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.
The firm has
a particularly strong practice in banking and finance, equity capital markets, M&A, project development and restructuring and insolvency, achieving tier 1 in all these areas. They are also
very active in structured finance and
securitization capital markets and investment funds practices as well.
A notable highlight in the structured finance and securitisation market is the
firms legal advice provided to
BlackRock on the establishment of the
clients suite of 17
iBond exchange traded funds (ETFs).
The innovative nature of the instrument is highlighted by
its ability to
combine its exposure to a fixed maturity instrument and the accessibility and liquidity of an ETF.
The firm
continues to advise the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC)
on the National Broadband Plan (the "NBP"). The NBP is recorded as the
largest
infrastructure project in rural Ireland ever and expects to
supply consistent
reliable broadband across rural Ireland upon completion.
In Capital Markets Debt, the firm worked alongside Ropes & Gray
advising Smurfit Kappa on its debut US bond, a triple-tranche offering
comprising
USD 750 million of senior notes due 2030. The Notes were used as part of its financing for the combination with WestRock Company to create Smurfit Westrock plc and a portfolio of eligible green projects.
“Easily accessible team commercial perspective and willingness to drive the deal” - Bank lending
“Always available and very engaged in the discussion, with sound advice which stands up” - Banking and finance
“The partners (Padraic Kinsella and Jason Hollis) were directly involved in all key aspects of the deal. William Fry always provides excellent commercial advice and top class legal technical guidance. The dedication and professionalism of the firm is exceptional.” - Banking and finance
“The William Fry team, led by David Maughan, is very experienced, responsive and a pleasure to work with. They have unmatched expertise in the areas of Irish corporate governance and transactional
law, and are our first call for advice in those areas. They are also valued partner on cross border transactions between the US and Ireland and we look forward to many more years of working together on high-profile matters.” - Capital markets debt
“Highly skilled in terms of financial services regulatory expertise, nice team to work with quick responses.” - Financial Services Regulatory
“Very diligent with an excellent knowledge of local requirements” - Financial Services regulatory
“The William Fry team were very pragmatic, offering advice on risk management and regulatory impact. The team provided
very clear guidance.” - Financial services regulatory
“Practical and commercial advice. Reliable, and communicative. Can always trust that work will be done and done to a high standard. ESG knowledge.” - Investment funds
“John has great expertise, quickly
identifies and the issues and finds solutions to our specific issues, all while communicating this in a clear and
simple way.”
“Excellent problem solving and communication.”
“Provides clear and concise advice.”
“Excellent client focused service.”
“Strong focus and understanding of the client's needs together with a keen eye for detail and pragmatic solutions.”
“Deep knowledge of sector and experience, always responsive and provides detailed analysis.”
“Matthew is a fantastic securitisation transactional lawyer with excellent legal skills and industry knowledge.”
“Paul managed the action professionally and provided sound legal and strategic advice. He was a
consumate professional and was always responsive and managed the team well such that they were all well informed
throughout the process. He has excellent
communication skills and was always assured in the advice he was providing.”
“Technically
very strong on insolvency and related matters."
“Excellent client advice and leadership of the construction contract process.”
“Jarleth is very responsive, seeks to understand our needs and find the best way to implement them.”
“Excellent communicator with a thorough industry knowledge.”
“In depth knowledge of the sector,
always responsive and they provide quality work.”
“Extremely knowledgeable and pro-active. Responsive to requests and committed to deadlines / obligations.”
“Ciarán manages the team incredibly well. He was hands-on for any matters that
required partner attention, but otherwise his team handled all the required work. He communicates well and is a pleasure to work with, making the transaction easy for everyone involved. We also valued his and the team's ability to turn around quickly on very tight timelines.”
“I have worked with Jason for a number years and I would highly recommend him. Jason adopts a very commercial approach, and
provides expert guidance to all parties throughout a transaction. Jason is very personable, which makes it easy to discuss concerns or issues with him as they arise. I would say his communication skills are unmatched, and his ability to lead out and
monitor a transaction from start to finish is first class.”
“Quick response, good at building relationships, good knowledge of our business.”
“Nessa, as with all of our team in William Fry, is very personable to deal with and is our main contact for all matters relating to ESG and implementation of SFDR.
Nessa's analytical and technical abilities are invaluable, coupled, as they are, with a strong commercial focus.”
“Nessa is highly responsive and has excellent specialised knowledge.”
“Shane exemplifies excellence as a lawyer, possessing an in-depth comprehension of the regulatory landscape. He consistently provides clear, concise, and practical advice, showcasing a profound understanding of the industry. Furthermore, Shane's approachability and willingness to be readily accessible when legal matters arise underscore his exceptional professional demeanor.”
“Well versed and well connected with all areas related to our firm. Eager to push client along to achieve
optimal results.”
“Highly accessible, he provides a
fast delivery of results.”
“Shane is very business focused and is always available at crunch time. He is very solution driven and practical. His knowledge of the sector is second to none.”
“Shane provided me with invaluable preparation and support before a recent interview with the Central Bank of Ireland. Shane provides a first-class client focused service.
This builds trust with clients and results in the development of
long lasting client relationships.
