Ireland

A&L Goodbody is a leading Irish firm with a strong reputation across the board. Headquartered in Dublin, the firm also has offices in New York, Belfast, London, San Francisco and Palo Alto.

 

Focusses / specialisms

The company boasts a highly skilled and commercially oriented legal teams that excel in all areas of practice listed in the ranking tables. In the banking sector, the firm demonstrates strength in lending operations for both lenders and borrowers, possess expertise in regulatory matters and maintains a top-tier asset finance practice in the market.

In addition, the firm has established strong relationships with prominent Irish banks and has been involved in numerous significant Irish loan portfolio sales since the financial crisis.

The corporate group actively participates in the substantial proportion of major cross border M&A transactions involving Irish businesses or assets.

The firm frequently has a tangible impact in sectors such as banking, energy, pharmaceuticals, real estate, and technology.

 

Key clients

The firm’s banking clientele includes Natwest, Inflexion PE Partners, Voyager Avaiation Management, Endo International, Bank of Ireland, Icon, National Westminster Bank, Ulter Bank Ireland and the Bank of Nova Scotia.

In the realm of capital markets, the firm collaborated with Blackbird Capital II Aircraft, Merx Avaition Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Bank of Ireland, Mulcair Securities, Permanent, AIB Group and Fresenius & Co and Bosch Thermotechnik.

Regarding investment funds, the firm provided services to BIT Capital, Kepler Partners, Zurich Invest, Commerzbank, Comeragh Capital and Comeragh ICAV, River and Mercantile, Stenham Investment Funds, and Aviva Investors.

In terms of financial services regulatory matters, the firm worked with Aviva Group Holdings, ERGO Versicherung, Zurich Life Assurance, Extend Warranty Services, and Försäkringsaktiebolaget Agria.

The firm's project development clients include Parkwind, Iberdrola, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, UCD Property Development Company, FCC, and John Sisk & Son.

 

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period the firm was active in all areas including asset financing, banking, capital markets, financial service regulatory, M&A, project development, project finance and restructuring.

Within the field of asset finance, the firm primarily provided advisory services to borrowers in the aviation industry. Its expertise encompassed a range of areas, including asset-backed note offerings and securities issues, acquisition, direct financing and even examinership-related matters.

In banking and finance, the firm offered guidance to both borrowers and lenders concerning direct financing and refinancing. It provided valuable advice on various aspects, including commercial loans and acquisition financing, and played a significant role in numerous billion-dollar deals.

In the field of project finance, the firm extended its expertise to sponsors and lenders involved in projects primarily focused on the social infrastructure and energy sectors. Its advisory services in this area proved instrumental in ensuring successful project execution and financial viability.

In capital markets the firm has gained global recognition in the field of capital markets, establishing its reputation as a trusted advisor for intricate capital market matters spanning Ireland, the UK, the US, Europe, and Asia. Its advisory expertise extends to both debt and equity transactions. Within debt transactions, the firm has been instrumental in providing guidance to issuers on various bonds and notes issues, including notable involvement in mortgage-backed securitisation.

Within the realm of corporate and M&A, the firm has collaborated with both acquirers and sellers, facilitating acquisitions across a diverse range of industries. This list of sectors includes banking, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals.

In financial services regulatory it provided regulatory advice and services on payment services and products and various AML, banking and corporate matters.

In project development it advised mostly project developers on projects, PPPs and EPC-contracts in various industries, most notably in social infrastructure and energy.

In restructuring and insolvency, the firm advised mostly debtors and creditors on financial restructuring, company restructuring, Chapter 11 and other insolvency matters.  

 

Deal highlights: 33^rd edition (2023/2024)

2.1GW Codling Wind Park project

BBIRD II $745 million aircraft asset-backed notes offering

Causeway Consortium €718 million acquisition of Applegreen

DIT Grangegorman PPP project

Endo Group $3.3 billion refinancing

Icon $1.4 billion acquisition financing

Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners $580 million acquisition financing

Virgin Media Ireland €1 billion refinancing

 

Client Feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Asset finance

"Proactive. Good at problem-solving. Ability to deal with complex Irish legal issues."

"The asset finance team has had a fantastic reputation for many years. They have a deep, experienced bench of lawyers who are involved in many of the novel transactions in the aviation space."

"Very strong team of partners and good quality associates. Very pragmatic approach, organised and diligent and can be relied upon to get the deal done against tight deadlines. "

 

Banking and finance

"They are very well informed and networked from an industry perspective and are generous with their time and expertise when it comes to value-adds."

"Superb competition law knowledge. Excellent support on loan sale negotiation, support to the deal team and massive commitment to completion."

"ALG are responsive and knowledgeable; they always work to deliver a good result for the client."

"Knowledgeable and measured."

 

Capital markets

"A&L Goodbody is extremely knowledgeable and responsive. The counsel in their firm have had extensive experience in all aspects of corporate law and capital markets and so they are able to provide excellent guidance in a timely manner."

"Their capital markets team are very experienced, have a thorough knowledge of the securitisation market and provide us with excellent advice. They are also very responsive to our needs and usually available at short notice."

 

Financial services regulatory

"Responsive and knowledgeable. Practical to deal with."

"Deep knowledge of local market and associated regulatory expectations."

"The standard of the support and advice provided by A&L throughout the entire engagement was exactly what was needed, from preparing for meetings with the regulator through to assisting us in responding to queries as they arose over the course of the inspection."

"Confidence in work product and in advice. Thorough and pragmatic. Supportive."

"Good technically."

 

Investment funds

"Very strong ETF experience with a strong commercial approach and timely service. Good industry contacts and knowledge."

"Quality work."

"Very consistent on higher levels (low personal turnover ratio). They try to (and do) understand our business and our individual needs."

 

M&A

"A&L Goodbody was excellent at providing timely, sound, practical and actionable advice on Irish takeover rules, corporate law and extremely complex tax issues."

"Always provided timely feedback on deadlines and delivery of work product. Very commercial in the discussions on progressing and drafting legal documents. Always made themselves available and very responsive to our questions."

"Excellent customer service, attention to detail, legal drafting, legal advice, tax advice. Good value for money."

"First-class advice, very responsive and actively seek positive solutions."

"Incredibly proactive. Very focused on the motivations of various parties to our deal and able to advise on optimal extent and nature of compromises to make in order to reach desired endpoint."

"ALG understood the Irish market extremely well and gave prompt, solid, practical, and actionable advice and support for the M&A transaction as well as provided practical tax advice, including multiple novel tax theories, for some extremely complex multijurisdictional tax matters. They were always responsive, collaborative and professional."

"They are one of the two leading M&A firms in Ireland (the other being Arthur Cox). The firm has a deep bench and are very responsive and commercial."

 

PPP/PFI

"Very professional engagement at all levels of the business."

 

Project finance

"Comprehensive support of lenders. Deep knowledge of market practices and local specificities. Broad panel of skills."

 

Project finance

"The firm has made a significant effort to really understand our needs, the bank's template contract and to provide excellent advice on intercreditor matters as well as in-depth advice in both the renewable and telecoms sector."

 

Restructuring

"Prompt and clear legal advice. Demonstrated commercial understanding of the transaction and complex stakeholder dynamics. Helped to successfully deliver an exit from the transaction."

"A&L has a depth of experience. They are well equipped to answer questions we had as well as providing guidance and insights into various considerations that the team was not aware of."

 

Michael Barr

"Long-term relationship. Understands our business. Reliable. Responsive. Accessible. Knows the industry."

 

Patrick Brandt

"Responsive and pragmatic."

"Excellent knowledge of local regulatory expectations coupled with practical advice tailored to our business needs."

 

Neal Breslin

"Large amount of debt capital markets experience. Very proactive and responsive."

 

Eoghan Browne

"Knowledgeable, calm and confident, responsible to requests and thorough."

 

Stephen Carson

"Very experienced. Warm personality. Good leader. Supports team well. Responsive."
 

Alan Casey

"Alan is very knowledgeable and responsive. He has taken the time to understand our business and risk tolerance and provides helpful advice."

"Alan is highly accessible, prompt and gives solid, practical advice on complex M&A topics. He was always calm under fire and results-orientated."

"Alan was very knowledgeable and always responsive. He was patient in explaining Irish takeover rules, some of which were fairly complex, and great at coming up with practical, actionable solutions."

 

Dario Dagostino

"Dario is exceptionally personable and a very strong, practical and business-minded lawyer."

 

Sheena Doggett

"Excellent advice, experience level, problem-solving."

 

Laura Kennedy

"Excellent all-round performer. Provided excellent advice, shows great patience and seeks innovative and positive solutions."

"Incredibly responsive. Great at providing summary notes that avoid excessive legal language. Great attention to detail and potential implications of legal documents."

 

Ronan Lyons

"Very communicative and provided clear explanations on challenges arising in documentation."

 

Emma Martin

"Flexible approach and good relationship management, very knowledgeable and supportive."

 

David McElroy

"In charge of the documentation of the transaction. Good at listening to the lenders, always available, reactive and keen to keep the works going."

"Close care of client's needs. Depth of knowledge of the Irish energy sector. Early identification of points of attention."

 

Ross Moore

"Very engaging manner, solution-focused, deep expertise."

 

Seamus O’Croinin

"Very supportive and takes time to explain issues. Always available."

 

Marie O'Brien

"Proactive. Highly knowledgeable. Excellent problem solver."

"I have known Marie for 15+ years and she is a fantastic lawyer, capable of handling a broad range of transactions in the aviation space, including M&A, JVs, ABS, aircraft leasing and aircraft financing."

"Excellent client service, always actively seeking feedback on the wider team's performance. Very knowledgeable, with broad market experience that benefits the client."

 

Brian O'Malley

"Brian did a great job helping us navigate the Irish law scheme of arrangement that was used to implement the restructuring. He interfaced well with the legal team who held the pen on English law aspects."

 

Kerill O'Shaughnessy

"Good knowledge and pleasant to work with."

 

Jack Sheehy

"Competent, knowledgeable and very client-focused."

 

Mark Ward

“An excellent senior statesman, with first-rate insight and a very commercial approach.”

Arthur Cox is one of Ireland’s largest and oldest law firms. Founded more than 100 years ago in Dublin, where it is still based, the firm now employs 530 legal professionals across its headquarters and offices in Belfast, London, New York and San Francisco. 

 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm is one of Ireland’s ‘blue-blood’ law firms, with a legacy of representing the state, with which it still works regularly. The firm has a large and group of technically proficient, business-orientated transactional lawyers for all areas of legal work covered by the rankings.

In banking the firm is strong in lending, debt restructuring and regulatory work and often mandated by banks.

The firm is adept in all areas of securities work, but especially good in structuring bonds, derivatives and securitisations. 

The funds practice acts for Irish domiciled funds and some of the high-profile American asset managers on re-domiciliation and the establishment of AIFs, UCITs, ETFs and sub funds.

Within the corporate practice, M&A is a stand-out area. Publicly listed companies and private equity firms and funds regularly instruct the firm on high-value cross border deals.

In the projects area the firm is especially experienced in advising on the development and financing of large-scale energy infrastructure but has also done notable work supporting transport and public services developments using the PPP model.

The firm’s restructuring team is experienced in working for liquidators, receivers and examiners on deals for both domestic and multinational entities.

Sectors where the firm has expertise and is particularly prominent include banking, energy, pharmaceuticals and technology. 

 

Key clients

Among its clients in banking are Aer Lingus, GA Telesis, ACIA Aero Leasing Med Sea, Grupo Lomex, Greenlink Interconnector, Highfield Solar, Sub-Fund Valley Healthcare and Starwood.

Among its clients in capital markets are Credit Suisse, Strongbridge Biopharma, Dole, European Sustainable Growth Acquisition Corp., Live Oak Acquisition and Oaktree Capital Management.

Among its clients in corporate and M&A are Applegreen, Linesight, Permanent TSB, KBC Bank Ireland, Cross Rental Services, European Sustainable Growth Acquisition and Jazz Pharmaceuticals.

Among its investment funds clients are Citadel Advisors, State Street, Baillie Gifford, Universal Investments, Morgan Stanley and Alter Domus.

In financial services regulatory it advised Ulster Bank, Permanent TSB, Hg Capital and Montagu.

Among its clients in project development are National Broadband Ireland, BAM/Live Nation, Land development Agency, Coillte, Energia Renewables, Highfield Solar and Intel.

 

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period the firm was active in all areas of corporate law and project development.

The firm possesses particular specialism in asset finance, providing advice to a range of clients involved in corporate and financing transactions. The firm continually demonstrates versatility via their extensive experience in transactions across various industries, with a particular focus on aviation and banking.

Across the banking and finance sector, the firm caters to both borrowers and lenders. They provide guidance on direct financing, refinancing, acquisition financing, and project financing. Their project financing practice primarily involves assisting borrowers, however also working with lenders, focusing on financing and refinancing projects in diverse industries, notably energy, transportation, and telecommunications.

In capital markets, the firm provided advisory services on debt, equity, and structured finance transactions. They assisted with bond issues, including green and sustainability-linked ones, as well as notes issuance. For equity, they advised on IPOs and share offerings. Additionally, the firm was active in advising on NPL securitizations, ETC-securities, asset-backed securities issue and transfers, and CLOs for both issuers and underwriters.

In the field of corporate and M&A, the firm offered advisory services to all parties involved in acquisitions and joint ventures across diverse industries, such as construction and materials, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, and technology and telecommunications.

In financial services regulatory matters, the firm demonstrated a strong track record of advising financial institutions, banks, and private equity funds. They provided guidance on Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance, establishment of payment services branches, license applications for financial services, and various corporate and banking issues.

In the realm of project development, the firm primarily offered advice to concessionaires, project developers, and sponsors. They focused on projects and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) across a wide range of industries, with a particular emphasis on energy. They were also active in social infrastructure, technology, and telecommunications sectors.

In the area of restructuring and insolvency, the firm provided advisory services to debtors and creditors, focusing on debt restructuring, business restructuring, examinerships, and insolvency proceedings. Their expertise spanned a diverse set of industries, including aviation, consumer goods and services, insurance, energy, and transport.

During the research period, Aisling Kelly was promoted to partner as of  1st of January 2022.

In asset finance, Andrew O’Connor, a counsel in asset finance and investment management was internally promoted.

In corporate and M&A Suzanne Kearney was internally promoted to counsel.

In financial services regulatory Sarah Thompson, was hired as a partner from Kirkland & Ellis.

The project development team saw most change. In projects, construction and energy, Niamh McGovern was internally promoted to a partner, and three associates were recruited, Olivia Abell form DLA Piper, James Downey from William Fry and Niall Donnelly form Baker McKenzie.

 

Deal highlights: 33^rd edition (2023/2024)

Arena Aviation Capital/Kennedy Lewis Investment $1.5 billion aircraft leasing joint venture

Bank of Ireland €5 billion acquisition of KBC Bank Ireland banking business

Celtic Roads Group €240 million debt restructuring

Concord Acquisition $750 million private placement

Dole $400 million IPO

Echelon Data Centres €850 million project financing

Frontier Issuer Designated Activity Company €6.3 billion asset-backed securities issue

Nordic Aviation Capital $8 billion restructuring and Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection process

 

Client feedback: 33^rd edition (2023/2024)

Asset finance

"Excellent knowledge of industry."

"Prompt pragmatic response."

"They have an extremely strong aviation practice. They are strong technical lawyers in that field, very responsive and easy to work with. I would strongly recommend Ruth Lillis in particular as a rising star."

"Very diligent, responsive, efficient, extremely professional and good attention to detail."

"Managed to complete the transaction in a smooth manner."

"Very experienced and efficient."

