Stephen Quinlivan is a partner in the firm's Corporate department and part of the mergers & acquisitions (M&A) group. Stephen also works very closely with the firm's Insurance department on a range of corporate insurance matters, in particular insurance sector M&A and international re-organisations for insurance groups. Stephen is also a very experienced private equity lawyer and advises a number of the firm's key PE clients on fund level matters, acquisitions, disposals, joint venture arrangements and MIPs. Stephen's key areas of expertise include general M&A transactions, insurance M&A, private equity, group restructurings, cross-border mergers, cross-border conversions, loan portfolio sales, insurance policy portfolio sales, public takeovers, shareholders agreements and share incentive schemes.
Areas of Expertise
Corporate and M&A/Insurance M&A/Insurance & Reinsurance /Private Equity/Corporate Advisory & Company Law/Venture Capital & Growth Equity /ESG and Sustainability
Experience Advising:
- Zurich Insurance Europe on the disposal of its managing general agent Wrightway Underwriting to Gallagher.
- Zurich Insurance plc on its ground-breaking cross-border conversion into a German stock corporation under the Mobility Directive in 2023. This was the first ever outbound cross-border conversion of an Irish company and the first ever cross-border conversion of a regulated insurance company anywhere in Europe.
- AIG/Corebridge on the sale of its Irish health insurance MGA, Laya Healthcare, to AXA for €650m in 2023.
- Liberty Mutual on the Irish aspects of the sale of its West European Markets general insurance business to Generali for €2.3bn in 2023.
- Arthur J. Gallagher on its entry into the Irish market in 2022 via the acquisition of Innovu insurance and its further acquisition of First Ireland Risk Management in 2023.
- Corten Capital on its joint venture arrangements in connection with its acquisition of EKCO.
- Madison Dearborn and Ardonagh on their acquisition of Arachas Insurance, including joint venture and MIP arrangements.
- Tesco Ireland on the acquisition of Joyce's Supermarket Group.
- Blackstone Infrastructure Partners and other consortium members on the acquisition of Applegreen plc by way of public takeover.
- AXA/XL on cross-border mergers of AXA Art Versicherung AG (Germany) and AXA Corporate Solutions Assurance (France) into XL Insurance Company SE.
- Liberty Insurance Ireland in relation to the migration of its Irish authorised general insurance business, by way of a court sanctioned portfolio transfer and cross-border merger, to Liberty Seguros Spain.
- The Aegon Group on the sale of its Irish life insurance business, Aegon Ireland plc, to Athora/Apollo.
- The Achmea Group on the sale of its Irish life insurance and pensions business, Friends First Life Auurance Company DAC to Aviva.
- Goldman Sachs on the sale of its Irish portfolio hotel business, Tifco, to Apollo.
- Aviva on the sale of Aviva Health Insurance Ireland to Irish Life.
Market Recommendations
‘Stephen Quinlivan goes above and beyond what is required to deliver an efficient, professional service, which represents our interests while maintaining our industry and investor relationships.’ (Legal 500 2025)
‘Stephen Quinlivan – a rising superstar, excellent, very reactive and delivers solution focused outcomes.’ (Legal 500 2024)
Ranked as a “Next Generation Partner” by Legal500 for Commercial, Corporate and M&A in Ireland
Ranked as a “Key Individual” by Legal500 for Insurance Law in Ireland
Education
- Solicitor, Law Society of Ireland
- Bachelor of Business and Law, UCD (First Class Honors)
- Masters in the Business of Law, UCD Smurfit
Stephen Quinlivan
Partner,
Corporate and M&A
Dublin