Global law firm DLA Piper has appointed Matthew Cole as the new head of its corporate practice in Ireland.

He takes over, with immediate effect, from Éanna Mellett, who has completed a four-year term in the role, but will continue to work alongside Cole as a partner.

DLA Piper says that Mellett’s term saw him oversee the establishment and significant growth of the practice to a team of 20 lawyers and business professionals.

Cole joined the firm as a partner in 2020, and has since led some of its most valuable international client relationships.

‘Significant’ deals

David Carthy (country managing partner, DLA Piper) said that Cole had led on some of Ireland’s most significant cross-border merger-and-acquisition (M&A) and private-equity deals over the past few years.

Cole said that the firm intended to continue to increase its share of the M&A and private-equity markets in Ireland.

“We will also significantly grow the corporate group and the size of its leadership team, both through lateral hires and, crucially, the promotion of our outstanding existing talent,” he added.