 

Bank lending

"Well-resourced projects. Great commercial application of LMA and ability to bring creative solutions and reference other similar transactions."
 

"Super-professional. Responsive. Strong deal negotiators. In-house firm-wide disciplinaries across real estate, construction, tax, funds, etc."

 

Banking and finance

"Professionalism, commercial approach and dealing with clients both borrower and lender in an efficient and sustainable manner."

"In-depth knowledge of a very involved matter; good market insights, judicious strategic advice."

"Provide exceptional service and advice."

"AC are highly knowledgeable about all aspects of Irish cross-border lending. This includes legal, tax and other practical and administrative matters. They are highly commercial and solutions-orientated."

"They employ quality lawyers who understand our business. They were very responsive when matters that needed to be addressed in a deal that were not anticipated crop up."

"Solution-focused, very accessible and commercial, excellent reputation."

"Arthur Cox has been our primary legal adviser for all of our banking-related matters for over 20 years and therefore they have an unmatched in-depth knowledge of all aspects of our business and our banking needs."

"Very professional team and very pleasant to work with. Accessible and responsive. Excellent judgement. Excellent strategic advice both on structure and transaction management. Work very well with other advisers and with the other side in a transaction."

 

Capital markets

"They are a fantastic group of lawyers who know the ins and outs of Irish laws, in all facets."

"Practical, easy to use, speedy, good market knowledge."

"Very strong and experienced Team. Very knowledgeable on Irish company law and UK listing rules as they apply to public companies."

"It is a pleasure working with Arthur Cox, the team has been very professional, have a high standard and been on top of the cases we have worked on together."

"They know the legislation and ESMA guidance inside out."

"Excellent response time, thoughtful legal analysis, practical approach, excellent client service."

"Very proactive and knowledgeable about the market. Phil Cody in particular has a fantastic awareness of broader market trends (eg US and UK) in DCM."

"Deep knowledge of the intricacies of a long-running matter, along with the energy and commitment to seek to achieve its resolution."

"Arthur Cox has a deep market expertise and consistently finds innovative solutions to the most complex of equity puzzles."

"Their knowledge of Irish law is unparalleled."

"Excellent team on the transaction – fully briefed and committed, commercially minded, strict adherence to timetable and budget/fee."

"The Arthur Cox team are extremely diligent, pragmatic, adaptive and efficient. They simultaneously provided a consistently strong work product and were able to operate in a highly time-constrained process. On the equity funding side, they applied a clear, pragmatic logical approach that streamlined our process."

"Technically excellent, very experienced, significant industry knowledge and great to work with."

"AC provided excellent and timely legal advice in a user-friendly, easily digestible manner."

"Arthur Cox were extremely supportive of the group and provided thorough and robust advice to enable the group to safely and efficiently structure and execute the programme. Arthur Cox went above and beyond our expectations to ensure target outcomes were achieved within our tight timelines."

"Arthur Cox collaborates amazingly well with our other panel law firms, which results in a very efficient, comprehensive and streamlined process for us as a client. They also bring relevant advice, offering up suggestions and solutions rather than just issue-spotting."

 

Financial restructuring

"Very thorough."

"Very professional team and very pleasant to work with. Accessible and responsive. Excellent judgement. Excellent strategic advice both on structure and transaction management. Work very well with other advisers and with the other side in a transaction."

"Responsive, thorough, clear."

"Gave succinct advice, was willing to entertain additional questions both within and outside the original scope. Was pragmatic when negotiating extra fees."

"I find them to be very thoughtful and creative yet also responsive. They are flexible in approach, yet always provide consistent and thorough answers and advice."

"Sarah Thompson – excellent advice. Great support. Proactive and very constructive."

"Arthur Cox provide commercial technical advice. A trusted adviser."

 

Insolvency

"Available, strong commercial advice."

 

Investment funds

"Professional, knowledgeable and timely."

"In connection with the above-mentioned project that AC helped us with, the advice was always responsive, commercial and pragmatic."

"Good, practical and current market knowledge and regulatory expertise."

 

M&A

"Good legal advice."

"The always energetic team led by Kate Hogan and Stephen Ranalow did an amazing job in managing the transaction in a very pragmatic manner, getting the best result for their client."

"Great client service; sharp commercial strategic minds."

"Excellent team, well organised and extensive international network that they could draw upon. Commercial in approach and went above and beyond with the need to compensate for less experienced lawyers on seller side. Good at drawing out key risk issues and drafting appropriate SPA protections. Excellent at managing extensive transaction agreements, minutes, resolutions, etc. Deeply knowledgeable team excellently led by the partner in charge and senior associate."

"Very thorough and meticulous work."

"They were always available, had a positive attitude and were able to go fast or slow down as needed."

"Strong technical and organisational skills. Breadth of knowledge with an ability to draw from a large range of skill sets."

"Excellent staff, very knowledgeable and helpful, good at identifying potential problems and suggesting solutions."

"Very responsive and good strategic knowledge of what is important to the client. Offer practical advice and solutions to any issues that arise."

"Very commercial and they negotiate always with the client's best interests at heart. Leave no stone unturned and there is no hand-holding involved. As a time-poor GC, it's incredibly valuable to be able to have advisers that drive transactions forward on your behalf."

"AC guides us through a very complex transaction, both from a legal and regulatory perspective, on which it has provided us valuable advice and insights."

"We found the Arthur Cox team's work product to be excellent overall. They consistently provide clear, direct and pragmatic analysis and advice and work constructively with opposing counsel. They have a range of areas of expertise and do a good job of delineating workstreams among team members. The team was also extremely responsive and committed – often working well into morning hours alongside us as we finalised the transaction."

"Very commercial. Extremely responsive. Meet tight timelines. Adopt the right approach to issues."

"Experienced lawyers generally available if needed."

"Excellent technical skills, very organised and systematic."

"Deep subject-matter expertise, high levels of client service, very responsive, solution-driven and pragmatic."

"Arthur Cox is a very proactive company. The partner I was dealing with brought in many other partners with various experience, as it was a complicated and highly complex sale. Arthur Cox is so dedicated to doing the very best for the client."

"Exceptionally talented and dedicated team."

"The team are extremely responsive, knowledgeable and pragmatic. Client service is the priority. Transactions are well staffed and the firm has expertise in all relevant practice areas."

"Extremely client-focused, practical, commercial legal advice. A truly trusted business partner with a deep sector and company understanding."

"Understanding client objectives and the wider context of these objectives. Timely communication. Collaborative in their approach. the Arthur Cox team has strength in-depth. They ensure clients' deadlines are consistently understood and met. The Arthur Cox team have built a high level of trust with the client through consistently delivering with high levels of client satisfaction."

"AC are an excellent firm to work with. This deal was part of a competitive bid process and happened very quickly. AC were highly responsive, fast to turn things around, thorough and had a very good understanding of the acceptable level of risk. They very much flex to the client's needs and provide a tailored approach, using lawyers at the right level across the firm for various tasks. They worked very well with the various international counsel working on the transaction. They are very proactive and open to feedback."

"Practical, pragmatic, very organised and client-focused. Keen understanding of our business and works to deliver exactly what we require, tailored to our company and industry."

"Excellent responsiveness and work quality. The members of the team working on the project were all excellent."

"Arthur Cox don't simply give legal advice. They take a pragmatic commercial view to find a solution that allows for a transaction to move forward. They are far more commercially minded than most practices and are prepared to share their insights."

"The team at Arthur Cox are very commercially minded. They take a practical approach to advice and ensure that they are pragmatic and understand our commercial drivers and the levers we have within the business very well. They offer far more than simple legal advice."

"Arthur Cox has lawyers experienced in every subject you could think of. Christopher McLaughlin was able to reach out to various partners that were dealing with data protection and also terms and conditions and anything pertaining to selling an Irish company to an American company. They gave me excellent legal advice but at the same time always took a practical approach to get the deal over the line while seeking protection for me where possible. They build a relationship of trust (them with me and me with them). It is always a comfort to know that you have the best in the business covering your back and have your interests at heart. A truly super team with the capabilities of being able to call on advice in different areas from many partners. They are a font of sage advice."

 

Private equity

"Very quick in replies, always professional with very well thought out feedback, highly friendly team."

 

Project development

"They are personable, pragmatic, efficient and every one of them is great fun! The atmosphere and ethos of the company transcends through every staff member of the organisation."

"Very knowledgeable and experienced in respect of potential legal challenges to development, good depth of team."

 

Restructuring

"Clear and timely legal advice. Transparent process. Network of local experts. Efficient management and coordination of overall process."

"Immediate access to partner when required. Quality of team that supports the partner is very good. Problem-solving attitude to all projects. Project management skills are excellent. Worth the fees charged."

"Extremely responsive, strategic, knowledgeable."

"We dealt with Sophie Federick from Arthur Cox, she was the leading party contact and did an outstanding job. Efficient, positive attitude and willing to push the deal through, always available to discuss problems or issues we may have not understood in the legal world."

 

Elizabeth Bothwell     

"Good legal advice."

"Very knowledgeable and very easy to work with."

"Communication."

 

Ciara Buckley

"Ciara brings extensive international experience due to her time working for a large law firm in London. Ciara communicates well and is excellent at driving a project to conclusion. She actively seeks solutions to issues."

"Client-focused. Good communication. Solution-focused. Attention to detail. Responsive and attentive."

"Very pleasant to work with. Accessible and responsive. Excellent judgement. Excellent transaction management skills. Wide and deep finance and real estate experience."

 

Glenn Butt     

"Responsive, experienced, provides comprehensive service including deal management."

 

Robert Cain   

"Deep knowledge of financial services law and practice; his Irish practice is also enriched by practice in the UK. Thoughtful strategic advice. Very good to work with."

 

Gillian Carragher       

"Efficient, persistent (when she needs to be), brilliant at anything she does and above everything else a really nice person."

 

Phil Cody       

"Very responsive, excellent thoughtful advice, good common-sense approach, good client service and follow-up."            

"Superb knowledge of the broader DCM market, in particular US trends. My clients have always found Phil Cody to be easy to work with."

"He is extremely good to work with. Very creative in problem-solving yet always provides solid advice."         

"Works hard at maintaining the client relationship. Comes up with very practical solutions."

 

Sinéad Crowley         

"Sinéad is very accessible and responsive. Sinead understands our business and the risks and provides practical solutions to any queries that we have."

 

Cormac Commins     

"Responsive, professional and proactive solution provider."

 

Danielle Conaghan   

"Excellent communicator, brilliant depth of knowledge, practical and responsive to feedback."

 

Michael Coyle

"Michael is very accessible. He is one of the lest lawyers that I have dealt with over many years. He is very smart and easy to deal with. He will always find a commercial solution that meets our needs. His legal analysis is always easy to follow and implement. Michael has a very good style in dealing with his opposite number on a deal. He avoids friction and is focused on getting the deal done."

"Michael is incredibly collaborative and responsive. He pulls together appropriate teams to support our various projects and requests, while also staying involved as needed, providing the right level of oversight. He understands our business well and highlights items of relevance, offering solutions to help us address potential issues."

"Very impressive, natural leader and technically strong."

 

Sarah Cunniff

"Vast industry experience, practical advice, excellent client focus."

 

Laura Cunningham   

"Prompt and pragmatic."          

"Excellent lawyer. Very approachable and knowledgeable."

 

Stephen D'Ardis        

"Responsive, thorough, knowledgeable."

"Easygoing, concise and practical advice."

 

William Day    

"Strong commercial advice."

 

Sean Delorey 

"Sean is professional, good at explaining cases from an Irish perspective and how the set-up is in Ireland. Good at keeping deadlines and follows up if input is missing. I have the impression that Sean also has good cooperation with other advisers on these cases."

 

Caroline Devlin         

"Excellent global business professional with a perfect understanding of the market and financial and tax businesses."

"Amazing in-depth expert knowledge and a pleasure to deal with."

"Very energetic; takes on a practical and problem-solving approach."

"Very responsible, experienced."

 

Fintan Doherty          

"Very responsive, a great addition to the team, picks issues up outside business hours."

 

Kylie Dollard  

"She was generally almost always available to hop on a call, never had a bad attitude (even when the deal got tough) and was able to manage multiple counterparties internally and externally."

"Excellent lawyer, strong technically but yet pragmatic and approachable."

"Excellent technical skills, very organised and systematic approach to work, good listening skills, keen to understand business and adapt accordingly."

"Provides commercially astute advice in a clear and timely manner."

 

John Donald 

"Very intelligent, strategic, problem-solver, diplomatic."

"His command of Irish bankruptcy/restructuring laws and practice is second to none."

 

Fiona Egan    

"Fiona knows her clients, she operates at their speed - and in my case, level - is always right, always delivers with no drama or fanfare and is a pleasure to work with."

 

Seamus Given           

"He is a very practical man with a super knowledge of employment law."

 

Niamh Gunning        

“Very pleasant to deal with. Very professional and responsive. Efficient transaction management."

 

Grainne Hennessy    

“Industry leader. One of the most experienced lawyers in the sector. Strong communicator and negotiator. Business-focused. High level of professionalism."

 

Ailish Finnerty           

"She's a tax expert but also very familiar with our business model."

 

Sophie Frederix        

"Sophie is a very good listener, is very pragmatic and solution-driven. She is also very responsive and a trusted adviser."          

"Always available, very determined, listened to us, efficient - I honestly could not fault her at all, she managed sticky situations very calmly and professionally and always worked hard with us, we felt we could completely trust her."

 

Kate Hogan   

"Perfect project management skills and top-notch legal knowledge."

"Depth of knowledge and experience. Identifying key risks and mitigations. Management of team. Extensive network. Commercial in approach. Understanding key issues for client. Highly organised."

"Kate is a very capable and talented equity capital markets lawyer. A rising star in Arthur Cox."

 

Aisling Kelly  

"Commercially astute, excellent problem-solver, highly responsive and very accessible as well as deadline and budget/fee-focused."

"Responsive, knowledgeable and excellent ability to explain complicated matters in a simple way."

 

Cormac Kissane       

"We have used Cormac on multiple DCM bond transactions and have high regard for him as a professional for being decisive, extremely knowledgeable, and exceptionally strong in his discipline and area of expertise."

 

Ruth Lillis      

"Ruth is a technically excellent lawyer, and also extremely accessible and responsive. In my view, she is a rising star in the aviation sector."      

"I find Ruth a core resource that we rely on in regard to all legal matters, being professional, diligent and with a breadth of competence across many legal disciplines, which is invaluable."

 

Kevin Lynch  

"Great problem-solver. Very responsive. Very knowledgeable."

 

Connor Manning       

"Very pleasant to work with. Accessible and responsive. Excellent judgement. Excellent transaction management skills. Wide and deep experience."

"Solution-focused, strategic and responsive. Connor is responsive and very commercially focused."

 

John Matson 

"Very knowledgeable on legal elements and sector-specific elements, good people manager."

 

Conor McCarthy        

"Very responsive and practical. Always offers sound and clear advice."

"Excellent communicator, always has your back on transactions and anticipates legal issues and our commercial business appetite on all matters."

 

Amy McDermott        

"Very responsive; great with the detail."

"Very responsive, very commercial and pragmatic, very detailed."

 

Christopher McLaughlin      

"Chris is a very proactive person with vast knowledge – a lovely manner in dealing with clients. Extraordinary patience and allays any fears that appear. A pleasure to deal with and took all the pain out of a very complicated takeover. Chris had my back all the time, 24/7. I could not have completed the sale without him and his wonderful team.   

"A very attentive listener and you feel he gives you 100% of his time. No task is too small for him."

