Irish firm RDJ has named commercial litigator Jamie Olden as its new managing partner, replacing outgoing Richard Martin who is stepping down after a decade in the role.

Olden has been at the firm since 2007 and was appointed partner in charge of its new Dublin office in 2013, staying in that role for six years and overseeing the growth of the firm’s presence in the Irish capital.

Over the past decade the firm has expanded from its initial roots in Cork to three national offices (Cork, Dublin and Galway) and one in London, which has seen the RDJ team double to more than 280 employees.

Olden said: “RDJ has a talented team of practitioners and business professionals dedicated to delivering long-lasting business impact for our colleagues and clients. I look forward to leading the continued investment in our people and new technologies to deliver better ways of getting results for our clients.”

Prior to joining RDJ, Olden spent nine years as an associate at A&L Goodbody.

During Martin’s tenure, the firm said it had made ‘significant’ investments in technology, wellness and diversity and inclusion, as well as rebranding as RDJ – having previously been known as Ronan Daly Jermyn.

Martin, who will return full time to his commercial disputes practice at RDJ, said: “We are delighted to have someone of Jamie’s calibre leading our firm into its next phase of growth and development. Jamie drove the hugely successful opening and development of our Dublin office before returning to Cork in 2019.”

Data supplied by the Law Society of Ireland places RDJ as the tenth-largest firm in Ireland by lawyer numbers, with 104 practising solicitors registered at the start of the year. 

Elsewhere in Ireland, at the start of this month Dentons hired veteran Dublin disputes lawyer Karyn Harty from McCann FitzGerald, where she will head up the firm’s Irish litigation team when she takes up the role in late September.

In June, Eversheds Sutherland expanded its Irish business with a tie-up with Dublin boutique Kenny Solicitors, bolstering its commercial litigation and real estate coverage in Ireland.

Also in June, Matheson made a twin partner hire from two rival Irish firms to strengthen its competition and real estate practices in Dublin. Niall Collins joined from Mason Hayes & Curran as  head of the firm’s EU competition and regulation practice, while Karen Sheil joined from William Fry as a commercial property partner.