Ms Kelly, whose personal practice focuses on merger control and regulatory investigations, will lead a specialised team advising clients on their obligations under Irish and EU competition law.

Practising with a top US law firm in New York and London prior to joining Mason Hayes & Curran, Ms Kelly has particular expertise in advising on the application of competition law to businesses which have the use of data at their core.

Managing partner Declan Black said: “I am very pleased to announce Tara’s appointment as head of our competition and antitrust team. Tara’s practical style and deep knowledge are of real benefit to Irish and multinational clients as they seek to navigate complex competition law issues with confidence.”

Ms Kelly added: “I’m delighted to take on this role and I am fortunate that we have a talented, experienced and energetic group of competition lawyers in MHC who are such a pleasure to work with.”