 

Maura McLaughlin    

"I work with a lot of lawyers across various jurisdictions and find Maura to be unmatched in the value she brings to a transaction. Maura is highly knowledgeable and vastly experienced and matches this with a low-ego, collaborative approach that makes her fantastic to work with. She is extremely client focused – with an in-depth company and industry knowledge. Maura epitomises what external counsel should provide to a business – she is a highly trusted business partner, who provides clear strategic focused advice."

"Maura is excellent to work with. She is extremely attuned to the needs of the client, the client's risk appetite and the output required. Maura is a trusted business partner and provides clear, focused legal advice, always cognisant of the commercial needs of the business.

"Maura is a technical expert who can apply her expertise in practical and innovative ways. She inspires confidence and is trusted adviser on a broad range of topics. We appreciate her consistent responsiveness and good humour."

"Undoubtedly the leading listed company expert lawyer in Ireland with deep knowledge of all legal/regulatory issues affecting listed companies at her fingertips. She combines this with an extraordinary ability to communicate vast amounts of complex information simply, clearly and quickly. She is very client service-driven and is quick to come with solutions when needed."

"Excellent and experienced lawyer. So easy to work with.Maura is an excellent and trusted adviser. She has significant industry knowledge and understanding, has a depth of experience and expertise. Maura is very low ego and easy to work with. She is also unafraid to challenge assumptions and decisions, to ensure the client reaches the right conclusion."

 

Maeve Moran 

"Deep technical knowledge of Irish company law and M&A."

"Outstanding lawyer. Pleasure to work with. Remains calm and gets the job done. All over the big issues and the detail."

"Maeve is an excellent lawyer with a wealth of experience. She is responsive and manages her team very well."

 

Patrick Munnelly        

"All over the detail, very invested in client success."

 

Kevin Murphy

"Kevin is a trusted adviser."

 

Orla O'Connor

"Very pleasant to work with. Accessible and responsive. Excellent judgement. Excellent transaction management skills. Wide and deep experience."

 

Brian O'Gorman        

"Brian is hugely experienced and extremely knowledgeable. Despite his vast knowledge and clear ability, Brian is very low ego and easy to work with. Brian quickly distils complex topics into easily understandable accessible advice, which allows the business to quickly assess risk and make the right decisions."

 

Christopher O'Reilly 

"Christopher is always available to give practical advice and does not fret or need to consult others to arrive at a position. He is willing to give guidance as to how he thinks it would be best to proceed."

"He is extremely responsive and arguably has a better knowledge of our business than some of our own senior staff. He manages risk well and is forthcoming with solutions as well as legal advice."

 

Niamh O'Toole          

"Very talented, technically strong, determined and a competitive edge."

"Niamh is intelligent, committed, extremely hard-working, and very pragmatic. She consistently provided clear, thoughtful and actionable advice, and she liaised exceptionally well with opposing counsel (who were at times quite frustrating to deal with). She met deadlines, remained organised and played a significant role in achieving a positive outcome on this transaction. Overall, she was excellent to work with.

"Niamh is diligent, has consistently strong attention to detail, works pragmatically with counterparties, communicates clearly, and maintains a calm, positive attitude (even during late nights when the deal was tense)."

"Technical knowledge. Responsiveness to client. Consistently delivering high-quality service to meet deadlines. Highly collaborative. Proactive. Leverages wider Arthur Cox team."

 

Stephen Ranalow     

"He is the most responsive lawyer I have ever worked with, and he is a remarkably forward-thinking partner who considers the long-term impact to the company's business as well as the immediate impact of the subject at hand. He takes very complicated issues and elegantly simplifies them for the board and executives, prudently balancing risks with the desired outcome. He is truly fantastic."

"Knows the industry very well and provides well-thought-out and justified opinions."

"Knows the industry very well and provides sound and justified advice."

"Stephen is a trusted adviser who understands our needs and our context and consistently partners with us to find solutions and drive results."

"Extremely capable and talented lawyer; knowledgeable across a very wide range of matters; strong knowledge of our business; strategic and canny advice. Very good to work with."

"Stephen is the best equity capital markets lawyer in Ireland."

"Superb client service and knowledge of our business combined with a deep subject-matter and market expertise. He is solution-driven and pragmatic and will always find a way of overcoming obstacles and facilitating our objectives."

"Knowledgeable, professional and has deep knowledge of M&A."

"Great board management, strategic."

 

Ultan Shannon          

"Ultan has an exceptional understanding of his clients, their business and the outcomes they are trying to achieve and relentlessly seeks to deliver those outcomes in the most efficient and effective manner possible."

"Ultan is an excellent adviser and we are always confident that the advice that he provides ensures that we are in the strongest position when negotiating transactions with third parties."

 

Imelda Shiels 

"Problem-solving, commerciality and knowledge of lending market."

 

Aiden Small   

"Very responsive, problem-solver, great industry knowledge."

 

Sarah Thompson      

"Proactive. Constructive. Extremely user-friendly and very competent."

 

David Vos      

"So helpful, positive attitude, always puts the client first."

"David is clearly very intelligent with impressive knowledge across his practice areas. He is highly attuned to the client's needs, has a thorough company and industry knowledge and no ask is too much. David is a highly trusted adviser – very commercial and practical in his advice."

"David led the Arthur Cox engagement with the group and went above and beyond to ensure that the group had everything it needed to achieve a successful outcome. David was professional, extremely committed and dedicated to his role and to supporting us; this included structuring the programme, technical legal guidance, and even delivery of refresher training to senior executives to ensure all applicable laws and regulations were understood and adhered to throughout. David has a very clear and effective communication style which ensured that the group was fully aware of its legal obligations throughout. David's project management skills helped to ensure that the tight timeframes within which we were operating were safely navigated. David's knowledge and subject-matter expertise meant that he quickly became a trusted adviser for the group on all capital markets/equity topics."

"David is a technically excellent lawyer. His knowledge across all areas of corporate law is remarkable. He is a trusted adviser and complements the other AC partners that we work with extremely well."

Founded in 2012, BHSM is an Irish full-service corporate law firm with an office in Dublin. Today, it employs over 50 partners, associate solicitors, solicitors, trainees and support professionals.  

 

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm is experienced in advising clients on cross-border and national transactions in banking and finance, corporate and M&A and restructuring and insolvency.  

In banking and finance it works mainly on cross-border transactions, ranging from corporate borrowing and project financing to refinancing and acquisition financing. Its clients are borrowers and lenders.   

In corporate and M&A it advises purchasers and sellers from various industries, most notably healthcare, pharmacy and telecommunications. It has experience assisting with acquisitions, sales, commercial agreements and share purchase agreements. 

In restructuring and insolvency, it acts most often on behalf of the liquidator on matters related to liquidation procedures.  

 

Key clients

Among its clients are Falco Capital, Sancus Lending, Consdorf Investments ICAV, Falco Capital and Ecoxpress Group.

 

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)     

During the research period the firm was active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A, and restructuring and insolvency.

In banking and finance it advised mostly borrowers but also lenders on direct financing, refinancing and acquisition financing.

In corporate and M&A it was acting on behalf of acquirers and sellers on acquisitions in a broad range of industries, most notably in technology and telecommunications, healthcare and industrials and manufacturing.

In restructuring and insolvency the firm advised receivers, liquidators and creditors on liquidations and insolvency proceedings. 

  

Client feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)     

Banking         

“BHSM banking team are problem-solvers and work hard to close the facility on time. They work closely with their real estate colleagues to ensure a smooth process on all sides of the process.”

 

Banking and finance

“Extremely efficient, professional and knowledgeable in this area of law.”

 

Project finance          

“Proactive partner engagement and speed of communication.”

 

Conor  MacNally        

“Conor has a positive attitude and doesn't get put off by setbacks on a deal. He works hard and is a good problem-solver.”

“Knowledgeable, commercial, professional.”

 

Joe McVeigh 

“Great communication skills and people manager.”

Founded in Dublin in 1992, Dillon Eustace is focussed on advising for investment funds and private equity clients. The firm has expanded internationally since the end of the last century, opening offices in Tokyo, New York, and the Cayman Islands. 

 

Focusses / specialisms

First and foremost, the firm is a funds specialist. It has one of the country’s most experienced practices and one of the largest by funds under management, advising more Irish domiciled funds than any other firm in the country.

In the lending space the firm typically advises investment funds and private equity firms in obtaining financing. However, international banks and domestic lenders also instruct the firm on acquisition and real estate development financings. 

In capital markets work the firm is stronger on the debt side with experience advising issuers on convertible bond sales. In structured finance and securitisation work the firm advises on ABS and RMBS structures most commonly. 

The financial services regulatory team often advises clients on the regulatory aspects of transactions.  

In M&A the firm has cross border experience advising private equity and investment funds on acquisitions across a range of sectors. 

In restructuring and insolvency work the firm typically acts for custodians in the restructuring of Irish and multinational companies, but also does work on the liquidator or examiner’s side.

 

Key clients

Among its clients are Blantyre Capital, Briggs, DMG Media, MML, Centric Health, Tigers Childcare, Euroflex, NNIT, Travelwin, IQ-EQ Group, Lapithus Management, AIB and Deloitte.

 

Research period review: 32^nd edition (2022/2023)     

During the research period the firm was active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A, financial services regulatory, and restructuring and insolvency.

In banking and finance the firm advised mostly borrowers, including ICAV funds, on loan portfolio acquisitions, direct financing, refinancing and acquisition financing.

In corporate and M&A the firm advised sellers and acquirers on acquisitions in various industries, including media, technology, insurance, healthcare and aviation. 

In financial services regulatory it advised clients in financial services, investment funds and services, and insurance on e-payments services offering, AML/CFT requirements, Electronic Money Institution authorisation, lending services authorisations and on regulatory matters related to financial services offering and acquisitions.

In restructuring and insolvency, it advised mostly receivers, liquidators and creditors on receiverships, financial and business restructurings, and examinerships.

Recent staffing changes include the departure of Lorcan Tiernan, partner of corporate and M&A who became a consultant.

 

Deal highlights: 32^nd edition (2022/2023)

Briggs €11.2 million acquisition of Laois Hire Services

Briggs €5 million acquisition of Aerial Platform Hire

SL Controls €17 million acquisition of NNIT A/S

 

Client feedback: 32^nd edition (2022/2023)

Financial services regulatory

"They did great - they understand cryptoassets and the applicable regulatory framework very well and provide concise, business-friendly advise. "

"Very efficient, very responsive, very knowledgeable. Also challenging in a positive way where required. "

"They offered a great service and are very business-friendly and to the point. "

 

Insolvency

"Technically exceptionally strong with robust advice backed up by commercial analysis on the impact of the said advice."

"Proactive, practical, commercial and responsive."

"Knowledge and collegiality."

"Hands-on partner involvement; close-knit team; knowledgeable about the area."

"Extremely professional and knowledgeable. Very reassuring. "

"Commercial, responsive."

"Highly adept and knowledgeable litigators and highly experienced property lawyers."

 

Investment funds

"Reliable and experts in a wide range of fields. Excellent understanding of complex issues and provide effective solutions with positive outcomes"

"They have great expertise in the area of investment funds and extensive experience in dealing with the regulator, which is a significant benefit for clients."

 

M&A

"Communication; knowledge; problem-solving."

"The two partners with whom I have the greatest familiarity in the firm are very intelligent, collaborative and approach transactions with a 'problem-solving' mentality. They are both highly respected corporate lawyers in the Irish market. "

 

Jamie Ensor

"Highly knowledgeable and provides good advice across litigation."

 

Adrian Benson

"Brilliant communicator; knowledge; problem-solver."

"He is very intelligent, collaborative and approaches transactions with a 'problem-solving' mentality. He is a highly respected corporate lawyer in the Irish market. "

 

Brian Dillon

"He has a very good understanding of our business and is able to apply his knowledge of dealing with the regulator to the situations we encounter."

 

Jamie Ensor

"Very responsive, thorough and technically excellent. Practical advice supported by the appropriate reference to legislation."

"He is proactive, practical, commercial and responsive."

"Extremely knowledgeable on insolvency appointments. Very reassuring and you know you are in safe hands. "

"Commercial, good to deal with."

"An acknowledged expert in the area; knowledgeable and responsive; hands-on."

"Good knowledge and collegiality."

 

Clare Lacey

"Highly knowledgeable and provides good advice across property."

 

Lorcan Tiernan

"He is very competent, diligent and pragmatic. He is extremely responsive and innovative. He approaches transactions in a pragmatic, problem-solving fashion. "

"Very intelligent, commercially astute and innovative. He approaches transactions with a 'can do', problem-solving attitude. He is a highly respected corporate lawyer in the Irish market.  "

 

Keith Waine

"Very knowledgeable and understanding of our business needs. "

"He is a pleasure to do business with. He is very responsive, knows the regulatory side of the business very well, and communicates in a very open, frank and honest manner. "

"Great service. "

"Very responsive, excellent knowledge and expertise, thorough research of the subject matter with good solutions."

Founded in 1987, Lavelle Partners is an Irish corporate law firm with offices in offices in Dublin and Galway.

 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm is experienced in acting mostly for domestic clients on domestic transactions in corporate and M&A and restructuring and insolvency. 

 

Key clients

Among its clients are Haylen Investments, Nano Diamond Products, Maximum Media Networks Limited, St Mary’s Centre, Caritas Convalescent Centre, Courtown Water World Limited and Gorey Courtown Forest Park.

 

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period the firm was active in corporate and M&A and restructuring and insolvency.

In corporate and M&A it acted mostly on behalf of the seller on acquisitions in various industries, including pharmaceuticals and life sciences, telecommunications and technology, healthcare and construction and materials. It also has experience advising merger party, target, joint-venture partner and an acquirer on acquisitions in food and beverage, healthcare, construction and materials, and pharmaceuticals and life sciences industries.

In restructuring and insolvency, it advised liquidators, insolvent entities and receivers on examinerships, liquidations and receiverships.

 

Deal highlights: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Caritas Convalescent Centre €4 million liquidation

St Mary’s Centre €4 million liquidation

 

Client feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Asset finance

“Excellent communication and regular updates.”

 

Insolvency     

“Straightforward advice, easy to understand.”

“Proactive. Insightful. Intuitive. Seeking solutions to issues as they arise. Excellent feedback to the client.”

“Lavelle Partners is attentive to their client's needs and focus on achieving the outcomes which best match the client's business objectives. They give excellent legal and strategic advice.”

 

M&A   

“Commercial approach, timely feedback, personal attention.”

“Good advice, flexible, practical, quick to answer and understand the client's needs.”

 

Private equity

“Professional. Efficient. Honest. Trustworthy. Clear and conscious.”

 

Greg Flanagan          

“Good communicator. Friendly and patient. Good listener.”

 

Michael Lavelle         

“Responsive and straightforward to deal with.”

“Knowledgeable. Practical. Ruthless. Game-changer."

“Michael is a senior statesman within the Irish legal market, he has built up solid relationships with his counterparts in the other commercial firms and with key figures across a range of industries. Michael puts his in-depth legal knowledge and commercial experience to use in advocating for his clients. He provides pragmatic and solution-focused advice. In short, Michael is the man you want in your corner.”

 

Ciarán Leavy 

"Ciarán is an excellent lawyer. He has in-depth knowledge which he deploys astutely for his clients. Ciarán is extremely professional, responsive and pleasant to work with. Ciarán ensures that he identifies the clients' objectives and issues which arise from the outset and then successfully guides clients through litigation to ensure a positive outcome is reached at the earliest possible juncture."

 

Dermot McClean

“Enthusiastic. Driven. Knowledgeable. Intuitive.”

 

Katie Oakes   

“Proactive management of the transaction. Sound advice.”

