Matheson 200 Years - The Law Firm of Choice - Matheson 200 Year Anniversary

The law firm of choice: 2016 - 2024

In January 2016, Michael Jackson became Managing Partner of Matheson. This period coincided with a significant acceleration in the size and diversity of Matheson’s practice areas.

Delivering on complex, high-value transactions is only possible in a highly-skilled and collaborative environment and clients are increasingly drawn to Matheson by its ability to bring together multi-disciplinary expert teams from across the firm. Also during this time, Matheson developed a strong focus on the use of technology and innovation to deliver better outcomes for its clients, establishing a dedicated Digital Services Group in 2019.

Expansion of our leading practice areas

Matheson’s Tax team has developed into the stand-out tax practice in the market, and by far the largest, advising on the most significant and complex tax mandates, including acting for the taxpayer in Ireland’s first transfer pricing case before the courts. It has almost tripled in size in this period and has won ‘Irish Tax Firm of the Year’ in four out of the last five years alone.

Capitalising on the increase in transactions in the Irish M&A market, Matheson's Corporate team has expanded through organic growth and strategic lateral hires. As one of Ireland’s leading advisers in corporate M&A and associated competition and merger control regulations, the firm regularly acts as the lead advisors on the most complex, high profile and high value deals in the market. Most recently, this included advising Smurfit Kappa on its landmark merger with US-based WestRock Company.

The needs of the firm's clients - long-established or just setting up in Ireland - have driven the growth and specialisation of the International Business Group, which doubled in size, becoming the market leader in advising the multinational community in all aspects of corporate governance and restructuring, and its day-to-day related areas.

New Leadership. Pictured are Michael Jackson and Liam Quirke at the announcement of Michael’s appointment as Managing Partner of Matheson from January 2016. Michael had previously served as Head of the Asset Management and Investment Funds Group for over 15 years, and as Chair of the firm from 2013-2015.

Pictured with then Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath, at the November 2023 launch of Matheson’s Individual Accountability Framework (IAF) Directory, designed to help financial institutions and individuals understand and interpret the new IAF regime which became effective in 2024, were Matheson partners Joe Beashel and Niamh Mulholland, with Darren Maher (co-head of Matheson’s Corporate department).

The long-recognised expertise of our Finance and Capital Markets, Financial Institutions and Asset Finance groups continued during this time to reflect the maturity and sophistication of Ireland’s regulated financial services, fintech, banking and aviation leasing sectors. They continue to advise Irish and international clients on the largest and most complex financing transactions in the market.

Embodying the confidence clients have in Ireland as a funds domicile, Matheson's Asset Management Department has been recognised for 14 consecutive years as Ireland’s leading practice by assets under management, advising on many market ‘firsts’, including the first private equity Investment Limited Partnership ("ILP") in Ireland and Europe’s first AIFM authorisation.

Technology has changed the face of litigation. The firm's Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution team, which has acted on most of the high-profile Commercial Court cases in recent years, has often pioneered the use of technology. Matheson litigators participated in Ireland’s first paperless trial in 2019 and were among the earliest adopters of AI discovery tools when acting for one of the world’s largest banks defending against multi-million dollar claims arising out of the fraud of Bernard Madoff Investment Securities in 2020. AI discovery tools were also used when acting for four of the six lessors in the 2024 Russian aircraft cases.

Matheson’s Employment, Pensions and Benefits Group has been at the forefront of developments in employment, equality and pensions law, earning a reputation as the leading advisor to international employers, having acted for more Fortune 100 companies, global technology brands and global banks than any other employment practice in Ireland.

200 years ago the firm's partners had a thriving property law practice. More recently, the Commercial Real Estate team has facilitated the development of Ireland’s property industry, advising on a large proportion of the landmark commercial and residential property developments which have redrawn the Dublin skyline. In 2024 alone, the team advised on the largest real estate deal in Ireland, on Europe’s largest retail investment deal and on the largest single office letting in Europe since 2020.

As the world progresses towards more sustainable forms of power generation, Matheson's Energy and Infrastructure practice is consistently mandated on the largest regulatory and transactional projects in the Irish electricity, gas and renewable energy markets, and has advised on the vast majority of corporate power purchase agreements enacted in Ireland.

