Recent Firm Appointments
2024 saw the firm continue to grow again, and we ended the year with 125 partners and tax principals in the firm, and a total headcount of just over 900 people. Below is a summary of some of the key senior appointments we made during the year, further strengthening our leadership team and reflecting the continuous growth and success of the firm.
Matheson Adds Two New Partners to its Finance and Capital Markets Team
Matheson’s Finance and Capital Markets (FCM) team is growing! We are delighted to have welcomed Muireann Hernon as a partner in the FCM team recently. She has joined us from another large Irish law firm, where she had been a partner since 2022. Muireann advises a range of Irish and international clients, including financial institutions, corporate borrowers, developers, investors, government departments and state bodies. Her practice covers syndicated and bilateral lending, including real estate and development finance, corporate and acquisition finance, and green and sustainable finance. Project finance is a particular focus of her practice, and Muireann advises many of the prominent financial institutions and sponsors in the energy and infrastructure market.
The FCM team is also very pleased to announce that it will be joined in January by Gearóid Murphy, who will re-join the firm, and the FCM team, as a partner from an international law firm in London where he has been working since 2020. Gearóid trained as a solicitor with Matheson and spent more than three years working as an associate in the team before his move to London. We are delighted to be welcoming him back to the firm.
Michael Jackson, Managing Partner at Matheson said, "2024 has been another year of significant growth for Matheson, with continued market-leading performances across the firm. Our people strategy is driven by the attraction, engagement and development of the market’s best legal talent. I am delighted to welcome the arrival of Muireann and Gearóid to our Finance and Capital Markets team, and I look forward to working with each of them over the coming years.”
Pictured above are (l-r) Turlough Galvin, partner and co-head of the Finance and Capital Markets Department; Muireann Hernon, partner and; Maireadh Dale, partner and co-head of the Finance and Capital Markets Department.
Seven new partners appointed across seven practice groups
Matheson is delighted to announce the appointment of seven new partners, five female and two male, across seven different practice areas. The new partners will take up their positions from the beginning of January 2025. These new appointments bring the total number of Matheson partners and tax principals to 125.
Owen Collins - Energy & Infrastructure
Owen has particular experience in the renewables sphere having advised on the sale, acquisition and financing of a number of renewable projects in Ireland. Owen specialises in particular in the drafting and negotiation of power purchase agreements (PPAs) and has advised on all types of PPA including REFIT PPAs, merchant PPAs, corporate PPAs and non-participating PPAs. Owen also advises on all related contractual documentation, including trading services agreements.
Aishlinn Gannon - Litigation
Aishlinn is an experienced litigator having acted in some of the most high-profile and high-value commercial disputes in recent years. Her clients include financial institutions, international organisations, insurers as well as commercial and private clients.
Aishlinn has significant experience advising regulated international and domestic clients on engagement with regulators, all aspects of investigations and enforcement actions. She advises clients across multiple industry sectors with a particular focus on financial services.
Maeve Lochrie - Private Client
Maeve is a partner, chartered tax advisor and TEP (trust and estates practitioner) in the Private Client Group in Matheson.
Maeve advises both Irish and non-Irish individuals, foreign trust companies, investment managers and private banking clients on a variety of legal and tax issues associated with wealth and succession planning, asset protection and preservation, and offshore structures.
Seóna O'Donnellan - International Business Group
Seóna practices Irish corporate law, with a primary focus on advising US and other international clients on the Irish legal aspects of doing business in and from Ireland. Seóna advises on inward investment projects, and works with international companies on the establishment, expansion, and operation of their business in Ireland. Seóna also advises multinationals on the complex legal issues which can arise on global reorganisations involving Irish subsidiaries of foreign companies, including in relation to pre- and post-acquisition integration and consolidation projects, spin-off transactions, and cross-border mergers.
Sarah O'Meara - Asset Management and Investment Funds
Sarah practices financial services law and advises many of the world’s leading financial institutions, investment banks, asset management companies and service providers carrying on business in Ireland or through Irish vehicles.
Sarah’s experience includes advising a wide range of domestic and international clients on the structuring, establishment, marketing and sale of investment vehicles and products across the full range of investment strategies and asset classes.
Simon Shinkwin - Competition and Regulation
Simon advises on all aspects of EU and Irish competition and regulatory law with a particular focus on regulated sectors primarily the telecoms, media, technology, infrastructure, food & beverage and life sciences sectors. Simon also co-leads Matheson's Foreign Direct Investment / Foreign Investment Review practice advising businesses on navigating Ireland’s new FDI regime and acquisitions of ‘critical’ and ‘sensitive’ assets and businesses.
Lisa Tait - Finance and Capital Markets
Lisa advises corporates, private equity sponsors, asset managers, financial institutions and lenders on a wide range of international and domestic finance transactions, including fund finance, acquisition finance, corporate and investment grade finance and property finance (development and investment).
Pictured above are (l-r) Anthony Byrne, Director of International Listings Services and Luke Tyrell, Director of IT.