 

Griana O'Kelly           

“Listens, makes proposals, reactive.”

“Professional, efficient, trustworthy, experienced, clear and conscious.”

Established in 1825, Matheson is one of Ireland's oldest firms. It has six offices in Dublin, Cork, London, New York, Palo Alto and San Francisco.

 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm is strong across all areas of financial and corporate work, and with an experienced projects team. Structured finance and securitisation, financial services regulatory, and restructuring and insolvency are areas where the firm is especially noted for its expertise.

In the banking space the firm advises large domestic and international financial institutions and corporations on a syndicated loans, acquisition and project finance, real estate and refinancing transactions. Its asset finance offering includes work in transport and aviation sector. It advises airlines, asset managers and leasing companies on financing, leasing and portfolio acquisitions.

The aviation sector also engages the capital markets team on complex asset backed securitisation mandates. The team's strength in securitisation is further highlighted by their work on CLOs where they advise foreign asset managers on European deals. In the equity space the firm is noted for its work on IPOs for issuers and financial advisors. It is also active on the placements of new shares and rights issues.

The funds team advises international asset managers on the establishment of Irish funds and structures including UCITs, AIFs and ETF. Its global client base includes some of the largest US asset managers.

The financial services regulatory team advises international banks and asset managers on Irish regulations assisting them on gaining authorisations from Central Bank of Ireland and other regulating bodies.

The M&A team is strong private equity transactions. It advises US and UK private equity firms on acquisitions and sale of Irish companies across various sectors.

In project development the team is especially active in PPP projects and notably experienced in the developments in public services and the education sector.

The firm's restructuring team advises custodians and international entities on cross border restructuring mandates across various sectors. The firm also represents banks as creditors on bankruptcy and insolvency issues.

 

Key clients

Among its clients in banking are White Oak Commercial Aviation, CDB Aviation, Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors, Norwegian Air Shuttle and Glanbia Co-operative Society.

Among its clients in capital markets are Glanbia Co-operative Society, Dell Bank International, Mars Capital and North Westerly VII.

Among its clients in corporate and M&A are Circle Internet Financial, Bank of Ireland, IQ EQ, Glanbia Co-operative Society and Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund 6.

Among its investment funds clients are State Street Global Advisors, Beechbrook Capital, GuardCap UCITS Funds, Pacific Capital UCITS Fund, Royal London Asset Management and Franklin Templeton.

Among its clients in project development are Drogheda Port Company, JJ Rhatigan, OHLA, Sacyr / Kajima Partnerships Consortium, Macquarie Asset Management and EirGrid.

 

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period the firm was active in all areas of Asset Finance, Banking, Capital Markets, Investment Funds, Investment Funds, M&A, Project Development and Project Finance.

The firm's involvement in asset finance encompassed advising borrowers and lenders in a range of aviation transactions, such as direct financing, refinancing, and leasing deals. Additionally, the firm provided guidance to a trustee regarding securities issuance and assisted a debtor in examinership matters.

In the field of banking and finance, the firm offered counsel to both lenders and borrowers in various financial transactions, including direct financing, acquisition financing, and refinancing.

Within the capital markets domain, the firm provided advisory services to issuers, initial purchasers, and clients in multiple underwriter roles, focusing on debt capital markets transactions, including notes and bonds issues, with a special emphasis on green bonds. Additionally, the firm handled structured finance transactions such as CLOs, including those with an ESG focus, and credit card receivables acquisitions.

In the field of corporate and M&A, the firm primarily provided advice to acquirers and buyers involved in acquisitions across diverse industries, such as technology, utilities, insurance, pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods and services.

The firm's project development expertise covered comprehensive advisory services to various parties involved in projects, including project companies, developers, sponsors, and concessions companies.

The firm's restructuring and insolvency practice provided guidance to multiple stakeholders, including creditors, examiners, liquidators, and insolvent entities.

Recent staffing changes include the recruitment of Maireadh Dale as partner in their asset finance and banking practice as of August 2022.

  

Deal highlights: 33^rd edition (2023/2024)

AIB Group €750 million senior green bonds issue

CDB Aviation $660 million secured portfolio financing/refinancing facility

Norwegian Air Shuttle $5 billion restructuring

Sprite 2021-1 / Sprite 2021-1  $868 million aircraft securitisation

Thrust Engine Leasing /Thrust Engine Leasing $485 million aircraft engine securitisation

 

Client feedback: 33^rd edition (2023/2024)

Asset finance

“The are very professional, knowledgeable and responsive.”

“Extremely responsive and engaged.”

“Very responsive; very to-the-point and practical.”

“My recent dealings are with the aviation team, who are very knowledgeable and responsive.”

“Matheson is a highly specialised law firm within aviation finance, and provided in-depth knowledge and on-the-spot assistance in such transactions.”

 

Bank lending 

“They were very solutions-orientated and worked hard to execute the deal in a very compressed timeframe. “

“Practical and commercial, no long-winded legal waffle. Experienced personable lawyers who work well together and collaborate well with other law firms on multi-jurisdictional transactions“

 

Banking         

“Excellent technical skills and comms. A pleasure to work with.”

 

Banking and finance

“Matheson always provide extremely well thought out, commercial advice. They are responsive and will assist in meeting tight deadlines.”

“Responsive, technically strong, pragmatic.”

 

Capital markets         

“Great legal knowledge and very responsive.”

“Very knowledgeable, responsive and pragmatic – they are very easy to work with.”

“Excellent response times, always willing and available to join calls, respond to questions etc, very commercial.”

 

Financial services regulatory          

“They have a wide base of knowledge and experts in different fields that facilitate resolution of legal matters easily.”

 

 

Insolvency     

“Excellent firm, responsive and a broad practice to draw expert advice from.”

Investment funds     

"A highly trusted adviser; commercially focused (not just old school law firm v client).”

“Clear breadth and depth in a team of experienced and helpful lawyers.”

“Commercially focused and they provide excellent technical and industry knowledge. Professional and efficient service.”

“Professional, commercial, approachable, reliable and very responsive. Trusted advisers from a business standpoint.”

“Very knowledgeable from a technical and market perspective; highly responsive and commercial.”

“Providing sound and commercial legal advice, excellent client relationship management, responsiveness.”

 

M&A   

“Excellent commercial awareness, expertise and responsiveness”

“Extremely knowledgeable of their market, able to provide timely responses, created a strong working relationship with us, capable team to consult on various issues, professional team, able to write up formal responses to external parties.”

“Incredibly well organised, detailed and very commercial.”

 

PPP/PFI          

“Excellent communication. Fantastic commercial acumen. Effective communication. Matheson has become a trusted adviser to our firm.”

“Very knowledgeable, good content experience, organised, good communicators.”

“Communication, governance, meeting deadlines.”

 

Project development

“Engaged in the Irish renewables space with good knowledge of the evolving policy landscape. Reasonable rates charges for work. Responsive and adaptable to changing timelines/client requirements.”

“Very good understanding of the business and a robust approach to issues.”

“Clarity, directness and completeness of advice.”

“Matheson are responsive, they resolve problems quickly, give clear advice.”

 

Project finance

“Good market knowledge, proactive with documents and meetings, advising on strong borrower positions.”

Very good knowledge of the specifics of renewable energy project finance, risk-sensitive, but also pragmatic approach, short response times and adherence also to short deadlines.”

“Highly commercial and deep sector knowledge in the Irish energy space.”

 

Restructuring

“We contacted them with very short notice and they were very responsive.”

 

Conor Blennerhassett         

“Constructive and focused advice.”

“Conor is an excellent communicator and extremely responsive. He has an in-depth knowledge of the law and what is market standard practice, provides commercial solutions and has become a trusted adviser to the business. “

“Good communicator, excellent content knowledge, personable, works well to timelines.”

“Communication, content knowledge, personable, meets deadlines.”

“Very clear communication, which is vital when working on transactions of this nature. Knowledgeable, proactive, responsive, positive and friendly attitude.”

“Very good understanding of client's questions and needs, very responsive.”

“Highly commercial and knowledgeable across all project contracts in the renewables space. A solution-orientated lawyer.”

“He is an excellent professional and looks for solutions and to resolve things in a fast and efficient way.”

 

Paul Carroll    

“Responsive, pragmatic, technically strong.”

 

Catriona Cole

“Great communication and solution-driven.”

 

Liam Collins  

“Attentive; good listener; understanding of client needs.”

“Commercially focused with great technical and industry knowledge. Always provides a professional and efficient service.”

 

Owen Collins 

“Very good understanding of our business and robust advice.”

 

Dualta Counihan      

“Broad and deep market knowledge; technically excellent; highly responsive.”

 

Maireadh Dale

“Very experienced and is therefore able to be see the bigger picture on transactions, doesn't get bogged down in academic/small unimportant points. Really commercial and pragmatic as well as diligent and reliable. “

“Excellent technical lawyer with a 'can do' attitude. Very prompt with advice.”

 

Garret  Farrelly           

“Client-focused and engaged.”

 

Kevin Gahan

 “A really excellent lawyer. Technical yet approachable and very responsive.”

 

Turlough Galvin        

“Excellent knowledge of industry (DCM, securitization, tax etc) from an Irish and European perspective, very responsive and open to discussing matters at short notice.”

 

Aishlinn Gannon      

“Aishlinn is an excellent lawyer, a fantastic communicator and has become a trusted adviser.”

 

Stephen Gardiner     

“Very knowledgeable and responsive on client matters. Very approachable.”

 

Enda Garvey  

“Extremely nice to work with and very responsive.”

 

Anthony Gaskin

“Practical and knowledgeable; highly responsive.

 

Shane Kennedy        

“Great attention to detail, thorough and solution-driven, pre-empts issues and raises early. Great to work with.”

 

Stuart  Kennedy        

“Responsive. Highly regarded.”

“Stuart is very professional and always goes out of his way to deliver a top service for his clients.”

“Stuart has always been responsive, and to the point. Also extremely knowledgeable in the aviation space. He is my go-to person for Irish law matters.”

“Very knowledgeable and responsive on client matters. Very warm personality and approachable.”

“Stuart is a very experienced and knowledgeable aviation finance lawyer. He knows 'everybody' in the industry and is very responsive. He is the 'go to' aviation finance lawyer in Dublin.”

 

Conor  Lynch 

“Very proactive and practical problem-solver. Meets deadlines efficiently and without fuss.”

 

Robert Maloney Derham       

“Extremely organised, great attention to detail and very commercial.”

 

Vincent McConnon   

“Very knowledgeable, responsive and pragmatic. Works to make our role as transaction counsel easier.”

 

Rory McPhillips        

“Knowledgeable, professional, courteous and responsive.”

 

Julie Murphy-O'Connor        

“Very knowledgeable and extremely responsive.”

Cillian O'Boyle          

“Cillian is an excellent conveyancing solicitor. He is responsive and knows how to resolve problems and provide alternative solutions.”

 

Donal O’Byrne           

“Deep knowledge and understanding of ETF requirements and always provides solid, reliable advice, a true partner to our business.”

 

Barry O'Connor         

“Approachable, commercial and pragmatic. Timely access. Well respected and liked by the business. Problem-solver.”

 

Chelsey O'Doherty    

“Efficient, thorough and constructive engagement on complex matters.”

 

Donal  O'Donovan    

“Donal is very proactive in identifying the path for a process and seeing risks ahead of time. He is commercial and able to listen to the other side without impacting on the risk profile for the bank.”

 

David  O'Mahony      

“David is excellent to deal with. He has a great way of breaking down complex problems and making them simple. He is very solutions-focused and is an excellent communicator.”

“Good industry knowledge and an ability to meet deadlines and stay within budget.”

 

Sean Scally    

“Sean is an expert in his field. He resolves problems quickly and is excellent at bringing both sides of the transaction through the issue and quickly resolves problems.”

 

Michael Sinnott

“Excellent legal and commercial awareness, combined with remarkable responsiveness."

The origins of McCann FitzGerald date back to 1947 in Dublin, but the firm has expanded internationally and now also has branches in Brussels, London and New York from which it advises on Irish law.

 

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm provides high-quality legal advice across a range of practice areas on the Irish market, with key strengths in asset and structured finance, M&A and projects.

The firm has one of the largest and leading asset finance practices in Dublin that advises global leasing companies on acquisitions of portfolios, leasebacks and financing transactions. 

The firm’s capital markets practice cover all areas of debt, equity and structured finance and securitisation work for domestic banks, international financial institutions, and corporations. 

The financial services regulatory team advises banks and financial institutions on licensing and establishing lending platforms in Ireland.

The funds team’s expertise lies in the establishment and management of UCITs, ETFs, AIFs, hedge funds and REITs. 

The M&A practice advises publicly listed companies on buy and sell side transactions. In private space it works for domestic companies in various sectors and private equity firms generally keep the team busy. 

The firm’s projects team has wide-ranging capabilities but is especially active in social infrastructure and road projects advising public bodies, lenders, project developers and contractors. 

In restructuring and insolvency work the firm acts on multinational restructurings advising a mix of custodians and distressed companies.

 

Key clients

Among its clients in banking are Citi Group, AerCap Holdings, Bellinger Asset Management, Sirius Aviation Capital Holdings., Montepico Investments and Marlet Property Group.

Among its clients in capital markets are AIB Group, Hammerson Ireland Finance, DEPFA ACS Bank, FMS Wertmanagement, Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Ireland and Intesa Sanpaolo.

Among its clients in corporate and M&A are OPKO Health, EirGen Pharma, Grant Thornton, NaviCorp, Ion Equity, Luminate Capital Partners and Hartley & Marks.

Among its investment funds clients are JO Hambro Capital Management, Ardstone Capital, Willis Towers Watson, UBS Wealth Management, Metzler Ireland, Peal Capital Partners Group and Emerald Technology Ventures.

In financial services regulatory it advised ISDA, Allied Irish Banks, Capitalflow Group, AerCap Holdings, Patron Capital Partners, Close Brothers and Bitpanda.

Among its clients in project development National Development Finance Agency, Dublin City Council, Primary Health Properties, Greenlink, Galway County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

 

Research period review: 33^rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period the firm was active in all areas of corporate law and project development.

In its highly successful asset finance practice, the firm provided expert guidance to aviation asset finance clients across a diverse spectrum of corporate law transactions, banking and finance, as well as restructuring and insolvency matters.

Within banking and finance, the firm showcased strategic counsel to both lenders and borrowers. Their expertise extended to direct financing, acquisition financing, and refinancing, fostering a comprehensive approach to financial transactions. Furthermore, their project financing practice demonstrated versatility in aiding lenders and borrowers with projects spanning energy, social infrastructure, and transport sectors.

In capital markets, the firm demonstrated its expertise across a broad spectrum of financial instruments, encompassing debt, equity, and structured finance. On the debt front, their advisory services predominantly catered to issuers, guarantors, and arrangers, offering invaluable guidance on various bond and note issues, such as unsecured bonds, long-dated covered bonds, medium-term notes, senior unsecured notes, and sustainability linked bonds.

For equity-related matters, the firm primarily assisted issuers in share placements and initial public offerings (IPOs), solidifying their commitment to supporting companies seeking public listings. In structured finance, the firm was proficient as they notably advised issuers on securities issues and Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs).

The firm excels in corporate and M&A, providing comprehensive counsel to acquirers, sellers, targets, joint-venture partners, and merger parties across diverse industries, including energy, insurance, healthcare, waste management, technology, telecommunications, banking, pharmaceuticals, and life sciences.

In investment funds, the firm offered expert guidance to asset managers, investment managers, and sponsors on fund formations and regulatory concerns, encompassing various funds such as QIAIF and ICAV.

