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: 33rd 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: 33rd 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."