During this time, the firm launched a Digital Services Group to harness developments in technology and deliver innovative legal services solutions to the firm's clients. Matheson was one of the first Irish law firms to establish an ESG Advisory Group in 2021; and a Digital Economy Group in 2023, collaborative groups from a variety of practice areas which combine sector-focused legal and market knowledge to help clients navigate a rapidly evolving legal and regulatory landscape.

Members of the firm's Digital Economy Group pictured on the occasion of Matheson's Annual Data Protection Day client event in January 2025.

Sustained investment in the firm's international footprint

Matheson has succeeded by always being available for, and going directly to, its clients. Matheson's lawyers continue to travel the globe and are regularly to be found in the US, the UK, the Far East and mainland Europe. While maintaining a focus on Irish law, the firm has also expanded its physical footprint. During this period, the firm opened new offices in San Francisco (2017), Cork (2022) and has grown its presence in its London and New York offices.

London

From the firm’s first permanent office in London in 1989, to its 2022 move to Octagon Point in the shadow of St Paul’s Cathedral, Matheson today has one of the largest London-based teams of any European law firm, led by five partners.

United States

Matheson was the first European law firm to open an office in Palo Alto, California in 1996, creating relationships with large multinational technology and financial services firms which endure today. Offices in New York (2003) and San Francisco (2017) followed, and today three US-based partners lead a growing team of Matheson lawyers.

Cork

Matheson opened its office in Cork in 2018. In 2022, the firm underlined its dedication to the area by adding new resources and moving to a new, larger office space at Penrose Dock, opened officially by An Taoiseach, Mr Micheál Martin, TD. Today, the office hosts a team of over 30 lawyers, including four partners.

Matheson's London office at Octagon Point in the City of London.

Partners Mark O'Sullivan, Emma Doherty and Sarah-Jayne Hanna at the San Francisco office opening in 2017.

Pictured at the opening of Matheson's new Cork office are An Taoiseach, Mr Micheál Martin, Managing Partner, Michael Jackson, Matheson partner and then Matheson Chairperson, Tara Doyle, and partner and Head of the Cork office, Gráinne Callanan.

Former Irish Minister of State for Financial Services, Eoghan Murphy TD, Lord Jonathan Hill, former UK Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union, Matheson partner, Liz Grace and Managing Partner Michael Jackson in Westminster, London in March 2017, ahead of the firm’s briefing to over 200 clients on the importance of the UK - Ireland relationship post Brexit.

Supporting clients through Brexit

The decision by the United Kingdom in June 2016 to leave the European Union created a significant challenge for the EU and Ireland. To support clients in overcoming this challenge, the firm established a dedicated Brexit Legal Advisory Group, and a Brexit Thought Leadership team in Dublin, London and New York - one of the first Irish professional services firms to do so - assisting a number of UK-based companies and financial institutions to establish or expand their presence in Ireland.

Matheson partners from across our practice areas have been active in assisting clients manage through the uncertainty while continuing to foster strong relationships in the UK and Europe.

Managing Partner, Michael Jackson with former Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tax Department Chair, John Ryan in New York in October 2017. Mr Kenny delivered the keynote at Matheson's "Navigating Access to the EU Market Post-Brexit" client event in New York. See media coverage here

Covid

The onset of the Covid pandemic in 2020 caused significant loss and suffering throughout the world. In Ireland and internationally, governments took unprecedented steps to try to prevent the spread of the virus, including limiting travel and mandating people to work from home. The disruption to people’s lives and businesses was extensive.

Matheson had introduced agile working a number of years previously and invested in the technology necessary to enable its people to work remotely. The firm was well positioned to react to the radical change in circumstances and its lawyers continued to work with clients and the communities within which it operates to help overcome the challenges.

Impactful business

Two important annual initiatives, aimed at aiding students and delivered as part of Matheson's Impactful Business Programme ("IBP"), are the Matheson Cara Scholarship and the Tim Scanlon Corporate Law Bursary, named for Matheson's late colleagues Cara O’Hagan and Tim Scanlon, who were at the forefront of many of the firm's D&I and arts initiatives.

In addition, The Matheson Creativity Hub in Memory of Tim Scanlon, opened at IMMA (Ireland Museum of Modern Art) in 2024 as part of the arts pillar of Matheson's IBP. Its combination of exceptional architecture and design to provide a welcoming, inclusive and award-winning space that inspires creative engagement and fosters social connectivity for audiences of all ages.