Within financial services regulatory, the firm provided valuable counsel to clients in diverse sectors including FX trading and crypto services, payment services authorizations, derivatives, acquisitions, and banking regulatory issues.

In project development it advised mostly project developers on procurement, PPPs and projects in various industries, including social infrastructure, energy, healthcare and transport.

The firm's restructuring and insolvency practice offered strategic guidance to a wide range of stakeholders, including creditors, administrators, insolvent entities, liquidators, and bondholders. Their expertise encompassed examinerships, liquidations, restructurings, and insolvency proceedings, providing comprehensive support during these critical processes.

 

Deal highlights: 33^rd edition (2023/2024)

AerCap Holdings $30 billion acquisition of Celestial companies and NAS Aviation services

AerCap Holdings $21 billion notes issue

Bellinger $893 million asset backed securities

KKR Altitude Holdings $800 million acquisition of portfolio of aviation loans from CIT Group

Ornua Co-operative €580 million refinancing

Montepico Investments €530 million notes loan

 

Client feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Asset finance

"The McCann team managed the process well, were very efficient in turning around drafts, provided excellent advice and negotiation tactics, understood timelines and made themselves available accordingly. Excellent team."

"The partners at McCanns were very knowledgeable and experienced. The team demonstrated a deep knowledge and experience in their practice areas. They were also very responsiveness and able to turn things around in a timely manner."

"The McCanns team has a world-class service and knowledge and experience with regards to aviation leasing transactions. The team is very focused and dedicated and able to work to tight deadlines."

"McCann FitzGerald consistently provide first-in-class service. They have a deep knowledge of the sector and a very experienced team. They are extremely efficient, while not compromising on quality. The team are commercially focused while ensuring legal requirements are met at the highest standards."

"McCann FitzGerald's in-depth industry knowledge helps them provide tailored and effective legal advice, they are also technically excellent."

"Responsiveness is beyond compare."

"Very professional, responsive. Experts in their field."

"The asset finance team in McCann FitzGerald provide an excellent service and are always very responsive. Legal advice and technical drafting are of the highest standard while also being mindful of our commercial aims. There is good depth of market knowledge across the team. Very good access to partner-level input where required."

"They are always very proactive, responsive and very competent."

Bank lending

"Alacrity, informative and proactive."

"McCann FitzGerald have a team of highly experienced and capable partners which quickly grasps the requirements of any instruction and leads an internal team of people to deliver the required solution."

"Having worked recently with Fergus [Gillen] on the Covid-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme, he brought a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the department's needs. McCanns provided strong support in our development of the primary legislation in emergency timelines. They knew where to update and strengthen due to previous experience. Very strong voice in negotiations with lenders."

 

Banking and finance

"Key understanding of the bank's requirements, ability to advise and help in decision-making as opposed to just providing a template, availability of partners throughout."

"Clear, no-nonsense advice with a commercial approach to problem-solving. Partner involvement throughout the deal and a clear understanding of the client's needs."

"McCann Fitzgerald provides reliable advice in supporting us in meeting our regulatory and legal obligations."

"Very commercial, efficient and helpful. Turn queries, drafts around in a very timely manner. On this deal in particular, I felt the borrower and ourselves received very good value for money."

 

Capital markets

"The firm was very knowledgeable on the matter and were very responsive to queries and in actioning the document reviews required of them."

"Ability to think outside of box and suggest solutions to complex problems."

"Pragmatic advice – very commercially-focused. Client knowledge – a deep understanding of our structure and transaction history."
 

Financial services regulatory

"Clear thinking and generally responsive. Very detailed and considered advice but neatly summarised in a digestible format. Pragmatic approach. Very familiar with their subject matter. Clear identification of risk."

"McCann Fitzgerald are an excellent firm, and market leader. Their advice is always thorough yet practical and given their depth of experience they are able to provide exceptional market insight to help steer us in the right direction."

"MCF always find the ability to take a call on the same day you request it. They also have assigned specific associates and partners to our account, meaning we get the same people helping us each time we request it. MCF are open to estimating costs for work ahead of time so that cost elements of a project (e.g. securitisation transactions) can be planned for. The quality of outputs are always very high and it is evident that materials coming back to us go through rigorous governance and quality assurance before they reach our inbox."

"Safe pair of hands that free the client up to work on internal matters. Provides comfort."

"Prompt responses, expert advice, commercially focused."

"Prompt and well-considered advice. Deep sectoral knowledge."

"Extremely knowledgeable on very complex areas of law. They are very professional and always seek a good understanding of our business so they can closely apply the law and regulation to our specific business."

"McCann's have consistently provided accurate advice in a timely manner. Their people are approachable, available and very easy to do business with and understand the needs of the company. Furthermore, over many years working together their personnel remains consistent, facilitating a good working relationship. We have great faith and trust in their counsel."

 

Investment funds

"Responsive, high level of partner time where appropriate, good value for money."

"McCann embodies the concept of 'counsellor'. They provide not only excellent technical legal services, but they are also our go-to source for advice on thorny matters."

"Very engaged, always willing to help, excellently efficient."

"McCann’s has a deep understanding and knowledge of the regulated investment funds space and has built a strong understanding of our firm and its needs."

"Timely. Personable. Professional."

"McCanns are very responsive and consistent in advice provided to the IM and to the AIFM board. While their role is largely in relation to fund advice, the transactions late last year also required strong M&A advice and a relevant partner was brought into the process and added great value."

"Very knowledgeable team lead by Mark White and Anna Moran."

"They understand well the needs of the client and are very good at providing legal advice and documentation that solve the issues at hand."

"Very responsive and clear in the advice they provide."

"The presentation was current and gave a good overview of the process, cost and timing of the overall exercise."

"Very responsive and pragmatic; excellent technical ability; friendly and approachable."

"Very responsive and knowledgeable in Irish funds law."

"Extremely knowledgeable and experienced team; thoroughly reliable; very professional."

"Professionalism, knowledge and know-your-client is key and McCann Fitzgerald tick all those boxes."

"This process is complex in terms of managing various stakeholders and potential conflicts of interest. McCann F consistently provide clear-sighted advice, clearly presented and articulated. This is assisting the board and investment manager to navigate this process."

"Always responsive, well prepared, extremely professional, high competence, very concentrated working and reliable teamwork."

 

M&A

"Understanding the client's needs. Developing a personal relationship with clients. Ensuring the best result is obtained. Top-class professionalism at all times."

"They are very pragmatic, knowledgeable and responsive."

"Very engaged. Constructive advice."

"Very knowledgeable, competent and measured."

 

Project development

"Knowledge of the sector and problem-solving."

"Overall expertise in the area of planning and environmental legislation."

"They are very responsive and cooperative. Always available to discuss challenges."

"McCann FitzGerald have provided an excellent service to our organisation, delivering the appropriate breadth of skills to deal with the various issues we required assistance on. They have a very good understanding of the area in which we operate and provide clear, and beneficial, advice and assistance across many complex areas."
 
"Their personnel are highly trained, very professional and thoroughly diligent. Overall, they provide a very high standard of service."

"McCann FitzGerald has provided an excellent service to our organisation, delivering the appropriate breadth of skills to deal with the various issues we required assistance on. They have a very good understanding of the area in which we operate and provide clear, and beneficial advice and assistance. They provide an excellent online 'Knowledge Hub' portal, with client access permitted, informing of the latest important developments in legislation, case law and other significant items. They are particularly effective at providing additional sector-specific updates and analyses, which we find highly valuable."
 

"Expertise, knowledge, pragmatism."

 

Restructuring

"Extremely knowledgeable on subject matter and best practice. Always available, personable and easy to deal with."

 

Hugh Beattie

"Hugh was both very responsive and also proactive in terms of following up on various loose ends with other legal counsel and transaction parties. He has notable knowledge and experience in capital markets transactions and was able to address queries quickly and find solutions to issues that arose. He is also very commercially minded."

 

Eamon de Valera

"A very hands-on, highly experienced and efficient partner. Great individual to deal with. He is exceptionally commercial and is able to explain complex issues simply while coming up with creative solutions to get things done."

 

Laura Deignan

"Laura has a deep knowledge of the aviation sector, which has been evident from the quality of service which she consistently provides. She is extremely responsive, commercially minded and an excellent lawyer."

"Laura is technically excellent, great communication skills, detailed-orientated."

 

Michelle Doyle

"Michelle's knowledge and expertise in the area of planning law is second to none and she is also very approachable and a good communicator."

"In the area of project development, the effort and approach provided by Michelle Doyle, the main partner working with us, was of a superb standard – dedicated, resolute, thorough, comprehensive and forensic. The strategic advice, knowledge and capability of Michelle was excellent and we were always confident in our position when they were involved. Her dedication, experience and professionalism ensured that complex and difficult issues were brought to successful conclusions."

"Michelle Doyle has supported us on large, complex and challenging projects and programmes. Her dedication and thoroughness are excellent. She has a comprehensive level of knowledge and experience that has proved invaluable in progressing major infrastructure developments. She is excellent at foreseeing potential future problems and providing solutions to avoid those problems."

 

Morgan Dunne

"Morgan has great client communication skills and brings a level of reassurance to clients that is worth the costs. He can be trusted to navigate you through tough transactions and his technical skills and expertise come to the fore."

"Responsive, hard-working, technically capable, personable."

"Morgan has a wonderful and rare ability to get right to the heart of the issue at hand. He uses his deep industry knowledge and business-friendly approach to provide clear, practical guidance. He has helped us navigate many complicated issues with his unerringly calm, collected demeanour."

"Excellent lawyer, always willing to go the extra mile."

"Approachable, uses plain English, very supportive and has a total command of the field we use him for."

"He is a well-rounded individual, great interpersonal skills and recognises the need or urgency in a particular situation. Always well prepared."

"Excellent technical ability; pragmatic; commercial; understands our business extremely well; friendly and approachable."

"Very responsive and makes himself available as required. Very knowledgeable."

"Excellent communication, commitment to deliver, depth and breadth of knowledge, accessible and responsive. Always personable and pleasant to deal with."

Colm Fanning

"Excellent communicator. Very attentive."

 

Adrian Farrell

"Very responsive and great ability to think outside of the box and solve problems."

"Very commercial, efficient and helpful. Turns queries, drafts around in a very timely manner. On this deal in particular, I felt the borrower and ourselves received very good value for money."

 

Iain Ferguson

"Iain has a deep knowledge of regulated funds and of the Irish and European investment funds landscape. Having had experience both in private practice and in-house means he is able to see projects from the client’s perspective, which is extremely valuable. Iain is very responsive and well connected within his firm and the wider industry."

"Attentiveness. Knowledge of our business and the industry. Energy and direction. Availability."

"Very knowledgeable and accessible."

 

Rachel Fitzsimons

"A safe pair of hands. Takes initiative. Very responsive."

 

Alan Fuller

"He's responsive, knowledgeable and pragmatic. Trustworthy and nice to work with."

 

Stephen Fuller

"Highly capable."

 

Fergus Gillen

"Authoritative on the subject matter. Calm and very able to deal with multiple stakeholders. Strongly aligned with clients but able to react and adapt to alternative suggestions."

 

Josh Hogan

"Josh has in-depth knowledge of the legal and regulatory framework in Ireland which serves us well when seeking advice on various legal and regulatory matters. His ability to understand the requests from us and respond accordingly is commendable. This gives us confidence that we can rely on the advice being provided and take action accordingly."

"Easy to deal with. Pragmatic. Commercial. Clear advice and good on risk assessment and how to address challenges practically. Seems to have a good team around him with good sectoral knowledge."

"Josh's regulatory knowledge and market insight is second to none, he not only provides the legal and regulatory insight, but is also a great problem-solver."

"Josh is a pleasure to work with and treats everyone at the table with the same respect, whether they are the CEO or a junior taking notes. He appears to have endless knowledge and works 25 hours a day while maintaining an excellent standard of output. Josh can often make himself available for calls at short notice which gives us the feel that we are always his most important client and no ask is too big or small."

"Good commercial focus, expert knowledge."

"Expert in his area and a great ability to provide concise and considered advice that applies to the facts at hand."

"Good communication and understanding of the regulations."

"His knowledge, his understanding of regulatory matters, his communication skills, his willingness to find solutions for his client."

"Ability to listen, to understand the question, to provide a considered answer and to deliver outstanding service."

 

Aidan Lawlor

"Knowledgeable and measured. Provided good counsel throughout our transaction."

 

Hilary Marren

"Incredibly knowledgeable and commercial. Hilary has a practical approach to getting the transaction done."

 

Stuart McCarron

"Stuart is a highly experienced and capable partner who quickly grasps the requirements of any instruction and leads an internal team of people to deliver the required solution."

"Availability, strong understanding of the sector. Strong communication throughout."

 

Anna Moran

"Experienced, professional, reliable."

 

Philip Murphy

"Responsive, problem-solver, organised and provides suggestions for the efficiency or our business."

 

Éamon Ó Cuív

"Éamon is an exceptionally talented lawyer whose deep technical knowledge is matched by his understanding of the intricacies of his client's business needs."

 

Garreth O'Brien

"Garreth has a complete understanding of his clients' needs from day one and strives to deliver the best result for them. His professionalism and technical knowledge are second to none, while he also has the rare ability of developing a positive relationship with all types of individuals."

 

David O'Dea

"Highly knowledgeable, experienced, practical approach and responsive."

 

Georgina O’Riordan

“Extremely proactive, on top of things and very competent.”

 

Ian Payne

"Proactive, extremely knowledgeable, excellent negotiator, understands his documents inside and out, cuts to the chase and always provides practicable advice. Very deal-focused and wins key points."

"Great to deal with and very smart. Fast thinking and efficient."

"Ian is a fantastic lawyer to have in your corner on a deal. He is a commercially minded lawyer who also possesses excellent drafting skills and attention to detail. Great negotiator who consistently meets agreed closing deadlines."

 

Stephen Proctor

"Stephen is very practical and has great knowledge in his area. He likes to solve problems quickly. Very good at negotiations."

"Knowledge, pragmatism, expertise."

 

Tony Spratt

"Highly competent and intelligent, always responsive and quick in execution, finds a solution or suggestion for everything, very trustworthy, very good team player."

 

Mark White

"Very personable and professional. A very strong understanding of our fund structure and in quickly identifying issues and suggesting resolutions. Works very well with the AIFM board."

Domestic firm OBH Partners is a Dublin-based boutique founded in 2002. 

 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm specialises in corporate M&A work and has experience in capital markets and restructuring.

 

Key clients

Among its clients are Hikari Data Solutions, Hidramed Solutions, Ableberry, Violet Defense, First Class Metal, Unicorn Mineral Resources, Kibo Energy, Deka Immobilien and

 

Research period review: 33^rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period the firm was active in financial and corporate.

In banking and finance it advised mostly the borrower on direct financing.

In corporate and M&A it advised acquirers on acquisitions in real estate, aviation, mining and logistics, and a merger party in a merger in telecommunications sector, and a joint-venture partner in a joint-venture in healthcare sector.  

In project development it advised acquirer on transport assets acquisition and mining licences.

 

Deal highlights: 33^rd edition (2023/2024)

Hikari/Processus merger

 

Client feedback: 33^rd edition (2023/2024)

Asset finance

“Good positive attitude.”

 

Bank lending 

“Very nice people, responsive and easy to deal with.”

 

Investment funds     

“Speed of work and effective communication.”

“We feel we are an important client and get good and fast support.”

 

M&A   

“Very structured in approach, clear guidance and always available for discussion.”

 

Private equity

“Excellent communicators of the key issues in timely and clear fashion. They are very client-focused, and accessible directly at all times.”