Shane understands our business and our people and addresses our specific needs rather than applying “one size fits all” solutions. The quality of service provided by Shane and his team is excellent value for money. This results in continuity and stability for client firms in terms of future advisory support.”
“Padraic
is extremely responsive, he sees problems before they arise and always keeps a level head. He makes you feel that your transaction is always his number one priority and consistently meets deadlines.”
“Padraic Kinsella excels in providing thorough and insightful legal counsel. His ability to analyze complex legal issues and distill them into clear, actionable advice is particularly impressive. Moreover, Padraic demonstrates exceptional attention to detail, ensuring that all aspects of a deal are meticulously addressed. His dedication to client service is
evident through his proactive communication and willingness to go
above and beyond to meet client needs. Additionally, Padraic's strategic thinking and problem-solving skills contribute significantly to achieving favorable outcomes for his clients. Overall, Padraic Kinsella's
proficiency in providing comprehensive legal guidance and his commitment to client satisfaction make him
a valuable asset to any legal team.”
“Very
proactive , engaging and supportive throughout any
transaction .Key was recent transaction which required quick turnaround and Padraic went over and beyond to deliver.”
“David is a very knowledgeable and experienced counsel.
He has worked on a very wide range of transaction structures and is able to
provide effective advice on
aircraft financing transactions and structures of all types.”
“Ted is available at all hours to solve the most complex, serious and urgent VAT issues that we have come across in our Irish adventures.”
“Alex's knowledge for the regulatory space is impressive - his retirement will be felt across the sector.”
“Louise is the main contact at William Fry and I have worked with
her on
both on funding and licensing work. Louise is always available and proactive in her willingness to help and provide clarity.”
“Louise has vast experience in EMI licensing process. She was able to
accompany us successfully throughout the licensing journey. She is particularly good in suggesting the right format of information expected by CBI and bringing CBI's firm-specific questions into
broader context of the local regulatory requirements.”
“Louise has vast experience to draw from and a creative approach to deploying this knowledge. She is responsive and goes the extra mile to understand our business and how this applies to the situation.”
“Delivering astute legal advice (payments/regulatory) and coming up with creative solutions.”
“Louise recently provided end-to-end support on a VASP submission to the Central Bank of Ireland. Louise understands the regulatory burden on clients and
help firms understand their compliance obligations and how rules should be applied. Louise is very client focused and provides a personal service where clients feel important. This enables William Fry to build
long lasting relationships with their clients. Louise understands the complexity of regulation and this enables her to go
above and beyond for her clients in providing solutions to complex issues.”
“She consistently exhibits adeptness in navigating intricate legal matters and offering pragmatic advice and solutions. She
possesses exceptional legal acumen and a comprehensive understanding of the regulated payments industry. Furthermore, Louise's approachability and readiness to promptly address legal concerns underscore her outstanding professional conduct.”
“Helpful, pragmatic, transparent on costs very pleasant to deal with very good knowledge of relevant topics.”
“Ian is very knowledgeable and experienced
on the regulatory environment in which our company
operates. He has an in-depth understanding of our business model, and is very practical with his
advices. He is approachable,
responsive and accessible.”
“John consistently demonstrates
proficiency in navigating complex legal issues and offering pragmatic legal advice and solutions. His excellence as a lawyer is further evidenced by his profound understanding of the regulated payments
industry.
Additionally, John's accessibility and prompt availability when addressing legal matters underscore his exceptional professionalism.”
“David was our go-to person for this transaction. He is always available when needed and
coordinates complex legal advice seamlessly without requiring significant involvement from us. Any time there were any issues or questions under Irish law, we received prompt feedback with well-reasoned and easy-to-understand advice. He communicates well and is a pleasure to work with, making the transaction easy for everyone involved. We also valued the full team's ability to turn around quickly on very tight timelines.”
“James is highly responsive, has a very pragmatic approach and suggests innovative solutions to problems.”
“James has worked on our
account for longer than
I myself have been with
our
business and is the Senior Partner on our file. After many years of dealing with James,
more often than not
on a daily basis, I would consider him to be an invaluable source of support to myself personally as well as to
the business generally. James is always willing to go the extra mile for us and his advice is always sensible and on point. If you are managing a UCITS business in Ireland, James has an exceptional understanding of the regulatory landscape that you are faced with and can be completely relied upon to steer you safely through any engagement with the Central Bank. He has an ability to convey legal knowledge in a genuinely useful way and can make complex projects
seems straightforward. He can also be relied upon to provide you with a view where required and to direct you as to the best course of action to take in any
particular circumstance. James is a personable, friendly guy, as are
all of his team, and this really makes a difference when you are dealing with somebody all the time, often in circumstances that can be stressful where big projects are afoot with tight timelines to be
maintained. I am aware from speaking to some of James' other clients at industry events that he is highly thought of across the board.”
“Excellent insolvency solicitor.”
“Provides quality advice which is also always very pragmatic.”
MUFG Bank, Natixis, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Banking, ING
Bank,Bank of Communications, Ltd Singapore Branch,
Bayerische Landesbank, Smurfit, Home for Life, Bank of Ireland, Echelon Data Centres,
DCC, Uniphar, FINEOS Corporation Holdings, J & E Davy, The Irish Department of Finance
