Ireland for Law
Ireland for Law is a Government of Ireland initiative driving Ireland’s Legal Services Strategy.
Ireland for Law
Why choose Ireland for Law?
As a trusted, stable, and internationally connected jurisdiction, Ireland offers legal certainty, regulatory expertise, and world-class dispute resolution capabilities, particularly for commercial sectors where Ireland is already a world leader, such as:
- Common Law Jurisdiction, which offers legal certainty through the doctrine of precedent and well-established case law.
- English-Speaking Jurisdiction offering ease of communications for global business and a familiar legal framework.
- EU Membership which ensures seamless access to EU markets, alignment with European regulations and direct enforcement across the Union.
- Cross-Border Enforceability of Decisions across the EU and under international treaties such as the Lugano and Hague Conventions.
- Highly respected and independent judiciary and legal practitioners experienced in corporate, commercial, regulatory, and technology law.
Developed by General Counsel of Irish and international firms in partnership with Ireland for Law, the ‘Governing Law and Jurisdiction - Why Ireland?’ fact sheet further outlines the business case which in-house counsel and lawyers need when making decisions about legal jurisdiction.
According to the 2024 KPMG report ‘Economic impacts of the Irish legal profession’ commissioned by the Law Society:
- Irish legal services exported €1.4 billion in 2023, exceeding beer and whiskey exports.
- Ireland ranks 9th globally for the rule of law, reflecting strong public trust in the courts and legal system.
- The legal profession supports major sectors such as financial services, tech, pharma and agri-food.
Ireland offers legal expertise across key global industries
Ireland’s commercial success across key global industries underpins its reputation as a leading jurisdiction for international legal services and dispute resolution.
Aviation Finance
Aviation and Ireland enjoy a long and deep-rooted history. Aviation finance is a cornerstone of Ireland’s economy, with Dublin recognised as one of the world’s foremost centres for aircraft leasing and aviation finance. Ireland is home to many of the world’s leading aircraft lessors and aviation service providers, generating complex legal work across financing, asset security, restructuring, insolvency, and cross-border regulatory compliance.
Today, Ireland is the global centre for aviation finance and aircraft leasing.
- An Irish-leased aircraft takes off every two seconds.
- More than half of the world's leased aircraft are now owned or managed in Ireland.
- Fourteen of the world's top fifteen aircraft lessors are based in Ireland.
- Ireland has approximately a 65% share of the global commercial aircraft leasing market.
- Ireland has an excellent double taxation treaty network with a strong focus on cross-border aviation leasing transactions.
Funds
Ireland is the 3rd largest global centre, and 2nd largest in Europe, for investment funds, holding 20.1% of all European fund assets.
For more than 30 years, Ireland has been a leading domicile for the establishment of globally distributed investment funds, with investors in Irish funds spanning more than 90 countries worldwide. Irish funds may be established within a range of vehicles and regulatory regimes suitable for the full spectrum of investor types from retail to institutional investors.
Data published by Irish Funds, the industry's representative body, shows continued growth in the assets of, and net sales into, Irish-domiciled funds. According to Irish Funds’ ‘Why Ireland’ report 2025, total assets in Irish-domiciled funds have reached over €5 trillion.
Technology
Ireland has established itself as a global technology hub which serves as a gateway for businesses seeking to access the EU market. This has attracted many international ICT companies to establish EU headquarters in Ireland.
From this legacy of tech in Ireland, Irish legal professionals have built up a wealth of experience advising on commercial technology contracts and are well placed to expand this expertise as the only English-speaking common law jurisdiction in the EU post-Brexit.
Pharmaceutical
Ireland is one of the world’s largest exporters of pharmaceuticals and a major global centre for pharmaceutical manufacturing and innovation. The sector relies heavily on Irish law in areas such as regulatory compliance, intellectual property protection, product liability, and commercial contracting.
Ireland’s legal system has developed strong expertise in patent law, regulatory litigation, and complex commercial disputes arising from the pharmaceutical sector. This capability enhances Ireland’s reputation as a jurisdiction capable of resolving technically complex, high-value disputes efficiently, credibly, and in line with international best practice.
Life Sciences
Ireland’s life sciences sector reflects the country’s growing importance as a centre for research, innovation, and advanced manufacturing. Legal issues arising in this sector include clinical trials regulation, medical devices, health regulation, ethics, and data governance, often involving cross-border collaborations and EU-level oversight.
Ireland’s legal framework provides clarity, expertise, and effective dispute resolution mechanisms in this highly regulated environment. This supports international confidence in Ireland as a jurisdiction of choice for life sciences investment, governance, and the resolution of complex regulatory and commercial disputes.
Ireland is already a global leader in the life sciences industry. Continuous international investment since the 1960s has made Ireland the location of choice for international life sciences companies, accounting for 32% of GDP and €120 billion in exports.
Bringing the global community together in our city, and yours
International Missions
Each year, Ireland for Law coordinates strategic international business missions in key jurisdictions to build stronger relationships with international businesses and legal communities. Led by an Irish Government Minister and leading legal voices in Ireland such as the Attorney General and President of the High Court of Ireland, each mission brings a delegation of Irish legal professionals to demonstrate the case for choosing Irish Law.
>> Read more about recent and upcoming Business Missions.
Ireland for Law also partners regularly with bar associations internationally to communicate our message to international audiences and key legal markets.
>> Find out more about upcoming international events.
Dublin International Disputes Week (DIDW)
Each year, Dublin International Disputes Week (DIDW) brings together leading voices from across the global disputes community to explore the most complex and pressing issues in cross-border dispute resolution.
The programme provides a dynamic forum for discussion and collaboration, while showcasing Ireland’s depth of expertise in litigation, arbitration, mediation, and regulatory enforcement.
Ireland for Law welcomes international visitors to Dublin for DIDW, which gathers hundreds of Irish and international legal practitioners, in-house counsel, arbitrators, and policy leaders. Through a varied and forward-looking programme, DIDW offers insight into emerging trends and innovative thinking in international disputes, alongside exceptional opportunities to connect and network with leading global experts.
>> Find out more about Dublin International Disputes Week, which is taking place 19 - 23 October, 2026 in Dublin.
>> Learn more about Ireland for Law