Top Irish practice opens second overseas office in California

A Leading Irish firm Matheson Ormsby Prentice has announced the opening of a second overseas office in Palo Alto, in the heart of America's Silicon Valley.

The office is staffed by senior associate Deirdre Dunne, and will be supported from Dublin by tax partner Liam Quirke and head of financial services David McGeough. Between them they will spend 10 weeks a year in the US.

Quirke said the primary aim of the office is to tap into the substantial stream of US inward investment into Ireland. "California is a huge market and there is a concentration of computer and software businesses which we particularly focus on," he explained.

According to Quirke, the firm, which acts for a third of the US Fortune 50 companies, has concentrated on developing specialist industry groups.

He said the new office was dedicated to "putting Ireland in the frame" for clients and their advisers.

He added that the tax situation in Ireland was one of the main attractions for a succession of big-name US firms.

The firm, which also has an overseas office in London, opened the office at the start of the year, but has only just formally announced its opening.