A&L Goodbody LLP

Overview

A&L Goodbody (ALG) is a leading Irish full‑service corporate law firm with a major domestic market position and an international footprint across London, Belfast, New York and San Francisco. The firm is best known for high‑end corporate and finance work, deep sector expertise (technology, financial services, real estate, energy and life sciences) and an internal focus on legal innovation and alternative delivery through ALG Solutions. ALG combines traditional partner‑led practice groups with captive delivery and technology teams (ALG Solutions / Legal Project Management) and positions itself as a go‑to adviser for multinational clients locating European operations in Ireland.

Headquarters: Dublin
Offices: 5

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

Corporate & M&A
Banking & Finance
Financial Services & Regulation
Investment Funds
Real Estate
Employment
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Technology & Digital
Intellectual Property
Environment & Planning
Energy & Natural Resources
ESG & Sustainability
Insurance & Reinsurance
Tax
Pensions
Infrastructure & Projects
Construction & Engineering
Regulatory & Compliance
Commercial Contracts
Healthcare & Life Sciences

Geographic Focus: The firm’s core market is the Republic of Ireland (headquartered in Dublin) with a strong cross‑border practice in Northern Ireland (Belfast) and strategic international hubs in London, New York and San Francisco. ALG serves multinational corporate clients (including companies that make Ireland their European headquarters) and combines Ireland‑focused sector expertise with cross‑border transactional and regulatory capability.

Training Contract

ALG’s trainee development is supported by seat rotations across practice groups with formal programmes of development (Ignite and ALG School of Business & Law). The firm emphasises exposure to substantive client work, partner sponsorship and structured feedback.

Seat Options

Corporate & M&A
Finance
Real Estate
Employment
Disputes & Investigations
Commercial & Technology
EU, Competition & Procurement
Environmental & Planning
Energy, Infrastructure and Natural Resources
Asset Management & Investment Funds
Insurance & Reinsurance
Tax
Pensions
Restructuring & Insolvency
Private Equity & Venture Capital

Sponsorship

Trainee‑specific financial supports referenced on the firm pages include payment of FE‑1 exam fees, full salary paid whilst at the Professional Practice Course with the Law Society of Ireland / The Institute of Professional and Legal Studies (IPLS), exam bonuses, and payment of Law Society fees during the traineeship. Additional trainee supports include a contribution to a Personal Retirement Savings Account and a conveyancing benefit.

Mentorship

ALG emphasises access to mentoring and development across its trainee intake, assessment and feedback throughout the traineeship, and peer networks such as the 'Great Place to Work' committee which includes trainee solicitors. The firm highlights partner sponsorship and ongoing review and feedback as part of professional development.

Apply on the A&L Goodbody LLP website →

Notable Matters

ALG developed ALGorithm to support large portfolio loan sale due diligence

Using internal Legal Project Management (LPM) and technology resources ALG developed a bespoke, proprietary intelligent database platform (ALGorithm) to centralise data capture and provide real‑time reporting and insight for a major portfolio loan sale. The tool was built to meet aggressive timelines and to improve reporting accuracy, reduce errors and achieve cost efficiencies for the client, supporting multiple teams working across the sale process.

Commercial Contracts

Boston Scientific – patent infringement proceedings

Advised Boston Scientific in relation to patent infringement proceedings (matter listed on the firm’s Technology experience page). The engagement demonstrates ALG’s contentious IP capability acting for medical devices and life sciences clients.

Intellectual Property

Abbott Laboratories – patent revocation proceedings

Acted for Abbott Laboratories in patent revocation proceedings (listed in the firm’s Technology experience). This matter underlines ALG’s patent litigation and life sciences regulatory expertise.

Intellectual Property

Airbnb – commercial and outsourcing arrangements

Advised Airbnb on commercial and outsourcing arrangements with suppliers in connection with its operations in Ireland, showcasing the team’s technology/commercial contracts capability for a major multinational platform client.

Technology & Digital

Bank of Ireland – technology outsourcing transactions

Advised Bank of Ireland on multiple material technology outsourcing transactions, demonstrating experience in finance sector technology contracting and regulatory considerations.

Banking & Finance

Stripe – review of internal data privacy procedures

Conducted a review of Stripe’s internal data privacy procedures, reflecting ALG’s work advising technology and payments businesses on privacy and data security matters in Ireland.

Data Protection & Privacy

PicMonkey – data protection for EMEA headquarters

Advised PicMonkey on data protection and inter‑group licensing and customer‑facing documentation for the establishment of its EMEA headquarters in Dublin.

Data Protection & Privacy

Post‑Brexit Windsor Framework advice (Northern Ireland)

Advised multiple clients in Northern Ireland on regulatory and practical implications of retained EU rules under the Windsor Framework, including Waste and Packaging Regulations, the Industrial Emissions Directive application to a power station, customs/VAT/excise arrangements, biocidal products regulation compliance and issues relating to Economic Operators Registration and Identification numbers.

