About

Alan Stewart trained with Matheson, then called Matheson Ormsby Prentice, and qualified as an Irish solicitor in 2004. Following a brief spell working in the insurance team, he worked as an associate in the commercial property group in Matheson until mid-2008. He then left to work in Australia for a short period with Mallesons, before returning to Ireland in 2009 to work in-house with ACC Bank, a division of Rabobank Group. He highlights that, ‘this work was focussed mainly on security reviews, advising the bank on enforcement options and the management of legal risk during the depths of the financial crash. This experience prepared me well for a role with the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA)’ He joined NAMA as an in-house solicitor in August 2010 and is now chief legal officer, a role he has held since July 2017, managing 40 legal professionals. Stewart identifies that, ‘having the opportunity to work with a diverse team of talented people, from whom [he] has learned so much during the last 10 years has been a particular highlight for [him]. It has educated and informed the way [he] provides advice and the way in which [he] approaches and tries to break down complex legal problems, as well as just being a great sounding board for ideas and suggested ways of working’. In the last three years, Stewart has worked on major transactions including the Project Emerald Ruby and Tolka loan sales. In terms of litigations, there have been several important cases and settlements involving high profile parties, as well as an ongoing Commission of Investigation. Stewart adds that, ‘the successes enjoyed and improvements made are down to the hard work and collective efforts of an excellent team of people and credit goes to them for the results that have been achieved over NAMA’s life’.