients
Sonya Manzor
William Fry
As head of tax at William Fry since 2020 —the Irish member firm of Taxand, the global advisory organisation — Manzor is among the most prominent lawyers in Irish tax. She has worked with Uniphar, the pharmaceutical company, and DCC Plc. A key member of the investment group, she advises a wide range of both Irish firms and multinationals on tax matters in Ireland including corporate tax, VAT and stamp duty. Manzor, who has been with William Fry since 2005, is a regular contributor to tax publications, as well as discussions on taxation at panel events and conferences.
Fintan Clancy
Arthur Cox
The head of tax at Arthur Cox, Clancy represents companies in tax issues arising from acquisitions, disposals, reorganisations, migrations, securitisations, IP on-shoring, and financings. Last year, he advised building materials giant CRH on its move to the New York Stock Exchange, after advising Jazz Pharmaceuticals on its proposed $7.2 billion acquisition of GW Pharmaceuticals in 2021. Clancy has spent the past 18 years at Arthur Cox, where he moved from Skadden Arps, the New York-headquartered firm, having qualified at Herbert Smith Freehills.
David Lawless
Dillon Eustace
Lawless founded the Dillon Eustace tax practice in 2004 after 17 years with PwC, where he became a financial services tax partner in 1996.
As head of the Dillon Eustace tax team, specialising in financial services and structured finance, Lawless has advised on a range of investment fund structures, securitisation, derivatives, banking, insurance and aircraft leasing over his 35-year career.
An expert on holding company and investment structures in the Irish property market, he is a member of the international and VAT tax committees of Irish Funds, as well as the tax committees of the Alternative Investment Management Association, the Irish Debt Securities Association and the Law Society of Ireland.
Shane Hogan
Matheson
Hogan heads up the tax department of Matheson, and is the standing tax advisor to a number of high-profile Irish-based multinationals. An expert on corporate tax, Hogan advises international companies on doing business in and from Ireland — with particular focus on inward investment, cross-border tax planning, corporate restructurings, and mergers and acquisitions internationally and domestically.
He has walked major international corporations through restructurings, and represented several multinationals through their incorporation in Ireland. A regular contributor to leading tax journals, Hogan also chaired the Irish arm of the International Fiscal Association from 2006 to 2010, and is still an active committee member.
Paul Fahy
A&L Goodbody
A graduate of the University of Galway and a member of the American Bar Association, Fahy cut his teeth in London over five years with Slaughter and May, before joining A&L in Dublin in 2008, making partner just two years later. With particular experience in pharmaceutical and healthcare transactions, as well as real estate and financial services, Fahy advised Dublin clinical trials company Icon for its $12 billion acquisition of PRA Health Sciences in 2021, as well as Pfizer on its proposed $160 billion merger with Allergan. His practice also covers contentious tax matters, with experience advising clients on Revenue audits, disputing tax assessments and tax treaty dispute resolution mechanisms.
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