Insolvency & Liquidation · Ireland
Find liquidation lawyers in Ireland who handle company insolvency
Liquidation touches company law, court procedure and your own personal position. Describe what has happened in a few lines — a creditor’s demand, a dispute between directors, wages left unpaid — and we match you free of charge with a solicitor who handles company insolvency in Ireland.
- Solicitors and barristers who practise in Irish company insolvency
- Plain explanation of court jurisdiction, timelines and costs
- One short form, no obligation and no fee for being matched
Free matching · No obligation · First response usually within 24–48 hours
Get matched with a lawyer
Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
How it works
Liquidation work in Ireland: what shapes your case
Company insolvency rarely arrives on a convenient day. Whether you are a director being asked hard questions about the accounts, a creditor chasing a large unpaid invoice, or a shareholder who no longer trusts the numbers, the first useful step is the same: have a solicitor who handles liquidation and insolvency work look at the file. Ireland has its own rules about which court hears what, how lawyers are allowed to act and who pays whose costs, and they are not interchangeable with the rest of Europe. We do not give legal advice. We match you, free of charge, with liquidation lawyers in Ireland who work in this field, so that you can explain your situation once and hear what your realistic options are.
Ireland in practice
How the legal system works in Ireland
Ireland is a common-law country with a written Constitution, a split legal profession and a court system whose civil jurisdiction is fixed by the value of the claim. If your company’s affairs have gone wrong, these structural points shape who you instruct, where the case is heard and what it may cost.
A common-law system built on precedent
Irish law is not codified. It rests on judge-made precedent alongside the Constitution of 1937 (Bunreacht na hÉireann), Acts of the Oireachtas and retained pre-1922 legislation, together with EU law. Superior court decisions bind lower courts, and the courts may strike down legislation that conflicts with the Constitution.
Two branches: solicitors and barristers
Solicitors, regulated by the Law Society of Ireland, must be on the Roll of Solicitors and hold an annual practising certificate, and they deal with clients directly. Barristers belong to The Bar of Ireland, train at King’s Inns and are normally briefed through a solicitor for advocacy and specialist opinions. Clients from civil-law countries often find this division unfamiliar.
Which court hears the case
Civil jurisdiction in Ireland turns largely on value. The District Court hears claims up to €15,000 and the Circuit Court up to €75,000, or €60,000 for personal-injury actions, while the High Court has full original jurisdiction in civil matters. The Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court deal with appeals.
Costs: no statutory tariff, and ‘costs follow the event’
Fees for solicitors and barristers in Ireland are agreed between lawyer and client; there are no binding statutory tariffs. Since the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, practitioners must give clients certain information about costs in advance. Courts ordinarily order the losing party to pay the successful party’s costs, assessed by a Taxing Master or legal costs adjudicator if the amount is disputed.
Legal aid: means test, merits test, mainly family law
Civil legal aid and advice are run by the Legal Aid Board, a statutory body. They are open to people of modest means who pass a financial means test and, for litigation, a merits test, and applicants may be required to contribute financially. The scheme covers a range of civil matters, principally family law; criminal legal aid is a separate scheme granted by the courts.
Representation and language in Irish courts
English and Irish are the languages of the courts, and there is no general rule that a party must be legally represented. In practice, representation is usual in the Circuit Court and the High Court, where solicitors and barristers conduct proceedings. A barrister is normally instructed through a solicitor rather than directly by the client.
All country-specific information on this page is taken from official Irish and European sources — the European e-Justice Portal, the Courts Service of Ireland, the Irish Statute Book, the Legal Aid Board and the Law Society of Ireland — reviewed in 2025.
- European e-Justice Portal – National justice systems: Ireland
- Law Society of Ireland – Practising certificate
- Courts Service of Ireland – What the courts do
- Irish Statute Book – Statute of Limitations 1957, section 11
- Irish Statute Book – Statute of Limitations 1957, section 13
- Irish Statute Book – Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004, section 7
- Irish Statute Book – Defamation Act 2009, section 38
- Irish Statute Book – Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996
- Irish Statute Book – Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, section 8
- Legal Aid Board – Financial eligibility and merits test
Common situations
When do people look for a liquidation lawyer?
