William Fry moves into London to boost international profile

The office will be headed by corporate partner Stephen Keogh, who focuses on M&A and private equity work.

William Fry previously had a London office but closed it in 1998. Its domestic rivals all have a presence in the City. The firm is taking office space in Heron Tower, where it will have Irish competitor Matheson Ormsby Prentice for a neighbour.

Keogh said William Fry partners had been regularly travelling to the UK to meet clients, both companies and international law firms, and it made sense to have a permanent presence in London.

At the same time William Fry has promoted three associates to partner in Dublin. Corporate lawyer Joanne Conlon, litigator Richard Breen and competition specialist Claire Waterson were all made up. The firm has also hired pensions lawyer Liam Connellan from Irish firm Eugene F. Collins as a partner.

William Fry also has offices in New York and Mountain View, California as well as its Dublin headquarters.