Information technology

Mason Hayes & Curran LLP

Mason Hayes & Curran LLP's technology practice is active in advising its clientele of global, blue-chip companies on cyber security, licensing agreements, and data protection compliance; compliance is a key area of strength for the firm, which has seen significant work related to complying with, and the intersection between, DORA, the EU DSA, and the EU AI act. Practice head Philip Nolan is an expert in GDPR compliance and routinely assists with regulatory matters, while Robert McDonagh has carved out a niche in public technology procurement projects. Other integral members of the team are outsourcing contract specialists Wendy Hederman, Dermot McGirr, and Mark Fry.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘I have instructed Dermott McGirr on numerous occasions to review and negotiate IT agreements. He is a particularly strong advisor in the area and has been able to quickly understand fairly complex software agreements and advise on content. He is also adept at suggesting alternative or better ways to structure agreements to achieve the desired outcomes for the business.’
‘Mason Hayes & Curran LLP has a deep familiarity with regulations, industry norms, and regulatory expectations. The firm has consistently provided high quality advice in a clear and organized manner that has allowed us to move confidently in quickly evolving areas of law.’
‘Wendy Hederman is a stand-out partner at Mason Hayes & Curran - she is a reliable source of excellent, detailed legal advice, even under tight timelines. Her advice is actionable and easy to digest.’
‘Mark Fry is an excellent responsive lawyer, who provides clear, considered, practical advice. Part of his expertise is his ability to explain legal risks to business stakeholders in terms they will understand and then ably negotiate on their behalf. He is also very skilled at providing more detailed advice on complex legal matters to in-house legal teams.’
‘My interaction with Mr Brian McElligott impressed upon me his comprehensive knowledge of technology legislation and his balanced opinion on the specific area of Artificial Intelligence. His AI Review 2023 is essential reading for all.’
‘Brian McElligott really stands out in the AI legal market - he and MHC were very much "ahead of the curve" in terms of setting up Brian's specific AI practice and have done trojan work on establishing themselves as the frontrunner in this market. Brian's technical expertise and warm manner only serve to augment this.'
‘Brian McElligott is a partner on the Technology Law team and leads MHC's AI team. I’ve collaborated with Brian on several inquiries regarding the EU’s AI Act, and his advice has consistently been clear and concise, even in this evolving legislative landscape. He also provides regular updates to our team, ensuring we stay informed about the latest developments in AI law.’
‘Philip Nolan always sees the big picture whenever we bring him in to evaluate legal issues. He has developed vast experience through various levels of regulatory engagement to where he can quickly articulate how he thinks a legal position may be received by regulators or the public. With that said, his legal analysis skills are extremely sharp and he is always able to map a position that he advocates back to specific regulations, regulatory guidance, or case law.’

Key clients

Enterprise Ireland
Meta Platforms Ireland Limited
The Scalers Limited
Ancestry
Concern Worldwide
NetApp
Encirc

Work highlights

Advised Stripe on aspects of adopting and deploying generative AI.
Advising Meta and WhatsApp on the negotiation of bespoke commercial arrangements.
Advised Ancestry on its online user terms and its platform online interfaces to assess compatibility with various e-commerce and consumer protection laws.

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