ByrneWallace strengthens the firm’s Projects and Energy Groups

ByrneWallace is pleased to announce the continued expansion of the firm’s Projects and Infrastructure, and Energy & Natural Resources Groups with the recent appointment of new partners Fergal Ruane and Gavin Blake.   

Fergal Ruane, who now leads the firm’s Projects and Infrastructure Team, has over 20 years’ experience advising both public and private bodies in the areas of construction and public procurement law. In particular, he has extensive experience advising on a variety of public procurement, construction, PPP, infrastructure and commercial matters, and has advised on a vast range of projects in the transport, data centre, ICT, health, energy, residential, commercial and concession sectors.   Prior to joining ByrneWallace, Fergal’s previous roles included Head of Legal in the Railway Procurement Agency (now known as Transport Infrastructure Ireland) and senior positions with two well-known Irish corporate law firms.

Gavin Blake joins ByrneWallace as Partner and Head of the firm’s Energy & Natural Resources Team. With over ten years’ experience advising clients in the energy sector, Gavin has advised on a vast range of projects in the fields of wind energy, solar PV, bioenergy, hydropower, auto-production, conventional power, AD and CHP. He works with developers, funders and investors, from the preliminary site acquisition and consenting phase, right through to project commissioning.  In addition, Gavin has acted in the purchase and sale of approximately 300MW of both development stage and operational wind farms projects in ROI. Gavin joins the firm as partner from another large Dublin law firm, and was previously company secretary of a multi-national renewable energy developer.

Commenting on these appointments, Managing Partner Feargal Brennan said:  “We are currently experiencing significant growth in demand for legal advice on infrastructure and energy related projects. In particular, the launch of Project Ireland 2040 (by the Irish Government) earlier this year, coupled with the anticipated roll out of renewable energy projects under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), will drive further growth across this sector. As a result we foresee major large-scale infrastructural development to continue within Ireland through to 2040 and beyond.

“The appointments of Fergal and Gavin demonstrate the firm’s on-going commitment to delivering the best legal service to our clients, and will further enhance and strengthen our growing projects offering. Fergal and Gavin will work collaboratively with expert lawyers from our Procurement, Construction, Property, Banking & Finance, and Corporate Teams to provide a fully integrated service, advising both the private and public sector, thus making it one of the largest projects practices in Ireland.

 “I would like to welcome Fergal and Gavin to ByrneWallace. I am confident that they will be successful in their new roles.”

For more information or general advice in relation to Energy and Natural Resources or Projects and Infrastructure, please contact Gavin Blake or Fergal Ruane, or your usual ByrneWallace contact.