These are the situations clients most often bring to our matching service.
Your company may be insolvent
Cash is short, creditors are calling and you are unsure whether you are still entitled to keep trading. A solicitor can look at the position and explain what the law expects of directors in Ireland before you sign anything or meet a creditor.
A creditor has issued or threatened proceedings
Letters of demand, tribunal papers and court documents arrive with dates you did not choose. Knowing which Irish court has jurisdiction over the amount claimed, and what defending or settling is likely to involve, helps you decide calmly rather than react.
Employees and suppliers are waiting to be paid
Wages, redundancy and unpaid invoices affect real people, and some employment claims must be brought within six months, extendable to twelve. Employees and creditors are often advised to take their own legal advice, so early clarity protects everyone involved.
Why use our matching
What you get when you contact us
A short, practical route to a lawyer who already works with Irish company insolvency.
Lawyers who work in insolvency
We match you with solicitors whose practice covers company insolvency and liquidation work in Ireland, rather than a general practice that handles this only occasionally. You explain your situation once and speak to someone who recognises the issues.
Both branches of the Irish profession
Depending on the work, you may need a solicitor, a barrister for advocacy in the higher courts, or both. Because a barrister in Ireland is normally briefed through a solicitor, we help you start in the right place.
Costs explained before you commit
Irish lawyers’ fees are agreed between lawyer and client, and there are no binding statutory tariffs. Since 2015 practitioners must give clients certain information about costs in advance, so ask for a written estimate and compare it with the value at stake.
Matched within 24–48 hours
Send one short description of your company’s position and we approach lawyers on your behalf. There is no charge for the matching service and no obligation to instruct anyone; you decide after you have spoken to them.
Cross-border
Also looking for advice in another European country?
If a company, a creditor or a director sits outside Ireland, you may need lawyers in more than one jurisdiction. Tell us which countries are involved and we match you accordingly.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What do liquidation lawyers in Ireland actually do?
They are the solicitors who advise on company insolvency and liquidation work, and the barristers they brief for advocacy and specialist opinions in the higher courts. In Ireland the profession is split: your solicitor is your direct point of contact, prepares the case and instructs a barrister when court work is needed. We match you with lawyers who work in this area.
Which Irish court will my case go to?
It depends mainly on value. The District Court deals with civil claims up to €15,000, the Circuit Court up to €75,000 (€60,000 for personal-injury actions), and the High Court has full original jurisdiction in civil matters and hears the highest-value cases. Appeals go to the Court of Appeal and then the Supreme Court. A solicitor will confirm the correct forum for your dispute.
How are lawyers’ fees handled in Ireland?
There are no binding statutory tariffs for solicitors’ or barristers’ fees; fees are agreed between the lawyer and the client. Since the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 practitioners must provide certain information about costs in advance. Courts apply the ‘costs follow the event’ rule, so the losing party pays the successful party’s costs, assessed by a Taxing Master or legal costs adjudicator if the amount is disputed.
Can an employee still bring a claim if the company has failed?
Employment claims are subject to strict time limits. An unfair dismissal claim must generally be brought within six months of the dismissal, extendable in limited circumstances to twelve months. Employees, suppliers and creditors often need their own advice, and the sooner a lawyer looks at the file, the more room there is to consider the options.
Do I have to be represented by a lawyer in an Irish court?
There is no general rule requiring legal representation in Ireland: parties may represent themselves, and in the District Court people frequently do. Representation is usual in the Circuit Court and High Court, where solicitors and barristers conduct proceedings, and a barrister is normally instructed through a solicitor rather than directly.
How is the Irish system different from a civil-law country?
Ireland is a common-law jurisdiction. Its law is built on judicial precedent, the 1937 Constitution, Acts of the Oireachtas and EU law rather than a civil code, and superior court decisions bind lower courts. The legal profession is also split into solicitors and barristers. Clients arriving from continental Europe usually notice both differences, especially when a barrister has to be briefed through a solicitor.
Next step
Tell us about your company and get matched
Give us a short description of what has happened and which country you are in, and we will approach liquidation lawyers in Ireland on your behalf. The matching is free, there is no obligation, and you choose whether to instruct anyone once you have spoken to them.