The triple appointment across its aviation and asset finance, infrastructure, construction and utilities and pensions teams boosts the representation of women in the partnership to nearly four in ten.

Ms Lillis, partner in aviation and asset finance, has a broad practice with extensive experience advising on domestic and cross-border aviation, asset finance and general finance matters. She has advised extensively on loan and lease restructurings during the Covid-19 pandemic and this has provided her with unique experience in the market.

Ms McGovern, in the infrastructure, construction and utilities team, has a full-service skill set which includes projects, construction and energy. She has acted for developers, contractors and lenders on a wide range of construction projects, PPPs, development finance transactions and on the construction aspects of many project finance transactions. In addition, she has recently advised on a number of large transactions in the pharmaceutical and telecoms sectors.

Ms McCague, in the pensions team, advises employers and trustees on a wide range of issues including the establishment and day-to-day operation of pension schemes. She regularly advises employers and trustees on the management of funding deficit issues, the merger of pension schemes, scheme amendments and on changes in the Pensions Act and in tax and finance legislation. She also advises in relation to charity law.

Announcing the appointments, managing partner Geoff Moore said: “I congratulate Ruth, Niamh and Sarah on their appointment. Each of them has demonstrated outstanding legal expertise and a commitment to the firm and our clients. Their appointment highlights the tremendous depth of talent present in the wider Arthur Cox team and the firm’s continuing development of our lawyers.

“These appointments bring the percentage of women partners at our firm to 38 per cent. We still have more work to do in this space, but I am very pleased that we are heading in the right direction.”