Matheson is delighted to announce the appointment of Anthony Byrne as Director of International Listing Services and Luke Tyrrell as Director of Information Technology
About Anthony Byrne Anthony has extensive experience in the listed bond markets, having worked for 20 years in the stock exchange industry, with senior leadership positions at the Irish Stock Exchange (now Euronext Dublin), and The International Stock Exchange. Anthony’s previous positions include Vice-President of International Primary Markets in Dublin, and Head of Bond Markets in the Channel Islands. During this period, Anthony played a significant role in the development and promotion of several bond markets across Europe, including the Global Exchange Market (GEM) in Dublin, and the Qualified Investor Bond Market (QIBM) in Guernsey. His role at Matheson includes advising our global clients on the most suitable listing options available for their transactions, and thereafter securing a successful listing on their behalf.
Matheson’s International Listing Services team provide a comprehensive and quality listing service to multiple listing venues, including Euronext Dublin, Vienna Stock Exchange, Luxembourg Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, Cayman Islands Stock Exchange, and The International Stock Exchange.
About Luke Tyrrell Luke has joined Matheson as Director of Information Technology. Luke brings with him considerable expertise built over a 20-year career of technology leadership experience, having worked in the financial services, healthcare and construction sectors in Ireland and abroad, as well as in a large international law firm here in Ireland. The coming months will see Luke lead his team on a number of very important strategic projects.
Michael Jackson, Managing Partner at Matheson said “We are delighted to welcome both Anthony and Luke to the firm. Their expertise and leadership will enhance our commitment to innovation as our clients’ needs and expectations are continuously evolving, and the legal industry continues to transform. As we navigate the complexities of today’s legal landscape, these strategic roles are essential in ensuring that Matheson remains at the forefront of technology and global market trends. I am confident that the contributions both Anthony and Luke will make, and the perspectives they will bring, will help drive our continued success and further solidify our position as a leader in the legal industry."
Joe Beashel Appointed Head of London Office
Joe Beashel, a partner in the firm's Financial Institutions Group, was appointed as head of Matheson's London office in 2024. As well as leading the 25-strong London team, which includes seven partners, Joe continues to work as a partner in the Financial Institutions Group and advises his existing Ireland- and UK-based clients.
Announcing the appointment, earlier this year, Michael Jackson, Managing Partner of Matheson said, "The UK is key to Matheson's international growth strategy and London is home to most of the world's largest financial institutions. This appointment is further evidence of our commitment to growing our business and to enhancing our offering to our clients in the UK and across Europe. As head of the London office, Joe will continue to drive our UK strategy forward and build on the success of the office to date. I and all of the firm wish Joe all the best in his new role."
"I would also like to thank Sharon Daly for her leadership of the London office for the past five years, a period during which the successful implementation of firm's strategy for London has seen the office grow and thrive. I look forward to continuing to work with Sharon in her new role as consultant at Matheson."
Joe Beashel joined Matheson in 2004, having previously been CEO of the Irish subsidiary of a large international financial services company. He helped to establish the Matheson's regulatory risk team, originally as part of the Asset Management Department. He advises many leading international and domestic financial institutions on all aspects of regulatory engagement and risk, and is recognised as a market leader in his field.
Appointment underlines firm's commitment to UK and international growth strategy
Returning Alumni
Alice Duffy Re-joins Matheson's Employment, Pensions and Benefits Group
Matheson was delighted to announce the appointment of Alice Duffy as partner in its leading Employment, Pensions and Benefits Group. Matheson now has an employment and pensions team of 28 specialist lawyers, including six partners and eleven senior associates, making it one of the largest such practices in the Irish market.
Alice Duffy initially trained with Clyde & Co before joining Matheson in 2014 as a senior associate. From 2019 she worked with a leading international law firm, before recently re-joining Matheson as partner. Alice is particularly experienced in supporting multi-national companies on international people-related projects including global workforce expansion and restructuring, and joins the Employment team to work on a range of exciting domestic and international matters. She has particular, hands-on technology and fintech sector experience, having completed secondments with a number of multinational technology companies.
Pictured above are (l-r) Shane Hogan, head of Tax and; Olivia Long, head of Tax Policy.
Olivia Long Re-joins the Firm From OECD
Olivia Long was appointed as Head of Tax Policy within Matheson's Tax Department.
Olivia joined Matheson from the OECD in Paris, where she spent a number of years working with the Tax Treaty Unit. As well as her work on tax treaties, during her time at the OECD, Olivia was heavily involved in the development of the Two Pillar Solution, the OECD's flagship project.
At the time of appointment, Shane Hogan, Head of Tax at Matheson said "We are delighted to welcome Olivia back to Matheson's tax practice to lead our tax policy function. Her experience, which included negotiating with government officials from around the world to agree the new international tax framework, is unique in the Irish market and will further enhance the ability of Matheson's tax team to advise clients on the impact of the rapidly changing tax landscape on strategic business decisions.
"This senior appointment further distinguishes our tax practice in the Irish market and underlines our position as tax law firm of choice for internationally focused companies doing business in and from Ireland, and I am looking forward to working closely with her over the coming years."