WEALTH March 27, 2026 0 Comments

Meet the Legal Mavericks Under 40 Who Are Quietly Reshaping the Commercial Law Game—And What It Means for Your Business Future

Ever wonder what it takes to be one of the sharpest young legal eagles shaping the commercial law landscape today? In a world where legal jargon can often sound like a foreign language, these 40 standout professionals prove that mastering complex corporate puzzles and delivering plain-English solutions is not only an art—it’s a game-changer. From managing billion-dollar mergers to untangling multinational pension schemes, these brilliant minds are the ones quietly steering the business world’s toughest deals. And guess what? Their secret sauce isn’t just legal smarts; it’s a mix of judgment, people skills, and a relentless drive to leave things better than they found them. Ready to peek behind the curtain at some of the brightest stars under 40 making serious waves in corporate law? You’re in for a treat. LEARN MORE

Business Plus has selected 40 brilliant young minds in the commercial law industry as part of the 40 Under 40 series

Alan Cronin – senior associate, corporate and commercial, RDJ

Alan Cronin is a senior associate in RDJ’s corporate and commercial team.

He advises on all aspects of corporate and commercial transactions across a range of sectors, acting for private equity firms, SMEs and large multinational organisations involved in multi‑jurisdictional deals.

Cronin has broad experience in domestic and international M&A, private equity, corporate restructurings, and corporate governance and advisory matters.

He also has extensive experience advising employers and pension trustees on day-to-day commercial and pension issues, including those involving large multi-employer pension schemes and cross-border pension schemes, both as an in-house and private practice lawyer.

40 Under 40 — Alan Cronin, senior associate at RDJ.

Hobbies: Outside work, I’m largely involved with my GAA club, Nemo Rangers, and family life — with reading and the odd HBO binge thrown in when time allows.
Best piece of advice you’ve received: I’ve been very lucky to have had, and still have, great mentors at home, in sport and at work and received a lot of wisdom. It’s very hard to look past “do the simple things well and then build on it”.
Why you love your job: I love my job because it lets me work with people and ideas at the same time — understanding what a business really needs, then translating complex legal or governance issues into plain‑English solutions clients can actually use. Every day is about taking something difficult and turning it into a clear, workable path forward. It’s work where detail matters, but judgment matters just as much — understanding not just the law, but also the people, timings and the wider commercial context. That mix keeps the role dynamic, challenging and genuinely meaningful. And, of course, I get to do it all from Cork.
Motto for life: Leave things better than you found them and try to have fun while improving them.

David Vos – corporate and M&A partner, Arthur Cox

David Vos is a partner in Arthur Cox’s corporate and M&A group, specialising in public M&A and equity capital markets transactions for domestic and international companies.

Vos also advises on private M&A, private equity and private credit transactions, corporate governance and securities law.

He has advised on some of the most significant corporate transactions in the Irish market in recent years, including advising:

Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc on its public takeover by Alkermes plc for $2.37 billion;

Flutter Entertainment plc on its listing on the NYSE and its ongoing international M&A programme, including its merger with The Stars Group Inc valued at £10 billion, its acquisition of Snaitech S.p.A. for $2.3 billion, its acquisition of the minority interest in FanDuel Group Parent LLC for $4.175 billion and its joint venture with NSX Group for $350 million;

Green REIT plc on its €1.34 billion public takeover by Henderson Park; and

ARYZTA AG on its CHF 908 million rescue rights issue and defence of an activist shareholder challenge.

Vos is consistently recognised by Chambers Global and The Legal 500 as a leading corporate lawyer, praised as a “trusted adviser” who is “extremely commercially focused” and noted for his ability to cut through complex issues with clarity and pace.

Hobbies: I most enjoy spending my free time with family (my wife Ciara, son Ben and an impending new arrival!). Outside of that, I like playing and watching virtually all sports, in particular soccer (where I still haunt the back pitch in Blackhall Place from time to time!), cooking and travel.
Best piece of advice you’ve received: “Don’t be late!” (from my grandfather on my wedding day – can’t fault it!)
Why you love your job: There are lots of fantastic parts to this job, but I always come back to the people. We have an amazing mix of incredibly impressive, driven and ambitious people who are also a pleasure to work alongside day in and day out. In particular, our trainees and other junior lawyers are outstanding, and working with them is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of the role.
Motto for life: “Take your work seriously but don’t take yourself too seriously.”