John Given has been appointed general counsel at Elan Corp. Mr. Given will report to chief executive officer Kelly Martin, and will serve as a member of the executive management team, as well as an advisor to the chairman and the board. He will be based at Elan’s headquarters in Dublin.
 
Mr. Given joins the company from the Irish law firm A&L Goodbody, where he was a senior corporate partner. During Mr. Given’s 20 years in private practice, his clients included many leading Irish and international corporations, including a number in the life sciences sector. Mr. Given has acted as Elan’s lead external counsel for more than 10 years.
 
Mr. Martin and Elan’s chairman, Robert A. Ingram, issued a joint statement, about Mr. Given’s appointment: “John is a uniquely talented and highly accomplished professional with over 20 years of relevant and in-depth experience in the global arena. His direct M&A expertise and proven track record in both transactions and advisory, makes him an invaluable addition to our executive team. He is joining us at an exciting time as we advance the company, across multiple dimensions, following the recently announced Tysabri restructuring.”