Biography

Dr Thomas B. Courtney BA, LLB, LLD, founder of Courtney Governance Limited and Solicitor (non-practising) is author of The Law of Companies, (4th edn, Bloomsbury Professional, 2016) and a writer, speaker and thought leader in Irish company law and corporate governance. As Chairperson of the Company Law Review Group, from its establishment in 2000 to 2018, Tom is recognised as being the architect of the pioneering Companies Act 2014 which made the private LTD front and centre of Irish company law. Tom was a member of the EU Commission’s Advisory Group on Company Law and Corporate Governance, established by Commission Decision (2005/380/EC) and of the McDowell Group on Company Compliance & Enforcement. A former director, company secretary and head of legal at Bank of Ireland Mortgage Bank, Tom worked in banking for 11 years before spending 18 years as a senior partner in Arthur Cox LLP where he established and headed the company compliance and governance group. During his time in Arthur Cox, Tom advised the Department of Finance on the State's legislative response to resolve the Irish banking crisis. Tom also advised companies on complex shareholder disputes, subsidiaries' directors on their relationship with the parent company and the boards of many State bodies on their governance obligations and the relationship with their sponsoring department.