 

Project development

“Can-do, solution-driven, commercial while protecting its client, proactive.”

 

Project finance          

“They are reliable and flexible with an understanding of the needs of early stage start-ups, specifically around cap table structuring, filing obligations and best practice.”

“They work tirelessly to achieve a commercially optimal solution for their clients while also bringing outstanding knowledge of corporate governance and administration.”

 

Restructuring

“Detailed knowledge of the start-up industry in Ireland; highly experienced personnel providing excellent service in a timely and professional manner.”

 

June Hynes   

“Available practical and commercial. “

“June is lovely and completely understands my objectives. Always contactable.”

“Very good commercial sense and ability to get things across the line. Also good understanding of complex problems and summarising briefly.”

 

Paul Prenty    

“Excellent communicator who identifies as part of a team and solves problems.”

 

Daragh Bohan

“Very responsive, and available to address specific concerns as they arise.”

 

John Burke    

“Commercial, proactive, very knowledgeable, rounded, responsive.”

 

Susan Noone

“Highly intelligent, diligent and client-centric.”

 

Orlaith O'Brien

“She is a very diligent and hard-worker with an excellent work ethic who is very accessible and has a deep understanding of the needs of a start-up founder.”     

”Attention to detail; empathy to understand the issues and situation; professional and in the best interests of the client.”

“Excellent client relationship skills, very skilled lawyer and excellent knowledge of the Irish business scene.”

“Very knowledgeable in all aspects of the advice provided. Very clear approach to solving issues and always available for informal guidance as required.”

Cayman Islands based offshore firm, Walkers, has had an office in Dublin since 2010. The firm’s international network includes 10 offices across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East. 

 

Focusses / specialisms

In the decade since the firm launched in Ireland it has diversified its domestic practice and now has individuals specialising in the range of work covered by Ireland’s ranking tables, however fund formation and finance work remain its core strengths.

In the banking and finance area the firm is most notable for its asset finance experience in the aviation section.

In the area of capital markets, the firm has one of the strongest practices in Ireland for securitisation transactions, especially CLOs, and is active on the debt side of the markets.

The firm has an active funds practice experienced in the range of structures commonly used in Ireland.

 

Key clients

Among its clients are MUFG Bank, Nord LB, Esken, Hertz Global Holdings, Nord Gold, Capital, Prytania Investment Advisors, Bank of America Europe, Wilmington Trust, Edmond de Rothschild, Skyline Umbrella Fund ICAV, Albemarle Asset Management, Optima Asset Management and The Boeing Company.

 

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period the firm was active in all areas of corporate law.

In asset finance it advised all sides of the table on banking and capital markets transactions in the aviation finance field.

In banking and finance the firm advised mostly lenders on direct financing and refinancing.

In capital markets it advised mostly issues on debt transactions such as notes issues as well as on structured finance transactions such as CLO-notes, securities issue and SME-loans securitisation, and an originator on swap documents.

In corporate and M&A the firm advised target companies and investors on acquisitions in companies from various sectors, including technology, construction, banking and aviation.

In financial services regulatory it advised clients from financial services sectors including CLO and securitization, fin-techs, banks and e-payment services on e-money institutions authorizations, AML-compliance and other funds, banking and payment services regulatory matters.

In investment funds the firm advised fund managers on formation of funds and sub-funds, including ICAVs and UCITS platforms, and on various matters related to them.

In restructuring and insolvency, the firm advised the full range of roles in restructuring and insolvency transactions such as securities restructurings, liquidations, examinerships, Chapter 11 restructuring and financial restructurings.

Recent staffing changes include the recruitment of associates Natalia Kravtsova, Roisin O'Connor, Diana Pacheco, and paralegal Sherry Yu, legal professionals in asset finance, recruited from, respectively, GTLK Europe, McCann FitzGerald, A&L Goodbody and Jia Yuan Law Offices.

 

Deal highlights: 33^rd edition (2022/2023)

Hertz Global Holdings $19 billion debt restructuring

Nord Gold $100 million ESG-linked revolving credit facility

PIMCO/Aercap $450 million leasing programme

 

Client feedback: 33^rd edition (2023/2024)

Asset finance

"Walkers are highly responsive and provide a very professional service."

"Walkers has an attractive network of onshore and offshore offices."

"They are accurate, fast, reliable and always available."

"Walkers have advised on a wide variety of Irish legal, tax and regulatory matters that arose across various transactions and prepared transaction security documents, corporate approvals and legal opinions when required. They provide excellent client service. The team is collaborative and very responsive with clear communication making them great to work with. In particular, I have worked closely with Killian McSharry, who is a very helpful and responsive industry expert."

"Walkers' asset finance team are in my view a top-tier asset finance team in Ireland. They are always responsive, commercial and technically very strong and are one of the largest dedicated asset finance teams in the Irish market advising on all aspects of aviation finance and leasing. They use an innovative approach to deals advising on all structure types, complex cross-border mandates and high-value award-winning deals. The team are highly skilled, coming from other leading Irish law firms as well as in-house, and they are very practical and commercial with excellent awareness of industry trends."

"Matt Hedigan, Killian McSharry and Padhraic Mulpeter (tax partner) came to our office this year along with their colleague Sarah Humpleby from their Cayman office to give our team a presentation on Irish and Cayman law legal, regulatory and tax matters relevant to aviation transactions. This was a very informative presentation and we really appreciated the effort made by the Walkers team to present on these matters. Walkers have advised on a wide variety of Irish legal, tax and regulatory matters that arose across various transactions and prepared transaction security documents, corporate approvals and legal opinions when required. Excellent client service – the team is collaborative and very responsive with clear communication making them great to work with. Walkers' asset finance team are in my view a top-tier asset finance team in Ireland. They are always responsive, commercial and technically very strong. One of the largest dedicated asset finance teams in the Irish market advising on all aspects of aviation finance and leasing. Very practical and commercial with excellent awareness of industry trends. Innovative approach to deals advising on all structure types, complex cross-border mandates and high-value award-winning deals. Team is highly skilled, coming from other leading Irish law firms as well as in-house."

"Excellent client service. The team is collaborative and very responsive with clear communication making them great to work with. Very practical and commercial with excellent awareness of industry trends. Walkers' asset finance team are in my view a top-tier asset finance team in Ireland. They are always responsive, commercial and technically very strong. One of the largest dedicated asset finance teams in the Irish market advising on all aspects of aviation finance and leasing. Innovative approach to deals advising on all structure types, complex cross-border mandates and high-value award-winning deals. Team highly skilled coming from other leading Irish law firms as well as in-house."

"Excellent client service. Walkers are very commercial and client-focused. They provide accurate, clear and timely advice making them a preferred firm of ours. Walkers have excellent commercial awareness and are on top of prevailing industry trends as they have a wide array of clients in the space."

"Responsive, commercial, attention to detail."

"Very responsive, practical and good value."

"The Walkers team are extremely user-friendly from a client perspective and, as a team, we have found them to be responsive, personable and very client-focused. Their advice is always precise and to the point and, more generally, their service is delivered efficiently and with a high degree of commerciality."

"Very practical and commercial with excellent awareness of industry trends. Walkers' asset finance team are in my view a top-tier asset finance team in Ireland. They are responsive, commercial and technically very strong. The team is highly skilled, coming from other leading Irish law firms as well as in-house."

"Walkers provide excellent client service. The team is collaborative and very responsive with clear communication making them great to work with. Walkers' asset finance team are in my view a top-tier asset finance team in Ireland. They are always responsive, commercial and technically very strong."
 

"Very easy to deal with, responsive and commercial."

"They are a top-tier asset finance team. Extremely experienced, diligent and great to deal with."

 

Banking and finance

"User-friendly, responsive, reliable, leaders in the CLO space in Ireland."

"They are extremely responsive and have a good understanding of the client's needs."

 

Capital markets

"They have been generally incredibly responsive, patient and helpful in communicating complex issues to our commercial stakeholders. In particular, I've been impressed with their ability to consider cross-border issues."

"The partner concerned has been responsive, helpful in explaining the nuances of the structure and the parties and generally easy to deal with."

"Proactive, knowledgeable, run a transaction well, helpful."

"Comprehensive, risk-weighted and commercial advice on the structured finance transactions."

"Experts in their field. Advice delivered on time and clearly."

"Very prompt, professional and commercial approach to business."

 

Financial services regulatory

“Financial services in CLO activity work is a real strength for this firm. Their diversity approach and overall individuals’ specialist knowledge is an attribute for Walkers.”

“Walkers were fully engaged throughout the issue and provided sound guidance at various stages of the matter to move the process forward to a conclusion.”

“Helpful, efficient and really mindful and supportive of the client’s needs, with a view to ensuring those needs are met in the best way for the client. They go above and beyond to ensure their clients are looked after.”

“Super-competitive, diverse talent, innovative and friendly experts in their field who deliver quality legal work without fuss.”

“Walkers are highly professional and provide very competent legal services in both a friendly and accessible manner. The Walkers team of Niall Esler, Shane Martin and Coleen Wegmann have been excellent to collaborate with. They are highly knowledgeable, professional, and very client service-focused. They delivered excellent advice, clarity and opinion for, at times, very difficult and complex issues. As soon as we had a question, query or request for support, they got back to us quickly and made it a seamless operation, especially as we were facing time constraints.”

“They understand the business very well and manage the various stakeholders well.”

“Timely and cost-effective.”

“They are very knowledgeable on the legislation and governing laws. Excellent with feedback on policy and procedure presentation.”

“Responsive, informative, and keeps us up to date on the evolving regulatory environment so that we may remain in compliance and ahead of any developments.”

 

Investment funds

"Walkers served as primary adviser and project manager for the effort. They were exceptionally efficient from both a time and cost perspective."

"Timely, accurate and effective."

"Responsive and commercial approach. Willing to move quickly and meet client demands."

"There were a lot of moving parts and Tim was so knowledgeable, efficient, very commercial and fantastic in bringing it all together to progress and finalise the documents. He has a lovely manner and was a pleasure to work with. Aongus [McCarthy] was fantastic in advising on all matters pertaining to us as an EU-domiciled manager being appointed to act in respect of a Cayman vehicle and expertly advised on Irish and EU laws and the extent to which they applied in respect of respect of the structure."

"Always very helpful."

"Very responsive, collaborative and commercially competitive."

"Super well researched and knowledgeable on the subject area. Offered perspectives and context in addition to just answering the question asked. Well connected to both the evolving nature of the regulation, the sense of industry direction and what we needed as a firm."

"Meticulous, well-organised and proactive in providing legal and regulatory guidance and support."

"I find the team at Walkers to be proactive, highly responsive and extremely personable. They work to understand the client's requirements and do their homework to thoroughly understand the issue to enable them to provide insightful responses."

"The team at Walkers are very knowledgeable and informed and very proactive in their engagement. The members of the team have been quite consistent and the same partner has continued to support us since the beginning."

"All available, quick to respond, you're dealing with a team who are all aligned."

"Walkers have displayed competence and expertise in advising on the oversight and risk management responsibilities of the organisation in respect of alternative fund structures. The team work closely and effectively with EU and international counsel in support of new product establishment."

"Large team; knowledgeable; engaged; positive attitude and quick turnaround."

"They are very responsive and helpful and instead of just providing the law, they help apply and explain the law in a manner that is helpful for clients."

"Managed the project from start to finish in an efficient manner communicating at all times where we were regarding our project timeline, and we achieved the specified target date of amalgamation."

"The partner on the account, Eimear Keane, is very accessible. She has in-depth knowledge of regulations coupled with strong business acumen."

"The Walkers team are always thorough and conscientious in their approach ensuring timely and efficient advice."

"They are responsive, knowledgeable and give us good insight."

"Understanding the brief. Comprehensive analysis of issue."

"Overall Walkers did a great job in guiding us through the process. Key positive attributes include: timely communication and very good at flagging regulatory developments; thorough understanding of the subject matter; able to provide guidance on best approach given regulatory requirements while also incorporating understanding of ARGA's approach and how requirements may translate to our investment process; and provide a summary of regulatory requirements making it much easier to digest regulator documentation."

"Walkers, Ireland has a deep understanding and expertise in private funds, which is reflected in their high-quality work. They are knowledgeable about the latest developments in the field and are able to provide relevant and practical advice to their clients."

 

M&A

"Clear, concise, commercially-focused advice."

"Walkers are responsive, commercially minded and accessible in the provision of their advice."

"Excellent communication, flexible, expert advice and commercial awareness."

"High level of knowledge, very responsive and very pleasant to work with."

 

Private equity

"Responsive, practical, on point in terms of advice, very interactive and supportive for the funds and clients."

 

Damien Barnaville

"Very approachable and provides availability unlike some legal professionals. Excellent problem-solver and delivers on a timely basis. Has broad knowledge. Provides outstanding coverage at board meetings."

 

Nicholas Blake-Knox

"Very knowledgeable and well informed on Industry trends and focus areas. Is a member of the council for the industry body."

"Responsive and knowledgeable."

"Nick is an expert in Irish regulatory but also in all fund-related matters, with deep knowledge and experience in the area of cross-border fund structures involving Luxembourg. Nick provides high-quality advice and guidance to our common clients. Nick and his team are able to deliver work within the agreed-upon timeframe. They understand the importance of meeting deadlines and work efficiently to ensure that clients' needs are met."

 

Michael Dyulgerov

"Very responsive, diligent, professional, knowledgeable, helpful."

 

Niall Esler

"He's flexible in adjusting to clients working in a fast-paced environment and selfless in the service of his client's needs – he works to anticipate what a client will need and ensure they will be able to get that and when they need it by."

"Attentive, measured, considers all aspects of an issue, personable, hard-working, team builder."

"Niall is a great communicator. Niall has project managed the relationship and lead interactions and collaborations to great success. Niall is extremely professional and personable in his approach and shared goals in a project."

 

Matt Hedigan

"Very friendly, knowledgeable and approachable."

 

Eimear Keane

"Eimear is approachable and looks to provide pragmatic solutions."

"As Walkers at large - responsive, informative and proactive."

"Ability to explain complex topics in an easy to understand manner. Subject-matter expertise and knowledge is high."

"Knowledgeable, responsive and collaborative."

"Well researched and good at understanding our needs and not just narrating off a rote response."

"Eimear is technically very strong. She gives thoughtful consideration to problems and challenges and provides well-thought-out solutions to the path forward. She is very accessible and highly responsive. Eimear combines technical strength with commercial acumen."

"Very proactive and helpful, and attentive to discerning what a client's underlying objectives are and how the law can be applied in a problem-solving manner."

"Eimear's depth of knowledge and attention to detail is second to none."

"1. Expert knowledge. 2. Commercial acumen. 3. Accessibility."

"Conscientious and client-focused."

"I found Eimear great to work with and would point to several positive attributes: very knowledgeable on the subject matter of SFDR and EU Taxonomy, which was the primary topic of our interactions; was able to clearly articulate implications on ARGA funds and requirements in terms of documentation and reporting; and timely in responses, proactive in raising upcoming issues and timely in follow-ups."
 

"Very approachable, very reliable, excellent in terms of delivery and advice given. Highly recommend."

"Super-knowledgeable; positive; engaged; brings her team with her to enhance their knowledge/legal expertise; solutions-orientated and quick to respond."

 

Dilmun Leach

"Very responsive and accessible. Provides practical solutions."

 

Killian McSharry

"Killian McSharry has worked on many ground-breaking and innovative deals and was recently named in Airline Economics' 40 under 40; he should be considered as highly regarded."

"Killian is an incredibly responsive and reliable lawyer. I would happily recommend his services to counterparties."

"Killian is accessible and very cooperative."

