Quinns and their lawyers part ways as court battle with IBRC rages on

Lawyers for the Quinn family have applied to stop representing them in their ongoing legal battle with the IBRC.

Dublin law firm Eversheds has been representing the Quinn family for the past 18 months in their increasingly bitter court saga with IBRC, formerly Anglo Irish Bank, over unpaid billions in loans.

IBRC is looking to recover roughly €2.8bn extended to the Quinn family and the Quinn group of companies.

The family claims the basis for these loans was illegal and they are not legally obliged to repay them.

In a statement, the Quinns said that “due to the financial position we have been placed in as a result of Anglo’s hostile takeover of our companies, and recent court orders obtained by the bank”, they could no longer afford the services of Eversheds.

“This disastrous scenario for each of us has been strategically orchestrated by Anglo, who have done everything in their power to ensure that our challenge over the illegal loans advanced to our companies is never heard before the Irish courts,” the statement continued.

IBRC responded by saying “it would be inappropriate to speculate on the reasons for such withdrawal, but noted that the court has made express provision for the discharge of reasonable legal expenses in connection with the litigation being pursued and defended by the Quinn family”.

The Quinns initiated the process to remove Eversheds as their representatives. Eversheds declined to comment on its application to “go off the record” in its representation of the Quinn family. It is not known how much is owed in legal fees to Eversheds.

However, Eversheds has offered to continue representing Seán Quinn Jr who is serving a jail sentence for contempt following attempts to put assets beyond the reach of the court.