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Quick facts
Number of lawyers

860 people work across Matheson’s six offices, including 122 partners and tax principals and over 560 legal, tax and digital services professionals

Number of partners

122

English

English

Key practice areas
Banking and finance
Banking
Project finance
Capital markets
Capital markets : Debt
Capital markets : Equity
Capital markets : Structured finance and securitisation
Financial and corporate
Financial services regulatory
Investment funds
Corporate and M&A
Restructuring and insolvency
M&A
Project development
Asset finance
Firm overview

Established in 1825 in Dublin, Ireland and with offices in Cork, London, New York, Palo Alto and San Francisco, 860 people work across Matheson’s six offices, including 122 partners and tax principals and over 560 legal, tax and digital services professionals. Matheson services the legal needs of internationally-focused companies and financial institutions doing business in and from Ireland. Our clients include over half of the world’s 50 largest banks, 7 of the world’s 10 largest asset managers, 7 of the top 10 global technology brands and we have advised the majority of the Fortune 100 companies.

Key transactional practices
  • Asset finance
  • Banking
  • Capital markets: Debt
  • Capital markets: Derivatives
  • Capital markets: Equity
  • Capital markets: High yield
  • Competition
  • Covered bonds
  • Financial restructuring
  • Financial services regulatory
  • Hedge funds
  • Investment funds
  • M&A
  • PPP/PFI
  • Private equity
  • Private equity funds
  • Project development
  • Project finance
  • Real estate finance
  • Real estate funds
  • Restructuring and insolvency
  • Securitisation
  • Structured finance/securitisation
  • Trade finance
Sector expertise
  • Accounting
  • Aviation
  • Banking
  • Construction and materials
  • Consumer goods and services
  • Energy
  • Financial services
  • Food and beverage
  • Gaming
  • Government and public policy
  • Healthcare
  • Industrials
  • Insurance
  • Investment management
  • Media
  • Natural resources
  • Pharm and life sciences
  • Oil and gas
  • Real estate
  • Shipping
  • Social infrastructure
  • Tech and telecoms
  • Tourism
  • Transport
  • Utilities
Address:
70 Sir John Rogerson's Quay
Dublin 2
D02 R296
Tel:+353 1 232 2000 Fax:+353 1 232 3333 Email:Contact Us Web Address:https://www.matheson.com
Rankings published in 2026
Asset finance
Tier 1
10 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&L Goodbody
15 practice areas
View full profile
Matheson LLP
15 practice areas
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McCann FitzGerald LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Arthur Cox
15 practice areas
View full profile
Maples Group
16 practice areas
View profile
Mason Hayes & Curran
15 practice areas
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Walkers
12 practice areas
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William Fry
15 practice areas
View full profile

Notable

Dillon Eustace
14 practice areas
View full profile
Flynn O'Driscoll
3 practice areas
View full profile
Banking
Tier 1
27 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&L Goodbody
15 practice areas
View full profile
Arthur Cox
15 practice areas
View full profile
Mason Hayes & Curran
15 practice areas
View full profile
Matheson LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
McCann FitzGerald LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Maples Group
16 practice areas
View profile
William Fry
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Byrne Wallace Shields
8 practice areas
View profile
Dillon Eustace
14 practice areas
View full profile
Eversheds Sutherland
5 practice areas
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Walkers
12 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard
7 practice areas
View profile
BHSM LLP incorporating OBH Partners
4 practice areas
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Beauchamps Solicitors
7 practice areas
View profile
Dentons
5 practice areas
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Flynn O'Driscoll
3 practice areas
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Hayes solicitors
4 practice areas
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Ogier
7 practice areas
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Philip Lee
6 practice areas
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Ronan Daly Jermyn
5 practice areas
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Notable

AMOSS Solicitors
3 practice areas
View profile
DLA Piper
3 practice areas
View profile
Gartlan Furey Solicitors
1 practice area
View profile
Holmes O’Malley Sexton
3 practice areas
View profile
Pinsent Masons
7 practice areas
View profile
Simmons & Simmons
3 practice areas
View profile
Taylor Wessing
2 practice areas
View profile
Capital markets : Debt
Tier 1
10 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&L Goodbody
15 practice areas
View full profile
Arthur Cox
15 practice areas
View full profile
Matheson LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
McCann FitzGerald LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Maples Group
16 practice areas
View profile
Mason Hayes & Curran
15 practice areas
View full profile
Walkers
12 practice areas
View full profile
William Fry
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Dillon Eustace
14 practice areas
View full profile