"He is a leading industry experts with excellent technical ability and easy to work with."

"I have worked closely with Killian McSharry. Killian is a leading industry expert with excellent technical ability and easy to work with. Killian McSharry has worked on many ground-breaking and innovative deals and was recently named in 'Airline Economics' 40 under 40'; he should be considered as highly regarded."

"Killian is commercial, very responsive and provides an excellent client-focused service."

"Excellent communicator. Knowledgeable, commercial, good problem-solver."

"Responsive and gets the job done. Good value and understands what is needed from our Irish counsel."

"Killian is an excellent lawyer. He provides clear and cogent advice, is extremely responsive and is very commercial in outlook."

"I have worked closely with Killian McSharry. Killian is a leading industry expert with excellent technical ability and easy to work with. Killian McSharry has worked on many ground-breaking and innovative deals and was recently named in 'Airline Economics' 40 under 40'; he should be considered as highly regarded."

"I have worked closely with Killian McSharry. He is a leading industry expert with excellent technical ability and easy to work with attitude."
 

"I have worked closely with Matt Hedigan and Killian McSharry on a number of transactions. Both have excellent technical ability and are great to work with."

"Responsive, high skilled, strong technical knowledge, very accessible."

 

Aongus McCarthy

"Aongus was fantastic in advising on all matters pertaining to us as an EU-domiciled manager being appointed to act in respect of a Cayman vehicle and expertly advised on Irish and EU laws and the extent to which they applied in respect of respect of the structure."

"Solutions-focused, approachable, with meticulous attention to detail and sectoral knowledge."

"Aongus has strong technical ability and an impressive attention to detail. He communicates effectively and clearly and has established a strong rapport with the legal and product teams."

"Responsive and understands the brief."

 

Ian McNamee

"Ian has been responsive, helpful in explaining the nuances of the structure and the parties and generally easy to deal with."

"Knowledge, communication, responsiveness, proactive."

"Knowledgeable, positive approach, always available, responsive, commercial and very client-focused."

"Approachable, commercial and solution driven."

"Super-competitive, innovative and friendly expert in his field who delivers quality legal work without fuss. His willingness to adapt to market needs and flexibility on fees make him and his firm super client-friendly."

 

Brendan O'Brien

"First-class communicator."

"Very responsive, good listener, good legal knowledge, very helpful."

 

Paddy Rath

"Paddy provides commercial and risk-weighted legal advice. He is responsive to clients' needs and has a good understanding of the Irish and European regulatory issues."

"Very personable and organised."

 

Noeleen Ruddy

"Friendly and knowledgeable."

 

Eoin Ryan

"Responsive, commercially minded and accessible."

"Excellent communication, customer-focused, expert advice. Eoin has a deep understanding coupled with commercial awareness."

 

Andrew Traynor

"Hands-on working, very good responsiveness, very good industry and legal knowledge."

"Incredibly well coordinated and able to take complex issues and simplify them efficiently. He simplifies topics and presents a comprehensive, understandable view of a legal issue."

"A good builder of relationships and understands the risk horizon well (from a regulatory perspective)."

 

Leanne Wallser

"Just a lovely person to deal with."

Founded in 1847, William Fry is a leading Irish firm headquartered in Dublin. The firm opened an office in Cork recently and has an alliance with Northern Ireland firm Tughans. It also has branches in London, New York, Silicon Valley and San Francisco through which it advises foreign clients on Irish law. 

 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm is broadly strong in transactional work but best known for its corporate practice and the teams M&A, restructuring and equity capital markets work.

In banking and finance the firm has a strong real estate offering and is often lender or borrower side counsel on development financing and refinancing transactions. Acquisition finance is another strength.

The M&A team's cross border expertise covers sectors including technology, insurance, healthcare and food and beverage. It is experienced in advising a mix of private equity firms, international and domestic corporations and public and private entities. 

The firm's equity capital markets practice advises multinational corporations on equity fundraising, shares placements and IPOs while its debt team is often active on the issuer side. 

The firm’s funds team has a good position in the ETF space and advises on some of the biggest funds on the market.

In project work the firm is experienced in the PPP space advising state parties or lenders on social infrastructure projects. It is also notable for its work in the energy sector advising sponsors and lenders on renewable projects.

The firm has one of the strongest restructuring and insolvency practices in the country and often advises on some of the largest cross border mandates in retail, insurance and food among other sectors. The firm acts for liquidators and receivers.

 

Key clients

Among its clients are Norwegian Air Group, NAC Group, Bank of Ireland, Ardagh Group, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, Auxmoney, LähiTapiola Rahoitus Oy, TowerBrook Capital Partners, Pillar Irish Bank, Bibby Financial Services, J & E Davy Holdings, Irish REIT Properties, Phoenix Group Holdings, Architas Multi-Managers, Bank of America Custodial Services, Core Industrial Luxembourg and Ardagh Group.

 

Research period review: 32^nd edition (2023)     

During the research period the firm was active in all areas of corporate law and project development.

In asset finance it advised all sides of the table on the full range of transactions in corporate law mostly with aviation finance assets.

In banking and finance it acted on behalf of the borrowing and the lending side on direct senior and mezzanine development financing, acquisition financing and refinancing. Its project finance practice includes advising the borrowing side on projects in various industries, including energy, natural resources, real estate, utilities, transport and technology.

In capital markets it advised in clients on debt, equity and structured finance work. On debt it advised mostly issuer on bonds and notes issues. On equity it advised mostly issuers on share listings. On structured finance it advised issuer and originators on loan securitisations and securities issue.

In corporate and M&A it advised the buy side and the sell side on acquisition in various industries, including energy, technology and insurance.

In investment funds it advised clients on formation of funds and sub-funds, including UCITS and ICAVs, and on related regulatory matters.

In financial services regulatory it advised financial institutions on financial markets matters, e-money payment authorisations, online trading platforms, crypto and fin-tech regulatory matters and corporate matters.

In project development it advised project developers and stakeholders on acquisitions of assets and projects in various sectors, most notably in renewable energy sector, technology and telecommunications, aviation, healthcare and real estate.

In restructuring and insolvency it advised all sides of the table on liquidations, business and debt restructurings, and insolvency proceedings.

Recent staffing changes include the recruitment of Liam Arthur, partner in corporate and M&A coming from Proskauer, Liam McArthur, partner in corporate and M&A coming from Proskauer Rose, Rob McDwyer, consultant in projects and construction, coming from Iberdrola Australia.

  

Deal highlights: 32^nd edition (2023)

Ardagh Group €950 million senior secured notes

Ardagh Metal Packaging Finance €2.3 billion green bond offering

Clayton, Dubilier & Rice £2.6 billion financing

Echelon Data Centres €855 million financing

Finance Ireland €315 million securities issue

NAC Group $6.8billion debt restructuring

Norwegian Air Group €6 billion debt restructuring

Smurfit Kappa Group €500 million senior notes due 2029 and €500 million senior notes

University College Dublin €350 million financing

 

Client feedback: 32^nd edition (2023)

Asset finance

"Technical knowledge and commercial response"

 

Banking

"Proactive, practical, commercial and responsive."

 

Capital markets : Debt

"Service delivery, technical expertise."

"Always extremely responsive, professional and friendly. Bring years of experience and knowledge to the table. Extremely commercial compared to other law firms and solution-oriented. Provide practical, helpful advice. Very good coordination with other departments (tax, regulatory, etc)."

 

Capital markets : Structured finance and securitisation

"Very responsive, efficient and user-friendly."

"Very responsive and good at pointing out potential options and solutions to structural issues."

"We find that the team at the firm provide us with the benefit of their deep expertise and experience in a commercial and pragmatic manner. "

"Very responsive and ability to provide practical advice."

"Superb responsiveness – ALWAYS available. Client-oriented solutions. True involvement with the client. Market knowledge. Highly skilled professionals."

 

Financial services regulatory

"When our firm faced a significant challenge, William Fry supported the firm with seconded high calibre experienced solicitors, excellent advice to deal with a number of complex and challenging matters. Their approach to working with us was that of a trusted partner who was very honest with their counsel."

"They understand the local market here well and know our business. "

"They have been hugely proactive in all parts of the process, clear in their communications, and willing to provide straightforward advice on complex subjects."

"There are many positive attributes, which include always making themselves available at short notice. The quality of the legal expertise from the team really makes them stand apart from their competitors in the fintech area. "

"The team have provided me with really valuable insights in how to approach communications and negotiations with our local regulators. In particular, they recently helped us achieve a very positive outcome regarding the status of our application. "

"The firm provided a clear accurate report which allows ongoing use as a tool in preparing for change and measuring ongoing compliance. "

"Excellent expertise for financial regulatory approvals. User-friendly partners."

"Easy access to decision-makers, responsive and clear advice. The firm look to engage early, be clear about the support they can give and the benefits of an approach. Not afraid to challenge our thinking on matters"

"Clear, concise, well-considered advice and clearly thoroughly researched. "

 

Insolvency

"Market-leading practice with impressive individual practitioners."

"Very experienced, good legal advice, hard-working, efficient, friendly approach."

"Really practical, knowledgeable and responsive. Highly adaptive and collaborative in terms of identifying and executing a solution to an issue that arises."

"Reactive."

"Experience, depth of legal expertise, strength of legal time, strong advice and practical and friendly approach."

 

Investment funds : Hedge funds

"Responsive, engaged and assured. Collaborative support partner for firm's activities."

 

M&A

"Deep insurance industry and Irish market knowledge. The firm provided accurate and commercial advice throughout the transaction.”

 

Project development : Infrastructure

"Very efficient work and excellent contractual technical advice. "

"Very concise and appropriate drafting taking account of real commercial issues, finding the right balance."

"They provide not only legal expertise but are also very good commercially. "

 

Project development : Telecommunications networks

"The firm supported our business with the scoped due diligence stage of the transaction and supported the business in meeting a key deadline due diligence date, for lenders. Separately, we required the firm to provide project management support for numerous work streams."

 

Restructuring

"They are a leading law firm with high-quality lawyers."

"The firm have excellent corporate, corporate litigation and insolvency departments. As counsel it is always reassuring to know that the firm instructing me has an attention to detail, a solid knowledge of the law and good practical common sense. The firm brings all of these attributes to bear in any case in which I am involved."

 

John Aherne

"Responsive, practical and knows our business."

"He is a stand-out partner. He is commercial, innovative, solutions driven, 'thinks outside the box' and is a pleasure to work with. "

"He is a stand-out partner across the team and indeed in comparison to partners we have worked with across other top firms. He is commercially focused, innovative, solutions-driven and has a wide depth of industry knowledge both locally and globally. We really value his strategic judgement and agility on complex matters. "

 

Matthew Cahill

"Very responsive and has extensive market knowledge in structured finance."

"Technical expertise and problem-solving."

"He is extremely responsive and a good problem-solver."

"Brings a wealth of experience. Very responsive and always helpful (e.g setting up calls at short notice). Extremely commercial and easy to work with. Extremely easy to work with in terms of costs transparency (we don't have the issues with them that we have had with certain other law firms when it comes to billing)."

"Extremely responsive. In-depth knowledge of the sector and the institutions involved. His approach to legal issues is thoroughly researched and firmly based, but it is always carried out with a straightforward business-like and practical mood. Involvement and integration with our team – we see him as part of our team. He really understands our needs, anticipating possible setbacks that may arise in the transaction and looks for practical and efficient solutions without having to adhere strictly to the literality of the law. In a small (but growing) company like ours, he often assumes a role that goes beyond strict external advice. That's real added value."

"He has a depth of expertise in the structured finance space and is able to provide us with pragmatic and commercial solutions in a cost-effective manner. "

 

Lisa Carty

"Quick grasp of a situation, very strategic in her approach. Empowers her team but is always available and responsive. Not afraid to challenge a collective opinion and thinks outside the box to deliver a solution to complex challenges "

"Strategic thinker on complex matters, detailed knowledge across all matters her team is engaged on. Quick to recognise when she needs to refer to another subject-matter expert in the firm. Will take the time necessary to reflect on all matters rather than suggest a solution that will not stand the test of time."

 

Fergus Devine

"Excellent to find solutions rather than confrontation."

 

Fergus Doorly

"Market-leading insolvency lawyer. Excellent strategist. Handles clients very well."

"Market-leading practitioner in restructuring/insolvency and commercial litigation."

 

Louise Harrison

"Very knowledgeable in her field. Extremely practical and commercial in her advice and guidance. She builds client rapport very quickly. You feel like you have a valued partner and someone who is looking out for your best interests. She is extremely helpful in making sure that your needs are met and was insightful on the TUPE process. She also helped us to push back at times on [third party] requests, which in hindsight has protected our time and that is invaluable."

 

Derek Hegarty

"Proactive, practical, commercial and responsive."

 

Jarleth Heneghan

"He took responsibility for putting together the time-challenging due diligence report. This involved dealing with a number of 'legal streams' who were reviewing documents; collating the data; and ensuring the data was accurate/correct. Then, of course, he had to provide the data (from our commercial contracts) to SIRO for review. He handled the challenge well and worked in a style that suited our business."

"Very proactive with a great knowledge base."

 

Shane Kelleher

"He is excellent at interpreting and anticipating what a regulator's thoughts are and how they will respond to a firm's proposals. "

"A clear expert from a financial services regulatory perspective."

 

John Larkin

"He has extensive and deep knowledge of the Irish regulatory market."

 

David Maughan

"Responsive and good advice."

 

Liam McCabe

"Very astute with in-depth knowledge and insights into the industry and all the major players."

 

Ciara McLoughlin

"Very knowledgeable in her field. Extremely practical and commercial in her advice and guidance."

 

Louise McNabola

"Subject-matter expert. Personable. Excellent communication both orally and in writing. Excellent attention to detail."

 

Ruairi Rynn

"Very experienced restructuring lawyer, provides good legal and commercial advice, friendly approach."

"He is one of the leading restructuring lawyers in Ireland. He has worked on a number of complex restructures and provides reliable and sound legal advice. He is always very approachable and good to work with. "

 

Marguerite Sinnot

"Helpful, responsive and knowledgeable. "

 

Craig Sowman

"Very assured, practical and a safe pair of hands. Go-to lawyer for tricky assignments as he gets to the nub of the issue very quickly. He's no nonsense in approach and speaks clearly."

 

Patricia Taylor

"Responsive, clear communicator of complex points and a coherent manner in tackling larger-scale issues."

 

Mary Ward

"Excellent technical and commercial knowledge."

 

AMOSS Solicitors was founded in Ireland in 2012. It joined global law network, Interlaw, in 2016. The firm employs 80 staff.

 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm advises on a full range of commercial matters including investment funds, M&A and restructuring.

 

Key clients

Key clients include OFFR Limited, Red Rock Group and Cignal Infrastructure.

 

Client feedback: 31^st edition (2020/2021)

 

Bank lending: Lender side

"They provide excellent service and very comprehensive legal advice."

"Persistence, kept to the same quote, resolved the problem."

 

Bank lending: Sponsor side

"Amoss were creative in working towards solutions, responsive, hard-working and personable."

 

M&A

"Excellent advisers and very good value for money. I find them very attentive and commercial too."

"They are supportive of their client's needs and will proactively drive the engagement to a successful conclusion."

 

Restructuring: Bond holder and fund representation

"They are efficient and knowledgeable in any aspect of investment programmes and dealing with new investors."

Founded in 1988, domestic firm LK Shields employs around 100 legal professionals across offices in Dublin, Galway and London.

 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm is most active in lending and financing work and M&A.

The banking team advises on both lender and borrower sides. It is particularly strong in property finance transactions where it advises domestic property funds and investors on acquisition and development financings. The firm also does work in the alternative lending space, advising pension funds and alternative funds as lenders.

