McCann Fitzgerald has been named the leading Irish law firm in the area of ‘Innovation of Business Law’ at the FT Innovative Lawyer Awards 2018. The firm took away three honors in this category, one of which for its work in partnership with Women’s Aid.
The partnership with Women’s Aid provides legal information and assistance clinic to support women experiencing domestic violence who are representing themselves in domestic violence and family law proceedings. Led by Mary Brassil, partner in McCann FitzGerald’s employment group, the project saw 40 of the firm’s solicitors undertake comprehensive training and mentoring in domestic violence law and family law in order to provide a fortnightly clinic on such matters as separation, divorce, custody and maintenance. The project was developed by PILA as part of its Pro Bono Referral Scheme.
According to Managing Partner of McCann Fitzgerald, Barry Devereux, “Accessing legal aid is often not an option for women experiencing domestic violence, given the huge delays in the legal aid system. At McCann FitzGerald, we believe that it is important that we have a positive impact on the communities where we work by supporting projects that help those most in need. This partnership with Women’s Aid shows how corporate law firms can use their skills and expertise for the benefit of some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society.”
McCann Fitzgerald was also recognised for the creation of a new People Services division, which allows the firm to meet client’s demands without impacting internal teams, in the development of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) analysis appl.