Maples and Calder was the only law firm to record an increase in the number of funds it advises this year, according to figures from Lipper.

Maples saw a 320% increase in the number of sub-funds it advises, from 144 in June 2008 to 605 this year. The rise came against a slight drop in the overall number of funds serviced in Ireland.

Dillon Eustace leapfrogged A&L Goodbody at the top of the table, according to the figures compiled by Lipper, although both firms saw the number of fund clients decrease. In June 2008 Dillon Eustace advised 985 funds, but that had dropped by 9.6% to 890 this year.

A&L Goodbody's market share dropped from 27.18% in 2008 to 21.85% in 2009, the biggest decrease of the seven top Irish fund advisers.

Lower down the table Arthur Cox and William Fry also swapped places. William Fry's client list decreased by 10 firms, or 2.5%, but Arthur Cox saw a 17% decrease in the number of sub-funds it advises.

McCann Fitzgerald's market share also fell significantly, by 16.25% or 45 sub-funds.

Meanwhile in the middle of the table Matheson Ormsby Prentice held fairly steady, with its market share falling by half a percentage point.

The increase in market share for Maples comes three years after the firm set up its Dublin office. The firm's Irish funds team is led by partner Barry McGrath, who said Maples was committed to the sector.