Notable

Ogier
7 practice areas
View full profile
Capital markets : Equity
Tier 2
8 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&L Goodbody
15 practice areas
View full profile
Arthur Cox
15 practice areas
View full profile
McCann FitzGerald LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Mason Hayes & Curran
15 practice areas
View full profile
Matheson LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
William Fry
15 practice areas
View full profile

Notable

Byrne Wallace Shields
8 practice areas
View profile
Maples Group
16 practice areas
View profile
Capital markets : Structured finance and securitisation
Tier 1
10 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&L Goodbody
15 practice areas
View full profile
Arthur Cox
15 practice areas
View full profile
Maples Group
16 practice areas
View profile
Matheson LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
McCann FitzGerald LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
Walkers
12 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Dillon Eustace
14 practice areas
View full profile
Mason Hayes & Curran
15 practice areas
View full profile
William Fry
15 practice areas
View full profile

Notable

Ogier
7 practice areas
View full profile
Financial services regulatory
Tier 1
12 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&L Goodbody
15 practice areas
View full profile
Arthur Cox
15 practice areas
View full profile
Matheson LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
McCann FitzGerald LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
William Fry
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Dillon Eustace
14 practice areas
View full profile
Maples Group
16 practice areas
View profile
Mason Hayes & Curran
15 practice areas
View full profile
Walkers
12 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
2 practice areas
View profile

Notable

Addleshaw Goddard
7 practice areas
View profile
Byrne Wallace Shields
8 practice areas
View profile
Investment funds
Tier 1
15 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&L Goodbody
15 practice areas
View full profile
Arthur Cox
15 practice areas
View full profile
Dillon Eustace
14 practice areas
View full profile
Maples Group
16 practice areas
View profile
Matheson LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
McCann FitzGerald LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Walkers
12 practice areas
View full profile
William Fry
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Dechert
2 practice areas
View profile
Mason Hayes & Curran
15 practice areas
View full profile
Simmons & Simmons
3 practice areas
View profile

Notable

Byrne Wallace Shields
8 practice areas
View profile
K&L Gates
1 practice area
View profile
Ogier
7 practice areas
View full profile
Pinsent Masons
7 practice areas
View profile
M&A
Tier 1
25 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&L Goodbody
15 practice areas
View full profile
Arthur Cox
15 practice areas
View full profile
Matheson LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
McCann FitzGerald LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
William Fry
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Maples Group
16 practice areas
View profile
Mason Hayes & Curran
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Beauchamps Solicitors
7 practice areas
View profile
Byrne Wallace Shields
8 practice areas
View profile
Dentons
5 practice areas
View full profile
Dillon Eustace
14 practice areas
View full profile
Hayes solicitors
4 practice areas
View profile
Walkers
12 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard
7 practice areas
View profile
Eversheds Sutherland
5 practice areas
View profile
Flynn O'Driscoll
3 practice areas
View full profile
Philip Lee
6 practice areas
View profile

Tier 5

BHSM LLP incorporating OBH Partners
4 practice areas
View full profile
Pinsent Masons
7 practice areas
View profile
Ronan Daly Jermyn
5 practice areas
View profile

Notable

DLA Piper
3 practice areas
View profile
Lavelle Partners LLP
4 practice areas
View profile
Ogier
7 practice areas
View full profile
Taylor Wessing
2 practice areas
View profile
Whitney Moore
1 practice area
View profile
Project development
Tier 1
10 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&L Goodbody
15 practice areas
View full profile
Arthur Cox
15 practice areas
View full profile
Mason Hayes & Curran
15 practice areas
View full profile
Matheson LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
McCann FitzGerald LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
William Fry
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Beauchamps Solicitors
7 practice areas
View profile
Philip Lee
6 practice areas
View profile

Notable

Dentons
5 practice areas
View full profile
Pinsent Masons
7 practice areas
View profile
Project finance
Tier 1
10 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&L Goodbody
15 practice areas
View full profile
Arthur Cox
15 practice areas
View full profile
Matheson LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
McCann FitzGerald LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
William Fry
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Mason Hayes & Curran
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Beauchamps Solicitors
7 practice areas
View profile
Eversheds Sutherland
5 practice areas
View profile
Philip Lee
6 practice areas
View profile

Notable

Pinsent Masons
7 practice areas
View profile
Restructuring and insolvency
Tier 1
21 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&L Goodbody
15 practice areas
View full profile
Arthur Cox
15 practice areas
View full profile
Matheson LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
McCann FitzGerald LLP
15 practice areas
View full profile
William Fry
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Maples Group
16 practice areas
View profile
Mason Hayes & Curran
15 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Beauchamps Solicitors
7 practice areas
View profile
Byrne Wallace Shields
8 practice areas
View profile
Dillon Eustace
14 practice areas
View full profile
Walkers
12 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard
7 practice areas
View profile
BHSM LLP incorporating OBH Partners
4 practice areas
View full profile
Eversheds Sutherland
5 practice areas
View profile
Ronan Daly Jermyn
5 practice areas
View profile

