E: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to Managing Partner of Arthur Cox?

G: I’m a proud Cork man. I studied law in UCC and then completed a Masters in Trinity. I joined Arthur Cox as a trainee in 1998. I was one of eight trainees in my intake, spread over a two year period. I had barely heard of Arthur Cox when I arrived for my interview. I knew no one in the firm, I actually knew no one in law at all. I qualified as a solicitor in 2000. I left the firm on qualification to work with a leading law firm in New York. I returned to Ireland, and the firm, in 2002 and was appointed a partner in 2007. My practice area is mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and private equity. In 2019 I was appointed Managing Partner of the firm.

E: Did you always want to be a lawyer?

G: No, in fact I did a year of BComm before changing to law. At the time, I wanted to be an economist. It was a subject I loved in secondary school but I hated it in college! I ended up choosing law because I liked English and problem solving and, so far, it seems to have worked out all right.

E: What would you like your legacy as MP to be?

G: I will be happy if, after my tenure as Managing Partner, I can say that I have left the firm in an even better place than when I inherited it. This firm has given me incredible opportunities and I want to ensure that the firm is in the position to offer such opportunities to many others long after my term as MP ends. Inclusion and sustainability are key areas of focus for me. They are areas that the firm has focused on very successfully to date, but I would like to see even more progress in both areas. We have a robust gender diversity programme in place and we recently published a target to increase the percentage of female partners in the firm to 40% by 2028. I will be very pleased if by the end of my term we are well on track to achieve this target.

E: What has been the highlight of your career so far?

G: Without a doubt, it has to be being appointed Managing Partner of the firm in 2019. To be chosen by your peers to lead is a great responsibility, but also an enormous privilege.

E: Describe Arthur Cox in five words

G: Supportive, Challenging, Progressive and Never Dull!

E: Why should future lawyers choose to train in Arthur Cox?

G: You will be doing cutting edge, headline work with some of the brightest and most progressive people in the sector, in a collegial and inclusive environment. Our culture suits those with a drive to be the best lawyer and business advisor they can be, and who want to pursue this fulfilling career path in a supportive and friendly environment.

E: What is the best piece of career advice you have been given?

G: I have been given lots of great career advice over the years but I would say the best piece of career (and life) advice I was ever given was ‘don’t be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone’. As a junior lawyer that meant pushing myself to work on cases, transactions and projects that at the time seemed overly complex or above my level. It was a little nerve-wracking at first, but it was the best way to learn.

E: How has the firm performed during the pandemic?

G: I am pleased to say that the firm performed strongly through the pandemic. As we adjusted to the practicalities of remote working, everyone in the firm really rallied together to support each other and to ensure that we continued to deliver for our clients.

E: What learnings will you take from the last two years into the future?

G: Definitely a heightened appreciation for the little things in life – a trip home to Cork, a cycle with friends, a coffee with my work colleagues. From a business perspective, the positive experience of flexible and remote working through the pandemic have led us to introduce a new Hybrid Work Policy. Many people work remotely up to 50% of the working week, but arrangements vary by role, seniority and client need. Our trainees work from home up to 20% of the time, with the rest of their time spent working from the office for enhanced learning opportunities and to support their integration into the firm.