On Friday, 4 April, the Corporate and Insolvency Bar Association will host their Annual Conference in the Distillery Building, Dublin 7.
The Corporate & Insolvency Bar Association (CIBA) is excited to announce their Annual Conference on April 4th, 2025. This year’s theme, “Navigating New Challenges in Insolvency,” will examine the latest updates in the practice area across three expert panels and a fireside chat with judiciary. Online tickets are still available, register below.
Kelley Smith SC, Chair of the Corporate and Insolvency Bar Association, will deliver the opening remarks before Imogen McGrath SC commences the first panel of the day. The conference will host experts in the field of corporate law and policy including Denis Ryan, Deputy Official Assignee, Insolvency Service Ireland, Clíodhna Walsh, Beauchamps LLP, John Healy, Kirby Healy Chartered Accountants in addition to a broad range of law library members specialising in corporate and insolvency law.
Speakers will explore a range of topics including the evolving landscape of the duties of directors, updates in personal insolvency law, the evolution of cross-boarder insolvency in addition to a fireside chat with The Hon. Mr Justice Michael Quinn interviewing Mr. Justice Peter Kelly on key updates in corporate governance and insolvency.
Speakers and Panels
Panel 1 : The Evolving Landscape of the Duties of Directors
Imogen McGrath SC: Imogen was called to the Inner Bar in 2022 and practises primarily in the area of general commercial litigation, including corporate and insolvency law. Imogen is admitted to the Bar of England and Wales and the Bar of New York. She is a committee member of the Commercial Litigation Association of Ireland, Vice Chair of the EU Bar Association, as well as a member of CIBA.
Cian McGoldrick BL: Cian McGoldrick is a barrister practising at the Law Library in Dublin. Cian was called to the Bar in 2020. His primary areas of interest are company litigation, banking law and property law. He has experience acting for financial institutions and receivers as well as for companies in claims against directors for breach of duty and in shareholder litigation.
Marsha Coghlan: Marsha is a partner in A&L Goodbody LLP in the Disputes & Investigations group and in the firm’s specialist Restructuring & Insolvency group. She has wide experience in the area of general commercial litigation including financial services litigation, litigation involving directors and regulatory investigations.
John Healy: John Healy is a Partner in Kirby Healy Chartered Accountants and has acted as Liquidator, Receiver, Examiner and Process Advisor to approximately 200 companies. John is regularly engaged as a forensic accountant / expert witness in a variety of cases including fraud investigations, shareholder disputes, company valuations and family law cases. In his capacity as Liquidator, John has regularly brought proceedings in relation to the conduct of directors.
Grace Armstrong: Grace is a Senior Associate in the Restructuring and Insolvency Group at McCann FitzGerald LLP and has extensive experience acting for boards of companies in financial difficulty and also advises financial institutions, private entities, insolvency practitioners and directors in relation to a range of procedures. Grace has wide commercial litigation experience, has advised in relation to solvent reorganisations and has acted for insolvency practitioners appointed to regulated financial entities.
Panel 2: Personal Insolvency: Updates and Developments
Mr Justice Mark Sanfey: Judge Sanfey was called to the Inner Bar in 2004, practicing primarily in the areas of chancery, commercial, insolvency and construction law. In 2019, he was appointed to the High Court and has presided mainly in the Chancery and Commercial courts and has also presided as Judge in charge of the Arbitration, Personal Insolvency, and Bankruptcy Lists. He is co-author with Bill Holohan of “Bankruptcy Law and Practice” (2010).
Keith Farry SC: Keith is a graduate of The National University of Ireland, Galway and Trinity College Dublin, and the Honourable Society of King’s Inns. Keith is a practicing barrister at the both the Bar of Ireland and the Bar of Northern Ireland. Keith has a general civil practice, specialising in debt related proceedings, corporate and personal insolvency law, and bankruptcy.
Eithne Corry BL: Eithne practices in the area of commercial law with a particular emphasis on banking and personal insolvency law. In the course of her personal insolvency practice, she has advised and acted for banks, funds, NAMA and the ISI.
Denis Ryan: Denis is the Deputy for the Official Assignee in Bankruptcy in the Insolvency Service of Ireland with responsibility for the administration of Bankruptcy Estates. He is a qualified Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA) with 25 years’ experience in both the public and private sector. He has worked as an accountant in a number of diverse organisations in London and Dublin in the areas of financial services, ICT and media companies.
Clíodhna Walsh: Clíodhna is a partner in the Insolvency and Corporate Restructuring Team in Beauchamps LLP. Qualifying as a solicitor in 2013, she joined Beauchamps and was instrumental in setting up the team dealing with residential mortgage repossession. Since the enactment of the Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Act 2015, she has become a specialist in the area of personal insolvency and represents a large number of financial institutions in bringing objections to protective certificates and proposed personal insolvency arrangements.
Panel 3: The Evolution of Cross-Border Insolvency and Restructuring
Brian Kennedy SC: Brian is a Senior Counsel who practices mainly in the areas of commercial and administrative law. He has considerable cross-border restructuring experience and has also acted in many complex schemes of arrangement. He is the Chair of the Commercial Litigation Association of Ireland and a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
David Whelan SC: David is a graduate of UCD, King’s Inns and University College London and has been in continuous practice as a barrister since October 2006. His practice is focused primarily on commercial litigation and he specialises in corporate insolvency, company, contract, credit and security, insurance, and aviation law. He is a CEDR accredited mediator and took silk in October 2024.
Kathlene Burke: Kathlene is a corporate restructuring lawyer at Maples and Calder in Dublin who is qualified to practice in Ireland, America, England and the BVI. She has represented a diverse array of clients, including debtors, ad hoc groups, creditors and equity holders, in complex reorganisation cases across Europe, the US and various other jurisdictions. She has been involved in several landmark cross-border cases including, Lehman Brothers, Blockbuster, Swissport and Endo Pharmaceuticals.
Speaking on behalf of the conference, Chair of the CIBA Kelley Smith SC said,
Ireland remains a key player in the global restructuring and insolvency landscape, and CIBA is committed to supporting the continued development of expertise in this field within the Irish legal services industry. As this sector evolves, it is essential to stay engaged with both domestic and international developments.
This year’s conference provides a valuable opportunity to examine some of the most pressing issues facing our profession—from the evolving duties of directors to the latest developments in personal insolvency, and from cross-border restructuring to broader industry trends. These discussions will offer important insights into the challenges and opportunities shaping the future for our clients and colleagues.
About CIBA
Established in February 2022, CIBA is focused on promoting the expertise of members in the area of corporate and insolvency law.
The Association is keen to provide a forum for practitioners, run regular CPD and events, and to engage with bodies working in this area.
