About Michael
Michael Lavelle, Managing Partner, founded Lavelle Partners in 1987. He is a recognised leader in a wide range of commercial law matters with renowned expertise in relation to mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, insolvency, commercial litigation, shareholder disputes and partnership disputes.
He has a strategic overview of the legal market in Ireland and is the go-to person for numerous lending institutions and providing high level strategic advice on commercial issues. He is an experienced litigator and was lead adviser in many of the seminal Irish commercial cases and is an expert in his field.
Michael is a leading figure in insolvency, acting in liquidations, receiverships and examinerships for almost all the leading accountancy firms involved in insolvency. He regularly chairs creditors meetings and advises creditors on aspects of insolvency law. He has lectured in insolvency law for the Law Society of Ireland.
He is also a commercial law expert with a long history of working in contentious and non-contentious matters. He has extensive experience in high value commercial transactions and shareholder issues.
Michael advises on company takeovers and mergers and has been involved in a significant number of company sales and purchases. He also advises on general commercial agreements including agency and distribution agreements, shareholder agreements, option and other associated agreements as well as partnership disputes in professional services firms including law firms, accountants, architects, doctors’ practices and others.
In the Press
Read Michael’s interview with Business Plus Magazine on about firm performance and increasing commercial, litigation and property activity in the legal sector
Read Michael’s comments in The Sunday Business Post on Minority Shareholder Opression
Listen to Michael’s interview with Carol Coleman on RTE Radio 1’s This Week on post-pandemic insolvency
Recent Experience
- Acting in the acquisition and merger of two substantial companies involved in distribution and replacement in the motor industry with over one hundred outlets throughout Ireland.
- Acting for a majority shareholder acquiring minority shareholders following a dispute in the company in the printing industry.
- Acting for a UK creditor of IBRC in proceedings against IBRC after the creditor had obtained a judgment in the UK for in excess of STG£120m. Advising on the enforceability of the judgment and proceedings against IBRC to recover the judgment amount.
- Advising shareholders in a dispute with funders and other shareholders in relation to a multi-million euro project for the development of healthcare centres throughout Ireland.
- Advising the company, Maximum Media Network Limited, in relation to its examinership and the appointment of an examiner over its media business, joe.ie.
- Advising in a liquidation of a company, funded by the Revenue Commissioners, where substantial sums of money were recovered following the transfer of assets and debtors from an Irish company to a UK based company. The case resulted in one of the largest recoveries of unpaid taxes in recent years as a result of proceedings being taken personally against the directors.
- Advising many companies in different industries on insolvency processes including receiverships, examinerships and liquidations, assisting those companies throughout the process and, where necessary, representing companies at creditors meetings.
- Advising on the liquidation, construction and potential sale of companies associated with a partly constructed hotel complex involving expenditure in excess of €30 million.
- Advising partners in solicitors’ firms and partners in accountancy practices on disputes and issues arising associated with their partnerships.
Professional Memberships
- Law Society of Ireland
- Irish Society of Insolvency Practitioners
- Consulegis
What our Clients say
- “Michael is a senior statesman within the Irish legal market, he has built up solid relationships with his counterparts in the other commercial firms and with key figures across a range of industries. Michael puts his in-depth legal knowledge and commercial experience to use in advocating for his clients. He provides pragmatic and solution-focused advice. In short, Michael is the man you want in your corner.”
IFLR1000, 2023
- “Knowledgeable. Practical. Ruthless. Game-changer.”
IFLR1000, 2023
- “Michael Lavelle is an industry leader in this sector. His grasp of the complex issues was second to none and his ability to offer objective advice, even when we did not want to hear it was greatly valued. We felt very confident and secure having Michael go to bat for us and knew our position always got a good hearing. We have great trust in Michael’s opinions and advices and secured a very satisfactory outcome on conclusion of our engagement.”
The Legal 500, 2023
- “Michael Lavelle brings his significant market experience to the forefront and advocates passionately for his clients. He knows the Irish commercial market intimately. Michael is a strong strategist and assists his clients to place themselves in a position of strength from the outset of proceedings.”
The Legal 500, 2023
- “Michael Lavelle is a senior player in the Irish legal sector, he has the right connections and put those to use for his clients. He brings a wealth of experience, legal knowledge and market savvy to any transaction or proceedings on which he advises.”
The Legal 500, 2023
- “Michael Lavelle has extensive experience and provides practical advice that is relevant and full of common sense.”
The Legal 500, 2023
