The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Ireland 2019 recognises the leading in-house counsel who have made a significant impact on the organisations and industries they work with, through their innovation and advisory excellence and in advancing innovative work practices and models.

Those included on the 2019 list represent sectors and industries including technology, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, banking and financial services, commercial and professional services; energy and utilities; food and beverage; healthcare; real estate; public sector; sports and media; telecommunications; and transport and infrastructure.

The publication has been sponsored until 2021 by Matheson, which hosted the launch and a preceding panel discussion on the theme of “Innovation, People and Technology”, led by Ella Marshall, EMEA editor at The Legal 500, and Tim Scanlon, partnership chairman at Matheson.

The panel discussion heard from Claire Murphy, group general counsel and company secretary, and head of shared services, at Enet; Davinia Conlan, associate general counsel at Citibank Europe plc; and Diarmuid Cunningham, general counsel, chief administrative officer, executive vice president and company secretary at ICON.

Matheson managing partner Michael Jackson said: “At Matheson, we serve the legal needs of internationally focused companies and financial institutions doing business in and from Ireland, and we have the pleasure of working with, and gaining a deep insight into, the challenges faced by today’s in-house counsel.

“The GC Powerlist acknowledges the technical legal excellence and significant contribution of in-house counsel to the strategic growth and direction of their organisations and industry sectors in Ireland today.

“The extensive nature of this year’s list, which is the largest in Ireland since its launch, reflects the advances in technical innovation and work practices across the broader Irish legal sector in what is an increasingly complex legal and business environment.

“This year marks the first of our three-year support of Ireland’s GC Powerlist, and I congratulate all of the individuals who have been included on this year’s list.”

David Burgess, publishing director at The Legal 500, added: “For over 30 years, The Legal 500 has been analysing the capabilities of law firms across the world.

“In this series, The Legal 500, in collaboration with Legal Business, GC Magazine and The In-house Lawyer, is turning its attention to the in-house function, and recognising those corporate counsel who are driving the legal business forward. I would like to express my personal thanks to our sponsor Matheson for supporting this publication.”