In M&A the firm has acted for multinational corporations and private equity firms on acquisitions in Ireland across oil and gas, real estate, healthcare and the technology sectors.

 

Key clients

Some recent key clients of the firm include InfraVia Partners, Dussman Group, Nebula Management Limited, Renatus Capital Partners, Wirefox MUFG Fund Services Ireland, KPMG, Deloitte, Nomura, Corry Capital Advisors, TMF and Veritas Group. 

 

Client feedback: 31^st edition (2020/2021)

 

Project development

"I have dealt mostly with partners, Jamie Ritchie and Richard Curran. I regard both as experts in their market sector - they have a can-do attitude. They are responsive, have a direct straightforward approach, and are a pleasure to work with."

Originating from the Cayman Islands, Maples Group is an international firm with offices across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas that provides legal and fiduciary services to clients. The firm has had a Dublin office since 2006.

 

Focusses / specialisms

The offshore firm has established a reputation for itself for work in a number of practice areas in Ireland. 

In the banking and finance space the firm is experienced in representing non-bank lenders on transactions.

In the capital markets area the team is a leader for securitisation work, especially CLOs, and is often on the side of issuers.

In line with the firm’s focus globally firm, it has one of the most reputed funds practices in Ireland, experienced in structuring ICAVs and UCITs among other vehicles.

Aviation, technology and real estate are among the sectors in which the firm is experienced. 

 

Key clients

Among its clients in banking are Bain Capital Credit and Allied Irish Banks.

Among its clients in capital markets are Falko, Sky Leasing, Avolon, TwentyFour Asset Management, CVC Credit Partners Investment Management and Goldman Sachs International.

Among its clients in corporate and M&A are Wayflyer, Taxamo, Mercuria UK, Cleanair SPV I, Lacerta Fund, Tech Mahindra, Oaktree Capital Management, Teamwork Holdings and Spotlight Oral Care.   

In investment funds it assisted Neuberger Berman Investment Funds, Bain Capital Credit, Muzinich & Co., Northern Trust Fund Managers and MontLake UCITS Platform ICAV.

Among its clients in project development are Passage Healthcare, Siemens Consortium, Hines Real Estate Ireland, Rhatigan, Primary Care Construction JV, BAM Building Limited, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and JJ Rhatigan & Co.

 

Research period review: 32^nd edition (2022/2023)     

During the research period the firm was active in all areas of corporate law and project development.

In asset finance it advised clients mostly in aviation on transactions in all practice areas.

In banking and finance, it was active in advising borrowers and lenders on acquisition financing, and it provided advice on investment grade and sustainability linked financing and direct financing. Its project financing practice has a clear focus on advising the borrowing side on the direct financing of projects in various industries, including construction and materials, energy and aviation.

In capital markets it advised on debt and structured finance transactions. In debt capital markets it advised issuers on bond and note issue, including green bonds, while in structured finance it advised mostly issuers and clients in underwriter’s roles on secured notes issue, CLO notes, portfolio securitisation and securitization restructuring.

In corporate and M&A the firm mainly advised acquirers on acquisitions in several industries, most notably in pharmaceuticals and life sciences and technology and telecommunications.

In investment funds it advised investment managers and fund managers on fund formations, including UCITSs and QIAIF, and on regulatory issues. 

In financial services regulatory it assisted clients on banking authorizations, banking business transfers and on various financial and corporate matters and issues.

In project development it advised mostly developers and contractors on projects and PPPs in a variety of industries, especially in construction and materials, and energy.

In restructuring and insolvency it advised mostly creditor, various administrators and liquidators on Chapter 11 proceedings, examinerships, liquidations, insolvency proceedings.

Recent staffing changes include the recruitment of Lorna Smith, partner from Matheson in financial services regulatory and funds and investment management, Morgan Pierse, partner in M&A joined from Arthur Cox. Edward Miller, corporate and M&A partner retired. Deirdre MacCarthy, a corporate and M&A partner moved to Wayflyer, and Enda O'Keeffe, a partner in construction and projects moved to A&L Goodbody.

 

Deal highlights: 32^nd edition (2022/2023)

Avolon $5.7 billion asset-backed securities issue

Bain Capital Credit $1 billion financing

CVC Credit Partners €447.5 million CLO notes

Falko $530 milion securitization

Mercuria Energy Group €30 million acquisition of Exergyn

Oncology and Nephrology hospital project in Jamaica

SKY Leasing $600 million acquisition financing

Sky Leasing $663 million securitization issue                      

Tech Mahindra €21 million acquisition of Perigord Life Science Solutions

TwentyFour Asset Management £417 acquisition finance

 

Client feedback: 32^nd edition (2022/2023)

Asset finance

"Very knowledgeable and commercial; excellent at ensuring transactions continue smoothly."

"Unrivalled expertise and professionalism."

"Responsive, they know the market. Good to work with"

"The firm provides expert, efficient and user-friendly advice. "

 

Capital markets : Structured finance and securitisation

"Responsiveness; solutions driven; highly personable. "

"Very responsive and keen to grow their presence in the Irish securitisation market. Great safe pair of hands for Irish work."

"Very switched on and keen team focused on the client experience."

 

Financial services regulatory

"The firm have been very proactive in meeting the evolving requirements of the client (a US asset manager) while, at the same time, keeping the board informed and ensuring that the highest standards of corporate governance are observed at all times."

"Clear and helpful advice given."

"Very strong technical skills coupled with very strong client management skills and a global outlook/experience."

 

Investment funds : Hedge funds

"Excellent quality legal advice and hands-on matter management. Pragmatic, sensible solutions."

 

Investment funds : Registered funds

 "They have a very expert asset management and funds team covering all types of UCITs & AIFs and a great regulatory advisory business. They have good associates, attorneys and partners that are team players and good to work with. They are not only expert and competent they are very personable and good to do deals with."

"The firm is commercial and responsive with good industry knowledge and networks. "

"Knowledgeable about technical aspects of Irish law, very good commercial acumen and commercially focused advice."

"They are leaders in the space and good to work with."

"They are extremely responsive, in all departments. Partners are hands-on and very good attention to detail."

"1) Proactive in updating us on regulatory matters, tailored to our funds. 2) Experts in providing advice on complex topics. 3) Practical approach."

"The lawyers are all commercially minded and give practical legal advice. They know our business well and are able to advise us accordingly and keep us updated on relevant regulatory changes."

 

Investment funds : Retail funds

"Detailed command of the law. Excellent insight into the approach of the regulator."

"Ahead of the curve, responsive and good depth."

"Full service from legal, registration, listing to facilities agent from one single source. Stable teams with not many changes over the years. Proactivity in referring to changes and regulatory updates. Good response times."

"Strength and depth of organisation. Strong technical knowledge across all levels of staffing (associates, senior associates, partners). Ability to launch fund structures on time and on budget. Competitive pricing."

 

M&A                                                            

"Strong domain experience in venture fund raising. Commercial. Responsive."

"Great market understanding, with smart, experienced and determined lawyers."

"Client-focused, practical and commercial."

"The firm provide commercially minded advice on all aspects of the M&A transaction. They take time to understand the commercial agreement and help structure the transaction to best achieve the desired outcome. They identify the key elements of the transaction and work closely with all parties to ensure these aspects are addressed in the legal documentation. They have strong expertise across all sectors, which allows them to quickly address any issues that arise on the transaction, i.e. competition, property, employment, W&I insurance, etc. "

"Provided commercial advice on the key areas."

 

PPP/PFI

"Attention to detail and always available."

 

Private equity

"Knowledge of Irish company law and processes."

 

Project development : Infrastructure

"Very knowledgeable, experienced and professional in advising and supporting us on related matters."

"Excellent, professional service."

 

Donna Ager

"Dedicated her career to asset finance with specialism in aviation. She is fantastically qualified, knowledgeable with a renowned industry reputation. "

"Considerable experience. Pragmatic advice. Responsive. Great to work with."

"Excellent legal and jurisdictional knowledge. "

 

Brian Clarke

"Very professional, experienced and easy to deal with."

 

Ronan Cremin

"Excellent problem-solver; understands our business; available and personable."

 

Adam Donohoe

"Great product expertise, great communicator, gives you as a client confidence in his taken position, very supportive and collaborative and very responsive and he leads a great team."

 

Mary    Dunne

"Expertise on matters referred and complete attention to detail and always available when needed."

"Very knowledgeable, professional and efficient."

 

Frances Hamilton

"Very strong intellectually. Excellent command of the details of the law. A good listener. Excellent client skills."

"She has a breadth of knowledge and is commercially minded. She knows our business very well. "

 

Callaghan Kennedy

"Very responsive and commercial. Keen to ensure client deliverables are met. Safe pair of hands."

"Excellent pragmatic lawyer, always available and understands the issues."

 

James Kinsley

"Responsive, high-quality service."

 

Stephen Mclaughlin

"Responsive; solutions driven; highly personable. "

 

Deirdre Mcllvenna

"Very knowledgeable in the hedge funds space. Empathetic to the specific needs of our business and our fund structures and strategies. Always calm under pressure and a pleasure to work with generally."

 

James Meehan

"He is an excellent lawyer. He is knowledgeable, responsive and wants the very best outcome for his clients. Having worked with him for more than six years, I trust that he will put our interests first and cares about getting the best result for us. He is a rising star at the firm and in the asset management industry."

"Devoted to his clients, highly responsive and fantastic memory of the history on our files. Practical, hard-working and intelligent, you want him on your team."

"He is excellent. He is extremely knowledgeable and understands our business."

 

Adam O'Donoghue

"He is very knowledgeable and extremely responsive. He is adaptive to the client's needs. He delivers on strict timelines and drives his team to do so also."

 

Eimear O'Dwyer

"Excellent legal knowledge applied pragmatically and great interpersonal skills."

"Excellent technical knowledge, pragmatic and excellent communication skills."

"Eimear has extensive technical knowledge in complex areas of UCITS legislation and Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive and over multiple years has demonstrated an ability to launch funds on time and on budget. She has a very strong client-centric approach while displaying strong leadership of her team of associates. Finally I would point to her understanding of the regulatory environment and awareness of how upcoming regulatory changes will impact our business. "

 

Niamh O'Shea

"Technical knowledge, personable, commercial acumen."

"Good solution provider. Good availability."

 

Patrick Quinlan

"He is an outstanding M&A lawyer. He combines excellent technical capability with strong practical commercial acumen."

"Good commercial lawyer, focusing on the key issues."

 

Colm Rafferty

"Extremely experienced in working with venture-backed companies in the tech space. Pragmatic, commercial, responsive."

"A very experienced M&A lawyer with an in-depth knowledge of the Irish tech scene."

"He has taken the time to fully understand our company's style and legal requirements and proactively takes the initiative in deal negotiations to deliver on these requirements. He is a very commercially minded lawyer that can quickly understand unique and unorthodox M&A arrangements and identify the key transaction and legal arrangements that need to be addressed. He is very personable and can quickly build a working rapport with all advisers on both sides of the transaction, which helps facilitates quick turnaround in time-pressured situations. "

 

Lorna  Smith

"Knowledgeable, responsive and practical."

 

Alex Walsh

"Responsive and efficient, quick to understand requirements."

Mason Hayes & Curran is a Dublin-based firm with additional offices in London, San Francisco and New York.

 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm has a large banking and finance team which advises on high-value, complex transactions. The firm provides Irish legal advice to local and international companies often working alongside large international firms on cross-border deals.

 

Key clients

Among its clients in banking are AIB Group, Allied Irish Banks, IAG / Aer Lingus, RBC Europe Limited, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Royal Bank of Canada.

Among its clients in capital markets are Permanent TSB, DSF Equity, CIX Capital International, ETPCAP2 DAC, ETPX DAC, HFMX DAC and IA Capital Structures.

Among its clients in corporate and M&A are LetsGetChecked, Gem Plastics Limited, Norish, Midwest Holding Group, Surmodics and Kitman Labs.

Among its investment funds clients are Conseq Invest, Fineco Asset Management, Vermeer Investment Management Limited, Vermeer UCITS ICAV, MM Capital and JTC Group.

In financial services regulatory it advised BAWAG, Companjon Insurance, AIB Group, Addition Two, Permanent TSB and Allied Irish Banks.

Among its clients in project development are SSE Renewables Ireland, Torc Sustainable Housing, Fortum eNext Ireland, EirGrid and Statkraft Ireland.

 

Research period review: 32^nd edition (2022/2023)     

During the research period the firm was active in all areas of corporate law and project development.

In banking and finance it has a prolific record in advising the borrowing and the lending side on direct financing, acquisition financing, refinancing as well as on asset finance in aviation. In its project financing practice it advised on projects in renewable energy.

In capital markets the firm advised all sides of the table, ranging from issuers and originators to security trustees on mostly debt capital markets transactions such as bond and note issues. It also advised a bookrunner on an IPO, trustees and originators on a secured note programme.

In corporate and M&A it advised on buyers and sellers on NPLs acquisitions, and partial and full acquisitions of companies in various industries, including energy, transport, life sciences, technology and telecommunications and healthcare. It also advised joint-venture partners on joint-ventures in mining and social infrastructure. 

In investment funds it advised mostly asset and fund managers and also investors on fund formations, restructurings and regulatory matters related to mostly ICAVs, and also UCITs and Article 9 SFDR funds.

In financial services regulatory it provided regulatory advice to clients in financial services, banking and insurance on M&A transactions, payment and banking services provision, and other banking, electronic money solutions and fin-tech matters.

In project development the firm advised mostly project developer and project companies on EPC-contracts, PPPs and projects in various industries, especially in social infrastructure, utilities and energy.

In restructuring and insolvency it advised creditors and also liquidators, received and insolvent entity on corporate restructuring, insolvency issues and financial restructuring.

Recent staffing changes include the recruitments of Liam Flynn, partner and co-head of financial regulation coming from Matheson. Sara O’Reilly, partner in investment funds joined from Sanlam Asset Management, and John Troute, partner in corporate and M&A. Recent departures include Barry Walsh, partner in financing services who went in SMBC Aviation, David Ormsby, partner in restructuring and insolvency who went in Qatar Airways, and Frank O’Flynn, partner in M&A who went in Marcol.

 

Deal highlights: 32^nd edition (2022/2023)

Arklow Bank 500MW-800MW wind farm project

CIX Capital International $125 million secured note programme

DCM US Multi-Family Home US $100 million 9.25% fixed rate secured notes issuance

IAG / Aer Lingus $1.8 billion revolving credit facility

LetsGetChecked $150 million Series D Funding round

Minnesota $46.9 million acquisition of Surmodics

Nichirei Corporation £65.7 million acquisition of Norish

Quintain Ireland €85 million financing

Social Housing Bundle 2 PPP in Cork County Council

Willis Lease Finance Corporation $336.7 million securitisation

 

Client feedback: 32^nd edition (2022/2023)

M&A

"Responsive team and enjoyable to work with. "

"Excellent structuring, due diligence, British Financial Conduct Authority and Irish Takeover Panel advice, and drafting of related documents. Liaising with lawyers in Czech Republic and Armenia and other third parties. "

 

Project finance

"Their expertise as we have a technology startup specialist in Conall Geraghty."

 

Ron Boucher

"Very strong commercially despite new partner status. "

 

Conall Geraghty

"Conall is highly experienced in his field and his knowledge of setting up a technology startup is truly amazing. His communication is excellent and he always delivers our asks on time. He is thoughtful and always gives us sound advice that we can action. We would not be where we are today without Conall."

 

Justin McKenna

"Great communicator, great legal and business knowledge, always available even outside business hours and weekends."