Four senior appointments at Addleshaw Goddard Ireland
![Four senior appointments at Addleshaw Goddard Ireland](https://www.irishlegal.com/uploads/alg-20240621.jpg)
Pictured (left–right): John Darmody, Caoilfhionn Ní Chuanacháin, Mark Walsh, Doreen Mescal, Doug Smith and Craig Sowman.
Addleshaw Goddard Ireland has announced the recruitment of Craig Sowman as joint head of restructuring and insolvency alongside internal promotions for Caoilfhionn Ní Chuanacháin, Doreen Mescal and John Darmody.
Mr Sowman, previously with William Fry for over 15 years, brings significant experience advising a variety of stakeholders, debtors and insolvency practitioners in complex domestic and international restructurings and insolvencies (both contentious and non-contentious) together with substantial experience in commercial litigation and shareholder disputes.
He will work alongside fellow joint head of restructuring and insolvency, Doug Smith, to grow the team and portfolio of clients.
Meanwhile, Ms Ní Chuanacháin has been promoted to head of disputes and Doreen Mescal and John Darmody have both been promoted to partners within the corporate practice.
With over 17 years’ experience, Ms Ní Chuanacháin has an established commercial litigation practice having successfully represented key clients in a wide range of complex disputes across a number of sectors. She has a broad commercial practice with a particular focus on financial services litigation, high-profile property-related litigation and professional negligence claims.
She also has significant experience in alternative dispute resolution, sitting on the executive committee of Arbitration Ireland, and also sits on the committee of the Commercial Litigation Association of Ireland.
New corporate partner Ms Mescal joined the firm in 2016 from A&L Goodbody and has worked across a range of corporate areas including mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts, restructurings and shareholder arrangements.
She has particular expertise in early and later stage investments for high potential start-up and SME companies, particularly in the medtech sector, and regularly advises on successive rounds of funding through to exit. She also advises company leaders and directors on corporate governance practice and general company law compliance.
Mr Darmody specialises in corporate transactions and has extensive experience advising clients across a range of sectors including telecoms, renewables, technology, and energy. He advises on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganisations, private equity investments, joint ventures, and inward investment projects.
Having worked at Eugene F Collins for five years in the early stages of his career, Mr Darmody returned to Addleshaw Goddard as a managing associate in 2023 from DAC Beachcroft Dublin.
Commenting on the appointments and promotions, Mark Walsh, head of Ireland at Addleshaw Goddard, said: “It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of two new heads of practice, Craig and Caoilfhionn, and the internal promotion of two new partners, Doreen and John, strengthening our offering to clients.
“Craig brings with him a wealth of industry experience and knowledge in restructuring that will be invaluable to our client, whilst the promotion of Caoilfhionn, Doreen and John is recognition of their high levels of performance and valued contribution to the firm’s growth.
“These appointments are a sign of the continued evolution of our Dublin office and ensures our firm is well positioned to continue this growth trajectory into the future.”