Law firm Dechert has opened its Dublin office and is expanding its European funds practice.

Declan O’Sullivan, head of Dechert’s Dublin team, advises domestic and international clients on the establishment and authorisation of all types of investment funds, including Ucits, hedge funds, property funds and private equity fund products. He also represents fund service providers, including investment managers, administrators, custodians and prime brokers.

A former chairperson of the Alternative Investments Committee of the Irish Funds Industry Association, O’Sullivan has played a leading role in the industry’s task force on the Alternative Investment Funds Managers Directive.

Michelle Moran joins the Dublin office as a partner in September. Moran focuses on advising clients on the establishment, authorisation and management of all types of retail and institutional investment funds, real estate funds and segregated institutional portfolios. She has experience advising on a wide variety of transactions relating to investment managers, brokers, custodians, fund service providers and operating platforms.

Moran joins Dechert from the Invesco Group, where she held various legal positions since April 2002, most recently serving as head of legal for UK and Ireland, advising on funds based in the UK, Ireland, Luxembourg and Jersey. She has participated in EU Commission Working Groups responsible for putting together proposals for changes to Ucits legislation and currently advises the Investment Management Association and the European Fund Asset Management Association.

Moran is also a panel member of the Expert Liaison Group and the Investment Bank Advisory Panel, both formed by HM Treasury to advise on desired policy and legislative changes prompted by the financial crisis.