LK Shields has announced significant leadership changes as the firm readies itself for further growth in 2017.
The changes are part of exciting new developments in the management structures of the firm, which come into effect on 1 January 2017.
Emmet Scully, currently Head of the Corporate & Commercial Team, has been elected as the firm’s new Managing Partner. Emmet succeeds Edmund Butler, who has led the firm through a period of significant growth and development of specialist teams. Edmund Butler will continue as a Partner in the firm until April next, following which he will be a consultant to the firm over a number of years. Emmet has been a partner in the firm since 1998 and is Head of the firm’s Corporate and Commercial team. Emmet has been at the forefront of some of the most significant Irish corporate transactions in which the firm has acted in recent years. He has a strong track record in advising on investments into and trade sales of technology businesses. Emmet is a leading adviser on venture capital and private equity investments and structuring and advises a broad range of clients across various business sectors.
Michael Kavanagh will become the firm’s Chairman. Michael will continue to serve the firm’s clients as Head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution team. Michael has been a partner in the firm since 1999 and is a former Chairman of the Law Society’s Litigation Committee. He chaired the Law Society’s working group that wrote the report Discovery in the Electronic Age – Proposals for Reform. Michael has extensive experience in all forms of dispute resolution and regularly acts in large and complex disputes before the Commercial Court. He represents some of the largest corporates and multi-nationals in Ireland and has particular expertise in the provision of sensitive and business critical employment related legal services.
Aoife Bradley will lead the firm's substantial Employment and Pensions team. Aoife is a highly experienced Employment practitioner and commercial litigator and has been a partner in the firm since 2007. She enjoys a strong reputation in the area of senior executive disputes and advises large corporates and internationals on dismissals, employment injunctions, discrimination, redundancy, occupational stress claims and disciplinary investigations.
Commenting on the announcement, outgoing Managing Partner Edmund Butler said: “LK Shields has thrived on the expertise of growing teams of specialists and the skills they bring to domestic and international clients in corporate and commercial law and in dispute resolution. Like all successful businesses, we have focused on leadership succession planning and our new leadership structure will maintain that policy as the firm continues to thrive and deliver excellent service to our clients.”
“It was an honour to serve as Managing Partner of the firm and to lead LK Shields during a period of growth and development of the firm's scale, teams and services. I look forward to continuing to support the firm and its clients as they navigate some of the most challenging and complex situations in corporate and commercial law.”
