Ireland is the only English-speaking common-law jurisdiction in the European Union. Ireland boasts an experienced and highly specialised legal profession, consisting of approximately 12,000 solicitors and 2,200 barristers. Irish lawyers have been at the heart of the common law world for centuries and now support Ireland’s world-leading enterprise economy.
With its highly developed legal services sector, it is a jurisdiction of choice for contracts and international dispute resolution.
Ireland is recognised internationally as a leading global centre for international financial services. At the end of 2019, over 430 financial institutions employing over 47,000 people provide financial services to every major economy in the world from Ireland. We are home to 9 of the world’s top 10 software companies and 15 of the world’s top 25 financial services companies.
Ireland is a global leader in aviation leasing, a global tech hub, and a world leader in funds, insurance, pharma, and life sciences. Ireland is now becoming a primary centre for the provision of legal advice, and transactional services in these sectors.
Ireland is the only member of the European Union that operates a court system that is both English speaking and based on the common law. There is considerable uncertainty as to whether the judgments of English Courts will be easily enforceable in the EU.
Dublin is easily accessible from Europe and North America, with numerous direct daily flights with short flying times (London one hour, Paris 80 minutes, New York six hours). The city offers excellent hearing facilities, supported by highly developed telecommunications, broadband and audio-visual services, all available at competitive rates. Necessary support services are also available, such as experienced legal stenographers and simultaneous translation.
Those who choose Dublin as the venue for their arbitration can rely upon the familiar applicable law, the UNCITRAL Model Law, and the requisite court facilitation of arbitration which the Model Law requires. Parties, their advisers and their arbitrators therefore have the assurance and security of the highest standard recognisable in arbitration law. Ireland is also a New York Convention signatory, and parties can be assured that international arbitral awards are therefore directly enforceable, and awards rendered in Dublin have reciprocal recognition and enforcement in other states.
The Irish courts are experienced and efficient in taking measures supportive of arbitration in Ireland. These measures include: (i) mandatory stays on court proceedings where an arbitration clause is not null and void, inoperative and incapable of being performed; and (ii) limited grounds for setting aside or refusing to enforce an award.
Dublin also offers expertise and facilities for parties who wish to avail of mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), as part of or separate to their arbitration.