Notable

AMOSS Solicitors
3 practice areas
View profile
Brady Kilroy Solicitors
1 practice area
View profile
Dentons
5 practice areas
View full profile
Hayes solicitors
4 practice areas
View profile
Lavelle Partners LLP
4 practice areas
View profile
Pinsent Masons
7 practice areas
View profile
Linked Reviews
Financial and corporate

Established in 1825, Matheson is one of Ireland's oldest law firms. The firm is led by managing partner Michael Jackson and has six offices in Dublin, Cork, London, New York, Palo Alto and San Francisco. 

  

Highlights 

 

The firm has a strong practice in asset finance, banking and finance, both debt and structured finance capital markets, financial services regulatory, investment funds, M&A, project development, project finance and restructuring and insolvency, achieving tier 1 status in all these areas. 

A notable highlight of the firms work includes advising on the establishment of the first ELTIFs in Ireland for PGIM Capital. Matheson acted as lead counsel to the client on the establishment of three sub funds and updating and drafting documentation for each fund. The funds reflect the firms leading expertise in handling strategically important market firsts in the industry.  

The firm provided full legal advice to Smurfit Kappa on its merger with WestRock Company to firm Smurfit WestRock. The significant cross border merger, with dual listings on the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange, is one of the largest outbound mergers ever completed by an Irish company.  

 

Testimonials 2025

 

“Matheson always bring huge expertise and a wider, global view to the table. They have unparalleled experience in the banking sector in Ireland. Quality of the people is key” - Banking and finance. 

Matheson are extremely knowledgeable and professional. Collaborative in their approach to drafting and advising on legal documentation for complex transactions. They also have a real understanding of the commerciality in the transaction and make sure everything is clear and understood throughout the documentation process.” - Banking and finance 

“Technical expertise, partner availability, relevant experience.” - Banking and finance

“Matheson are a top tier Irish law firm who have high quality, respected lawyers - each at the top of their practice areas in the local market. We particularly know and trust Maireadh Dale, Lisa Tait and Carol O'Shea -each provide an efficient and solution focused service whilst ensuring deals reach completion within budget and on time. Their legal service and management of projects (particularly in REF and development finance) are second to none.” - Banking and finance

“Specific, tailored advice on complex transactions, with prompt turn-around times. The service is genuinely partner-led, and the partners always make themselves available.” - Banking and finance 

“The team was well equipped to advise and document this non-standard structure. Good communication on the areas of potential complexity which meant that we could manage our customer's expectations in a timely manner.” - Banking and finance 

“Really responsive, very outcome-focused whilst still concentrating on the detail, always ready to assist with commercially practical solutions even in difficult situations. Clearly very knowledgeable, with market-specific experience.” - M&A 

“Matheson people are very customer friendly, knowledgeable and result driven.” - M&A 

Besides the skills and proficiency of Matheson team, we particularly appreciated their availability, dedication.” - M&A 

 "Expertise is second to none. Team is very approachable and responsive." - Insolvency 

"Well-connected, deep engagement with Irish funds industry groups." - Investment Funds

"Senior people were consistently available and involved in the work." - Investment Funds

“Matheson's team have an excellent level of expertise and the ability to apply that expertise in a practical and meaningful way. They are thorough but able to deliver decisive advice against demanding timescales.” - Project finance 

Maireadh Dale 

Was very knowledgeable and understood the brief from our bank. Was very commercial when dealing with the borrower and practical in terms of managing billings. Very patient and represented the bank very well.” 

"Maireadh doesn't drop a ball - you can always count on her and her team to deliver on every mandate. She is efficient, legally astute and commercial. She is particularly good in any mandate that requires project management - REF deals and Development for example."

 Conor Blennerhassett

"Impressive industry knowledge, very responsive and proactive. Always gives detailed and considered advice, and effectively manages the balance of legal and commercial considerations at all points of the deal."
 
Paul Carroll 
 
"Paul is a very good communicator, who works well under pressure and is a highly knowledgeable financial services lawyer, who is strategic in his advice."
 
"Technically strong, unflappable, problem solver."
 
Stuart Kennedy 

Stuart always acts professionally and is extremely responsive. His knowledge of the aviation industry has been great to guide us through the beginning of our company and its complex structure.  

