What impact did the pandemic have on the Pharmaceutical and Medical Technology Industries in Ireland?  

Ireland played a significant role in bringing solutions to the market as many companies with facilities in Ireland worked hard to develop products. ICON worked on the clinical trial for the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine which was the first one to get regulatory approval.  This was a huge achievement in record breaking timelines and paving new legal and regulatory pathways in achieving this.  

In what ways do you see the in-house legal role evolving in your region over the next few years? 

We have been talking about legal AI for some time without seeing huge inroads yet. However, I think we will see more traction in this as in house counsel continue to take on more areas of responsibility and need to harness technology to make life easier.  

What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in? 

The legal team was central to ICON’s acquisition of PRA Health Sciences in July 2021 for $12 bn.  ICON was focused at minimising the time from deal signing to deal closing in order to reduce employees and customers uncertainty. ICON legal played a key role in quickly getting anti-trust, SEC and shareholder approvals for the deal which meant we only had a 4 month gap from signing to closing.  The acquisition has made ICON the world’s largest and most comprehensive healthcare intelligence organization employing 38,000 employees in 53 countries.   

 As we enter the next decade, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry? 

I think in-house teams really need to focus on talent as the key to success. The pandemic has shifted our understanding of how we work and what people ultimately want and I think that companies that get to grips with this faster will become more successful.