Experience

Patrick advises clients on a wide range of complex commercial disputes. He has particular expertise in insurance disputes, including coverage and policy wording disputes and professional indemnity claims. Patrick is also experienced in advising clients in relation to pensions disputes, regulatory investigations and enforcement matters, shareholder disputes and warranty claims, and administrative law matters and related judicial reviews. 

Patrick is an accredited IMI (International Mediation Institute) mediator. He is also a member of Council of the DSBA (Dublin Solicitors’ Bar Association).

Key highlights include advising:

Insurance:

  • business interruption ‘test cases’: acting for the successful plaintiffs in two ‘test cases’ in the Commercial Court concerning policyholders’ entitlements to business interruption cover following the outbreak of Covid-19.
  • aviation insurance cases: advising SMBC Aviation Capital Limited in its claim against insurers for the loss of 35 aircraft leased to Russian airlines not returned following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, with a claim value of approximately $1.7 billion in a trial lasting 90 days.
  • regulatory investigations and enforcement issues: advising various insurers and other financial service providers in relation to regulatory investigations and enforcement matters.
  • an insurer in the defence of complex proceedings involving novel legal issues concerning the liability of an insurer for an alleged breach of regulatory duties under relevant financial services legislation.
  • Vhi in defending proceedings brought against it alleging breaches of competition law.

General commercial litigation:

  • Regularly advising both applicants and respondents in judicial review proceedings brought against various State bodies.
  • Acting on a wide range of shareholder disputes and warranty claims in different sectors, including financial services, real estate and development, and the energy sector.
  • Advising a statutory body in the successful defence of proceedings alleging malicious abuse of civil process arising from a previous dispute.
  • Advising a financial institution in case stated proceedings before the Court of Appeal regarding the transfer of loans and security, and registration of title issues.

Pensions:

  • Advising the Trustees of the Vodafone Ireland Pension Plan in special summons proceedings regarding the interpretation of the Rules of the relevant pension trust deed.
  • Advising pension trustees and relevant stakeholders in relation to a range of FSPO complaints from scheme members.