“Stuart Kennedy at Matheson stands out with his professionalism, his availability and his understanding of the requests and our structure.”  

Listens to what you are saying, meets tight timelines and is well organized.” 

Manages the team efficiently.” 

Very friendly, responsive and knowledgeable. Reliable pair of hands. 

 David O'Mahony

"David is well versed in all things receivables finance, he is a clear communicator and can readily provide guidance on a legal query with ample experience and knowledge across the sector. David always fully considers your business requirements and advises, ensuring any risks are appropriately identified / called out."

"David is a clear thinker, is very transparent and efficient in how her operates. I have always found him to be focused on delivering for his clients rather than scoring points off other lawyers."

"Excellent legal knowledge allied to a focus on getting the deal done, communication and support." 

Rory McPhillips 

Rory is commercially minded, has great industry knowledge and always goes above and beyond for his clients. 

Again, he listens to the Client, gets the work done, solves the problems and delivers on time.” 

  

Key clients 

 

Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Banks PLC, NTMA, Smurfit Westrock, Hines, Amazon Conservation DAC, Dell, Bank International DAC, J.P. Morgan, Onate DAC, SPF Investment Management, L.P., Arrow Global, Group, BlackRock, Arini Capital Management Limited, Finance Ireland, Bracebridge Capital 

55 results55 results
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Deal Highlights
38 results38 results
Deal Name Deal Date Firm Name Jurisdiction Deal Type Lawyer Names Client Names Client Role
Barclays - Bond Issue
2021-01-01
Matheson LLP
United Kingdom
Bond issue
Barclays
Issuer
Steris Ltd - Bond Issue
2021-03-01
Matheson LLP
United States (National)
Bond issue
Steris Ltd
Issuer
Barclays - Bond Issue
2021-05-01
Matheson LLP
United Kingdom
Bond issue
Barclays
Underwriter
Aon Corp - Bond Issue
2021-08-01
Matheson LLP
United States (National)
Bond issue
Aon Corp
Issuer
Goldman Sachs - Bond Issue
2021-01-01
Matheson LLP
United States (National)
Bond issue
Goldman Sachs
Issuer
Goldman Sachs - Bond Issue
2021-08-01
Matheson LLP
United States (National)
Bond issue
Goldman Sachs
Issuer
Barclays - Bond Issue
2021-03-01
Matheson LLP
United Kingdom
Bond issue
Barclays
Issuer
Sitecore Corp. - M&A
2021-03-03
Matheson LLP
Ireland
M&A
Sitecore Corp.
Buyer
Bregal Milestone LP - M&A
2021-07-06
Matheson LLP
Ireland
M&A
Bregal Milestone LP
Buyer
MariaDB Corp. AB - M&A
2022-02-01
Matheson LLP
Finland
M&A
MariaDB Corp. AB
Target
Norwegian Air Shuttle - Joint venture
2020-03-01
Matheson LLP
Ireland
Joint venture
Stuart Kennedy
Norwegian Air Shuttle
Joint venture partner
AerDragon Aviation Partners - Asset finance
2020-04-01
Matheson LLP
Ireland
Asset finance
Rory Mcphillips
AerDragon Aviation Partners
Borrower
Cronus Finance DAC - Securitisation
2020-08-01
Matheson LLP
Ireland
Securitisation
Christian Donagh
Cronus Finance DAC
Issuer
Franklin Templeton - Fund formation
2020-06-30
Matheson LLP
Ireland
Fund formation
Philip Lovegrove, Tara Doyle
Franklin Templeton
Fund manager
Neuberger Berman - Fund formation
2021-02-15
Matheson LLP
Ireland
Fund formation
Philip Lovegrove
Neuberger Berman
Asset manager
Rockefeller & Co - Fund formation
2020-09-17
Matheson LLP
Ireland
Fund formation
Michelle Ridge, Catriona Cole
Rockefeller & Co
Asset manager
Royal London Asset Management - Fund formation
2021-01-08
Matheson LLP
Ireland
Fund formation
Michelle Ridge, Donal O’Byrne
Royal London Asset Management
Asset manager
Ossiam - Fund formation
2020-10-01
Matheson LLP
Ireland
Fund formation
Barry O’Connor
Ossiam
Fund manager
BlackBee Investments - Fund formation
2020-12-31
Matheson LLP
Ireland
Fund formation
Barry O’Connor
BlackBee Investments
Fund manager
Krane Funds Advisors - Fund formation
2020-03-26
Matheson LLP
Ireland
Fund formation
Philip Lovegrove
Krane Funds Advisors
Asset manager
1
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