Europe - Ireland
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Capital markets

Matheson LLP

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Matheson LLP is a leading firm in the DCM, structured finance and securitisation arena, with an excellent track record in advising on several headline matters in the debt capital markets space. Turlough Galvin is a key figure in DCM work; other key names include Richard Kelly, William Foot and CLO expert Christian Donagh, who also handles structured finance, securitisation and repackaging programmes. Micheál Buckley is also singled out for his expertise in the DCM arena. On the ECM side, the department continues to handle a steady workflow of transactions, and is particularly well known for its expertise in de-SPAC transactions. George Brady, David Jones, Fergus Bolster, and David Fitzgibbon are key partners in equity matters. Eoin Shiel and Niamh Sheerin have left the firm.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘ The practice is unique in how it aligns with the in-house team here. They are always looking ahead, not just at issues raised specifically with them. ’

  • ‘Caroline Kearns is a stand out lawyer. Caroline looks beyond the issues raised to identify and address risks other than those raised specifically. Very safe hands. ’

  • ‘Hugely knowledgeable and responsive team for Irish law securitisation vehicles and capital markets. Go to firm and team in Ireland.’

  • ‘Alan Keating and Micheál Buckley are outstanding to work with. They have excellent knowledge of Irish legal matters and are always very responsive and generate high quality work product. ’

  • ‘The team members at Matheson that we have worked with have always shown themselves to be very approachable and responsive to any queries we may have and come back with clear direct advice within a very short timeframe. ’

  • ‘Christian Donagh and Alan Bunbury are stand-out partners in their field. They are always available, commercial, and excellent managers of their clients.

  • ‘Richard Kelly stood out to me for the approach that he championed. Richard was also extremely personable and responsive, always responding quickly even out of hours. Richard consistently provided pragmatic solutions that helped us navigate from where we were (a problem with no solution) to an excellent outcome of an instrument that we could softly test with investors and deliver swiftly and cost effectively.’

  • ‘The Matheson Capital Markets team has a huge amount of experience in all types of capital markets transactions, delivering advice in a timely manner and always available to discuss matters at short notice. Their responsiveness is excellent. Matheson ranks top for Capital Markets in Ireland.'

Key clients

  • Aegon Asset Management
  • Albacore Capital LLP
  • Alantra Corporate Portfolio Advisors, S.L.
  • Ally Financial
  • Anchorage
  • Andbank
  • Ares Management
  • Arini Capital
  • Audax Group
  • Banco Santander
  • Barclays Bank
  • BlackRock
  • Blackstone Credit
  • Cerberus
  • Chenavari
  • Citibank
  • Credit Suisse
  • Dell Bank
  • Deutsche Bank
  • Fidelity
  • Funding Circle
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Hayfin Capital Management
  • JPMorgan
  • Macquarie
  • Natixis
  • Oaktree
  • Onate
  • Sculptor Capital Management
  • Société Générale
  • Sound Point Capital Management
  • Stenn International
  • UBS
  • UniCredit
  • WisdomTree

Work highlights

  • Acted for MariaDB in relation to a SPAC matter.
  • Advised ProKidney on an Up-C de-SPAC transaction.

Lawyers

Rising stars: Capital markets: Debt
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Leading individuals: Capital markets: Debt
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Christian Donagh
Matheson LLP
Christian Donagh is a partner in the Finance and Capital Markets Department at Matheson and is head of the firm's Derivatives, Netting and Collateral Group. Christian's practice focuses on advising asset managers and investment banks doing business in and from Ireland in relation to securitisations, CLOs, fund-linked structured products, repackagings, securities lending and repos. Christian regularly advises Irish corporates and their counterparties in relation to ISDA master agreements and collateral arrangements relating to over-the-counter derivatives transactions such as interest rate and currency linked swaps, caps and collars and on compliance with EMIR. Frequently, the firm provides legal opinions on issues relating to the enforceability of close-out netting provisions and collateral arrangements documented using industry standard or bespoke derivatives, repo and prime brokerage documentation. Christian qualified as a solicitor with Allen & Overy in 2000 and spent several years in each of its London and Hong Kong offices. Christian joined Matheson in 2006 and became a partner in 2007. Christian co-chairs the Legal Committee of the Irish Debt Securities Association (IDSA) and is a former chairperson of IDSA. The IDSA is an industry organisation promoting and developing Ireland as a location for activities to support the global securitisation, structured finance, debt securities and specialist securities industries with over 35 corporate members. Christian is also a member of the Rules Committee of Euronext, Dublin.
Turlough Galvin
Hall of fameMatheson LLP
Turlough Galvin is the Co-Head of the Finance and Capital Markets Department. Prior to this, Turlough was head of the Tax Department for more than 10 years. He advises international corporations, investment banks and financial institutions doing business in and from Ireland. He specialises in all forms of structured finance, securitisation, financial services tax, fund finance, loan portfolio and debt capital markets advice. He also provides strategic advice to the financial services industry in relation to disputes arising from structured finance arrangements and tax litigation issues. Turlough is recommended as a Tier 1 Capital Markets lawyer and a Tier 1 Tax lawyer by leading legal publications and has been included in the Legal 500 EMEA Hall of Fame. Turlough was involved in modernising the Irish securitisation legislation framework in 2002 and various amendments to Irish tax and capital markets legislation over the past couple of decades. Turlough helped to establish and served as the first chairperson of the Irish Debt Securities Association (IDSA) from 2012 to 2015.  The IDSA is an industry organisation formed to promote and develop Ireland as a location for activities to support the global structured finance, debt securities and specialist securities industries. Turlough was educated at law school in Trinity College Dublin, qualified as a solicitor in Ireland in 1995 and as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1996. Prior to joining Matheson in Dublin in 2000, Turlough worked for Deutsche Bank and Slaughter and May in London. Turlough is a regular speaker and writer on international tax and structured finance issues.
Next Generation Partners: Capital markets: Debt
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Richard Kelly
Matheson LLP
Richard Kelly is a partner in the Finance and Capital Markets Department at Matheson. Richard’s practice includes advising corporates, financial institutions, investment banks, asset managers and institutional investors on all aspects of capital markets transactions involving Irish elements, including corporate bond issuances, asset backed securitisations, CLOs, repackagings and segregated managed account structures. Richard’s practice also includes advising Irish corporates and investment funds and their counterparties in relation to derivatives transactions, repurchase and reverse-repurchase transactions, securities lending and prime brokerage and on the regulation of derivatives, the application of the Financial Collateral Directive and the operation of netting and set-off in Ireland. Richard has acted for many of the world’s leading financial institutions in providing bespoke legal opinions on the enforceability of close-out netting provisions and collateral arrangements documented using industry standard or client-specific derivatives, repo and prime brokerage documentation. Richard has been active in the Irish Debt Securities Association (IDSA) since its formation, regularly participating in sub-groups of the IDSA’s legal committee to prepare submissions on proposed legislation. Richard also regularly represents Matheson at meetings of the EMIR working group at Irish Funds.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

David Fitzgibbon, Turlough Galvin

Other key lawyers

Patrick Molloy, Christian Donagh, Fergus Bolster, George Brady, Richard Kelly, Madeline McDonnell, Susanne McMenamin, David Jones, William Foot, Micheál Buckley, Alan Keating, Caroline Kearns, Alan Bunbury

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