Biography
An experienced Chairman, non-executive director, CEO and advisor to boards and professional services firms. A seasoned mentor and executive coach.
I lead my own strategic advisory business, Julian Yarr Advisory, providing counsel to corporate boards, professional service firms, and their leaders. I specialise in working with independent law firms around the world on strategy, partnership matters, talent and performance.
I am a member of Accenture Ireland's Advisory Board and a non- ex. director of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland.
I am accredited (at practitioner level) by the European Mentoring and Coaching Council and work with CEOs, managing partners and other corporate and professional services leaders on performance and vertical development. I am an associate of CoachAdvisor, a UK based advisory firm whose purpose is to equip leaders to build healthy and thriving organisations.
My background
I held law firm leadership roles for nearly 20 years. From 2010 until May 2022 I was Managing Partner of A&LGoodbody - a full time executive CEO role leading a firm of over 100 partners and nearly 1000 people with offices in Ireland, the UK and the US. Before this, I headed up ALGs London office for 7 years.
I qualified as solicitor in Northern Ireland in 1995 and in the Republic of Ireland in 1997. My legal expertise was in M&A and Equity Capital Markets advising Boards and general counsel on their transactions in Ireland and internationally and was rated as a leading lawyer for this in Chambers Global, IFLR1000, Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal.
Between 2011 and 2022 I was a member of the National Council of Ibec, Ireland's largest employer representative organisation and was a member of Business in the Community Ireland’s “Leaders Group on Sustainability” for 4 years. I was also a member of the 30% Club Ireland leaders group on Professional service firms.
In 2016 the Great Place to Work Institute named me"Ireland's Most Trusted Business Leader" and I previously held the role of Chair of the Society of Young Solicitors of Ireland.