Regulatory & Compliance

What A&L Goodbody LLP Looks For

Key Competencies

Commercial awareness
Teamwork and collaboration
Strong communication skills
Commitment to professional development
Innovation and problem solving
Resilience and adaptability
Interest in technology and project delivery
Commitment to diversity and pro bono/social impact

Evidence Signals

Meaningful legal work experience or internships
Commercial / client‑facing experience
Demonstrable interest or experience in legal technology or project management
Pro bono, volunteering or social mobility engagement
Participation in moot, negotiation or other practical legal activities
Examples of collaboration on cross‑functional projects

Benefits & Wellbeing

Top of the market salary
All Law Society fees paid
Payment of FE-1 exams included
Full salary paid whilst at Professional Practice Course (Law Society/IPLS)
Exam bonus
Discretionary Christmas bonus
Matching contribution to personal retirement savings account (PRSA)
Conveyancing benefit
Life assurance
Home working allowance
Contribution towards private health insurance
Wellness and employee assistance programme (EAP)
Paid maternity, paternity and adoptive leave
Long term sickness policy
VDU eye testing and contribution towards eyesight testing and glasses/contact lenses
Annual flu injection (Dublin)
Education assistance/study leave
€650 marriage/civil partnership gratuity
Unpaid leave
Company days over Easter and Christmas
Bike to work scheme
TaxSaver travel ticket (Dublin)
Subsidised restaurant and coffee dock (Dublin)
Subsidised onsite Perpetua gym (Dublin)
Sports, social and charity event programme
Staff discounts and promotional offers

Wellbeing

Wellbeing supports include a wellness and employee assistance programme, contribution towards private health insurance, subsidised onsite gym in Dublin, annual flu injections in Dublin and targeted partnerships with wellbeing charities (for example ALG Belfast partnership with Inspire).

Awards & Recognition

Tier 1 in 24 practice areas (2026)
Band 1 across 20 practice areas (2026)
Law Firm of the Year Ireland (2025)
Ireland Tax Firm of the Year (2025)
Ireland M&A Legal Advisor of the Year (2025)
Best ETF Law Firm (2025)
Company of the Year (National Diversity & Inclusion Awards) (2025)
Investors in Diversity Gold Mark (2025)
ALG Solutions – Future of Legal Services award (ALM Law.com International Legal Innovation & Technology Awards) (2024)
Most Innovative Law Firm in Ireland – FT Innovative Lawyers (2018)
Outstanding Firm for Pro Bono (Chambers Europe) (2021)
#1 M&A legal advisor in Ireland by deal volume for 2024 - Mergermarket

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

ALG has received Investors in Diversity accreditation (Gold Mark), has been recognised at the National Diversity & Inclusion Awards (Company of the Year and category wins), and has received regional and international DEI awards and recognition for its social mobility and inclusion programmes.

In‑House Counsel Pro Bono Network
Great Place to Work committee (includes trainee solicitors)
ALG Belfast partnership with Inspire (charity partnership)
Pro bono programmes supporting refugees and young people facing homelessness

Pro Bono

ALG runs an established pro bono programme headed by a Head of Pro Bono (Eithne Lynch) and a dedicated pro bono lawyer. The firm facilitates the In‑House Counsel Pro Bono Network (established 2023) to deploy legal responses with commercial clients, provides volunteering, pro bono legal advice and fundraising, and delivers legal education to communities such as recently arrived international protection applicants, prisoners and social entrepreneurs. The firm has been recognised for high‑impact pro bono work in support of LGBTQ+ inclusion and social mobility.

Innovation

ALG treats technology and process innovation as a core firm strategy. The firm builds bespoke tools internally (ALGorithm) via a Legal Project Management unit to deliver large, time‑sensitive portfolio due diligence and reporting; it has established ALG Solutions (ALGS), a 60+ professional captive alternative legal services provider that combines technology, project management and scalable legal resourcing; and it invests in learning and knowledge via the ALG School of Business & Law. ALG’s innovation approach has been recognised in international innovation awards and is integrated into client delivery and alternative resourcing models.

ALGorithm (proprietary due diligence and reporting platform)
ALG Solutions / ALGS (captive alternative legal services provider)
Legal Project Management (LPM) Unit
ALG School of Business & Law
ALG AudioLab (podcast series)

Quick Application Angles

Reference ALG’s innovation work (ALGorithm / ALG Solutions) in applications for technology, project management or commercial roles — explain how you would add value to (or learn from) these teams.
Mention the Ignite programme and ALG School of Business & Law when describing your career aspirations to show you have considered their training structure and development offering.
Highlight commercial awareness in a chosen sector (eg. financial services, technology or real estate) and, where possible, cite a recent ALG insight or client matter (for example sustainability‑linked loans, Digital Services Act guidance, or the firm’s work on technology outsourcing) to show sector fit.
Emphasise commitment to social impact and inclusion: ALG has won awards for social mobility and DEI and runs an active pro bono programme — provide concrete examples of volunteering or pro bono experience.
If applying for technology, data or privacy roles, demonstrate familiarity with practical privacy or data security issues (ALG has advised Stripe and PicMonkey) and give examples of technical curiosity or project experience.