Transport

Matheson LLP

Matheson LLP stands out for its ‘immense strength and depth’ in the transport sector, with a sizeable cross-departmental group that works alongside the firm’s transportation tax team to advise on aviation, shipping, road and rail matters. The firm houses a particularly strong offering in the aviation sector, where Rory McPhillips, Stuart Kennedy, Yvonne McWeeney and Stephen Gardiner are frequently called upon to handle complex financial transactions in addition to providing M&A and regulatory advice; the team is also experienced in the financing of rail and shipping assets. In the transport infrastructure space, Nicola Dunleavy SC, Garret Farrelly and Rhona Henry advise on planning and environmental, projects and construction issues, respectively.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘The Matheson team is approachable with strong aviation knowledge. I enjoy working with them on transactions - their client focus makes transaction run smoothly and efficiently.’
‘It is very apparent to the client that Stuart Kennedy, Yvonne McWeeney, Stephen Gardiner and Rory McPhillips actively work together to support each other to ensure that all deals are properly serviced and executed. I always feel when working with the team that there is a partner available to advise or support on any issue which we may have.’
‘Industry profile, knowledge and experience, combined with responsiveness and service orientation, makes the Matheson team stand out from their peers.’
‘I have always been impressed by the depth of knowledge and experience, in addition to the responsiveness, collaborative and solutions-driven approach of the Matheson team, and in particular Stephen Gardiner, Rory McPhillips and Yvonne McWeeney.’
‘The experience of the team is unique and unrivalled. They have immense strength and depth in the transport sector. Their knowledge and training in the sector is excellent. They provide practical advice and solutions to difficult problems. They work with the Matheson tax team to get clients to where they need to be in an efficient and cost-effective manner.’
‘Stuart Kennedy is excellent to work with. Very responsive and great quality of work.’
‘The Matheson team have extensive experience, knowledge and strong commercial acumen. The team are friendly, proactive and are always available to provide advice. They focus on solutions rather than highlighting problems and provide guidance every step of the way. Matheson are our go-to firm for legal advice.’
‘Stuart Kennedy has extensive knowledge about the aviation industry, providing an exceptional service and going the extra mile in terms of meeting clients' needs. Stuart offers practical advice and is very astute to the commercial aspects. He is professional and patient when explaining complex legal issues, taking the time to ensure we are fully informed on all aspects of our deals.’

Key clients

FTAI Aviation
Aergo Capital Limited
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA
CDB Aviation
UK Export Finance (UKEF)
CCB Aviation
Aviation Capital Group
AerCap
Castlelake, L.P.
LR AirFinance
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE)
Arctic Aviation Assets DAC
PK AirFinance
Jackson Square Aviation
Tokyo Century
Fortress Investment Group LLC
Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES)
Bank of Communications Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. (BoComm Leasing)
CMB Financial Leasing (CMB Aviation)
Azorra Aviation
Irving Oil Company Limited
Exolum Corporation, S.A.
Drogheda Port Company

Work highlights

Acting for ALAFCO on the sale to Macquarie of 53 current and next-generation commercial passenger aircraft and an order for 20 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft (valued at USD 2.2bn).
Acting on an information barrier basis using two teams to advise Azorra Aviation and Voyager Aviation Holdings, LLC on the purchase by Azorra of substantially all of Voyager Aviation's assets.
Advising Drogheda Port Company on the development of a new deep-water multi-modal port near Balbriggan, North Dublin.