Aoife Gaughan - Consultant
A seasoned legal advisor with over two decades of practice across construction, insurance, commercial litigation and health and safety. Aoife is recognised for guiding clients through complex, high value disputes and challenges in regulated industries, particularly within the construction and insurance sectors. Her practice covers advice to all construction industry stakeholders, including architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, contractors, sub-contractors, specialist suppliers and insurers. Triple qualified in Ireland, England & Wales and New York, Aoife brings a strategic and commercially focused approach to contract management, litigation, risk mitigation and sustainability compliance.
Formerly Executive Partner and Head of the Dublin Office of an international law firm, Aoife has successfully led multimillion-euro construction claims, high stakes mediations, strategic negotiations and Commercial Court claims. Aoife combines legal acumen with practical insight from overseeing B Corp sustainability operations and project managing EU-funded multinational projects.
A CEDR accredited mediator and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Aoife has significant experience in dispute resolution and consensus-building across jurisdictions. Aoife is also a founding member and former Vice Chair of the Irish Commercial Mediation Association, prior external examiner for the Law Society’s Mediation Diploma, and a regular contributor to legal education and international legal forums.
A seasoned legal advisor with over two decades of practice across construction, insurance, commercial litigation and health and safety. Aoife is recognised for guiding clients through complex, high value disputes and challenges in regulated industries, particularly within the construction and insurance sectors. Her practice covers advice to all construction industry stakeholders, including architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, contractors, sub-contractors, specialist suppliers and insurers. Triple qualified in Ireland, England & Wales and New York, Aoife brings a strategic and commercially focused approach to contract management, litigation, risk mitigation and sustainability compliance.
Formerly Executive Partner and Head of the Dublin Office of an international law firm, Aoife has successfully led multimillion-euro construction claims, high stakes mediations, strategic negotiations and Commercial Court claims. Aoife combines legal acumen with practical insight from overseeing B Corp sustainability operations and project managing EU-funded multinational projects.
A CEDR accredited mediator and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Aoife has significant experience in dispute resolution and consensus-building across jurisdictions. Aoife is also a founding member and former Vice Chair of the Irish Commercial Mediation Association, prior external examiner for the Law Society’s Mediation Diploma, and a regular contributor to legal education and international legal forums.
Experience
Construction – represented design team professionals in a high-profile multimillion-euro construction dispute in relation to complex design and construction issues, including High Court, mediation, expert determination and negotiation.
Construction – defending potential catastrophic loss claim in relation to an alleged design issue in relation to a building fit-out in a medical facility.
Construction – acting for insurers of mechanical and electrical engineers in a bespoke housing development including complex High Court claims and a successful referral to arbitration under Article 8 of the UNCITRAL model law.
Construction – defending a claim against a design team member in relation to a purpose-built gymnasium in a secondary school.
Infrastructure – an engineer in relation to a dispute involving construction of a national road.
Insurance – coordinated legal responses to regulators in ten jurisdictions and provided litigation risk advice on the structured windup of a reinsurance company and termination of all deals during a high-profile SEC investigation, to protect the client’s position globally.
Crisis management – placement in a distressed bank providing strategic troubleshooting and litigation advice during financial crisis, heavy media scrutiny and pressure from stakeholders, to protect the client and find a positive resolution.
Crisis management – advising financial institution in relation to a high-profile appearance before the Public Accounts Committee and in a related vast Discovery process.
Health & Safety – large fast-food chain in relation to health and safety issues on sites – employers liability and public liability.
Health & Safety – acting for employers’ liability insurers in relation to a significant manufacturing accident claim at a plant.
Product Liability – successful defence of a series of multi-million euro High Court product liability claims acting for a manufacturer, including obtaining a seminal High Court judgment for lifetime medical records.
Mediation – co-mediated the first dispute to be referred to mediation by the Commercial Court (a construction claim).
Qualifications/Education
Memberships
Other
Languages spoken – French and Spanish.