Skip to content

Sam Saarsteiner

Partner

Sam Saarsteiner helps clients with corporate disputes, corporate insolvencies, property disputes, professional negligence and other complex litigation work. Serving as the Transatlantic Practice Vice-Chair, He also advises transatlantic and domestic clients on data protection matters.

Sam helps his clients navigate through contentious matters, be it pre-litigation strategic positioning, litigation, or alternative dispute resolution. He counsels high net worth individuals and multinational companies alike, from logistics and construction companies to public infrastructure schemes, court-appointed liquidators, property investment entities and financial services firms.

He advises clients on data privacy and cybersecurity matters as well as pre-litigation risk mitigation across a range of issues.

Sam is an accredited Mediator with CEDR, the gold-standard international dispute resolution organisation.

Sam’s corporate insolvency work includes many examinerships and liquidations for both petitioner and liquidator. In these fields, he has developed a wealth of experience in complex contentious matters.

Sam aims to develop a deep understanding of clients’ business or background to unlock a successful outcome. He understands the critical importance of that in-depth knowledge of his clients’ business and identifying the dynamics at play in a dispute. He places a strong importance on ensuring that clients understand the case or process and that their own time investment is managed efficiently. Sam particularly enjoys presenting novel options to clients so he can assist mitigating the stress of a contentious situation.

Sam serves as general counsel and as the deputy member in charge of the firm’s Dublin office.

He trained in one of Ireland’s largest firms, worked in the Corporate & Commercial Department of a top-5 firm and has in-house experience, giving him an excellent insight into the issues faced on a daily basis by SMEs.

Education

  • University College Dublin, Bachelor of Civil Law 2003 (Honours)
  • Trinity College Dublin, Masters in Law 2004 (Honours)
  • Law Society of Ireland, Diploma in Commercial Conveyancing 2007

Recognitions

CIPP/e Data Privacy Certified

CEDR Accredited Mediator

State Bar Licenses

Ireland
  • Achieved the longest ever disqualification of a company director in Irish corporate history, arising from a large-scale systematic VAT fraud scheme
  • Advised a large public infrastructure scheme involving three regional cities
  • Represented companies, petitioners and liquidators/examiners in a range of insolvency proceedings over the last decade
  • Represented a niche business in a corporate defamation action
  • Represented a large lender in over 20 claims against numerous professionals
  • Acted in a number of highly contentious and complex shareholder and partnership disputes
  • Represented a client in hearings before the Central Bank of Ireland
  • Successfully contested winding up petitions including successful appeal to the Supreme Court
  • Led the legal team acting for a large group of plaintiff property investors in a highly complex claim against numerous parties (including a bank and former solicitors)
  • Represented clients at professional fitness to practice hearings and at Central Bank of Ireland fitness and probity interviews

The Clark Hill approach is equally pragmatic and growth-minded, which is why we understand our clients’ toughest business challenges. Our multidisciplinary, global team of advisors focuses on smart legal solutions, delivered simply.

© 2025 Clark Hill PLC.