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Marie McGinley

Partner
Head of Intellectual Property, Technology and Data Protection

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Languages: Irish (Gaeilge)

Marie is an outsourcing, contract, technology, data protection and cyber law partner who leads the Intellectual Property, Technology and Data Protection Group in Ireland.

Marie advises clients in a range of sectors on commercial contracts, data protection compliance, cyber security, technology and strategic outsourcing. Marie has particular experience of advising on complex technology and commercial outsourcing arrangements in all sectors. In addition, Marie also advises on intellectual property/technology development and exploitation. She has particular experience in developing and advising on procurement and licensing arrangements, including managed services, systems integration, technology distribution and franchising. Marie advises on both the customer and supplier side across these areas, which provides her with a unique ability to understand and distil legal issues that may arise.

Marie also has particular experience in advising on a wide range of data protection and privacy law matters, which are relevant to both domestic and international clients. Marie’s focus is to provide professional advice on a wide range of these data protection and privacy matters but also ensure that there is a strong focus on finding practical solutions.

Marie advises both public and private clients on freedom of information, access to information on the environment and confidentiality matters, including compliance requirements, advice and support to clients in responding to information requests and any subsequent appeal process. This experience affords Marie a good and in-depth understanding of the expectations on both sides when advising on these matters. 

Marie is also credited for her cybersecurity work and supporting clients to prepare, prevent and respond in the context of breaches/cyber incidents. Her experience includes both advising and managing multi-jurisdictional breach incidents with her colleagues in the Eversheds Sutherland Global Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Practices, high profile breach investigations, GDPR supervisory assessments/audits, assisting clients to manage their responses, coordinate with multiple agencies and stakeholders, and manage potential claims and damage to reputation.

Marie also advises on the development, protection and exploitation of intellectual property for clients. She is also a registered Irish Trade Mark Agent.

In addition to Marie’s core practice, she advises on strategic legal due diligence and transitional services arrangements in relation to corporate acquisitions, disposals and restructurings.

Marie’s recent client experience includes:

  • Advising a multi-national technology company on a number of strategic outsourcing arrangements, including managed networks, application development and maintenance, IT infrastructure and data centre services.
  • Leading cyber-incident responses and data breach responses for a number of public and private companies.
  • Advising a new Irish payment service provider on the launch of a new payment offering in the Irish market, including advising on a business critical outsourcing arrangement and all technology, intellectual property, data protection and cyber resilience aspects.
  • Leading the Eversheds Sutherland Ireland team that advises a global data centre operator on its targeted activity within Ireland and across Europe.
  • Advised a leading European financial service provider on a number of long-term strategic partnerships in the Irish market, including the development of a critical software platform and the complex issues that arose from a data protection law perspective.
  • Active engagement with the Data Protection Commission on behalf of various clients, including representing clients as part of a number of ongoing statutory inquiries.
  • Leading a European wide project for a global e-commerce platform to update its consumer documentation on foot of the Ominbus Directive.
  • Leading a transaction for a global industrial company which involved a strategic partnership with a utilities company in order to develop smart products and supporting the client on the launch of same in various European countries.

Marie is a regular speaker and contributor on matters relating to technology, outsourcing/commercial contracts, data protection and cyber security.

Marie lectures and tutors in the area of Intellectual Property, Information Technology and Data Protection at the Law Society of Ireland.

  • Marie won 'Technology, Media, & Telecommunication Lawyer of the Year’ at the Women in Business Law Europe Awards 2021.
  • Marie has been ranked by Chambers Europe since 2017 (Intellectual Property) and 2018 (TMT).
  • In Legal 500, Marie is ranked as “Leading Individual” in Information Technology and “Next Generation Partner” in Data Privacy and Data Protection.
  • Client feedback includes:

Marie McGinley "is very generous with her time and has a wealth of knowledge from both a legal and a business perspective" - Chambers Europe

"She gives practical, solution-focused advice" - Chambers Europe

"She gets to the centre of an issue very quickly" - Chambers Europe

"She is able to deal with people of all levels in our organisation and explain things clearly" - Chambers Europe

One client describes her as an "excellent communicator" who is "very knowledgeable in her field." - Chambers Europe

One client says that "she is very prompt and has good attention to detail" while another states: "She translates the complex legal issues into terms that I can deal with." - Chambers Europe

Marie "has a pragmatic style and approach and has been very supportive. She has delivered practical solutions to complex legal issues" - Chambers Europe

She distinguishes herself by being "very responsive and practical" and impresses clients, who describe her as "very knowledgeable" and a "subject matter expert" - Chambers Europe

"top-notch, goes above and beyond without having to be asked and gives really practical advice" - Chambers Europe

"she is obviously a subject matter expert and has a good way of explaining things" - Chambers Europe

"She is truly an expert with an impressive and broad knowledge of IP law" - Chambers Europe

‘Marie McGinley is my main contact and her level of professionalism, knowledge, expertise and commitment is exceptional. Marie has presented to our Board of Directors, medical consultants and senior management on the subject of Data Privacy and data protection and has done so with the ability to apply to their area of practice. Her advice is not only expert but also applicable.’ - Legal 500

Marie McGinley is "personable" and she "has a deep knowledge of the GDPR" - Legal 500

Legal 500 EMEA-Leading Individual-2021

Legal 500 EMEA-Next Generation Partner-2021

Ranked in Chambers Europe 2020, 2021

  • Member of the Law Society of Ireland
  • Irish Trade Mark Agent
  • Member of the Executive Council of Host in Ireland, a global initiative created to increase awareness of the benefits of hosting digital assets in Ireland as well as Irish companies that are designing, building, and operating data centres globally.
  • Committee Member of Pathways, which is Eversheds Sutherland Ireland’s gender equality network. In this role, she works with members across the firm on gender strategy and awareness initiatives. She regularly attends networking events in this area and is an avid supporter of female leadership and gender balance in the workplace.
  • Member of the ICT Committee, British Irish Chamber of Commerce
  • Board Member of the Marie Keating Foundation, a registered charity in Ireland dedicated to cancer related advice and services.
  • Bachelor of Corporate Law, National University of Ireland, Galway, 2000-2003
  • LLB (Hons) Law, National University of Ireland, 2003-2004
  • Diploma in Irish (Gaeilge) (Distinction), National University of Ireland, Galway, 2002
  • LLM (International and Comparative Commercial Law), Kings College London, 2001-2005
  • Solicitor, Law Society of Ireland, 2007
Marie McGinley

Partner

Head of Intellectual Property, Technology and Data Protection

Marie McGinley

Partner

Head of Intellectual Property, Technology and Data Protection

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